About Madeleine Morris Expertise Regarding Vietnam, I have lived in Ho Chi Minh City for more than four years and have travelled extensively elsewhere in the country. I speak Vietnamese quite well, as well as French and Spanish. I can answer questions on where to stay, what to see and where to go. I can also answer questions about cultural etiquette; both professional and personal. For anyone coming to settle for a while in Vietnam, I can answer questions on most topics concercing settling in, doing business, legal and visa issues, language, where to shop, how to get help, emergencies, etc.
Experience I have lived in Vietnam for six years now (and can't seem to find a way to update the "expertise" part of this profile! I currently teach full time at RMIT Vietnam.
Organizations International Ladies in Vietnam Org
Canadian Vietnamese Business Association
Expert: Madeleine Morris Date: 9/7/2004 Subject: angkor wat and other places
Question Hello,
we are planning a trip to Angkor Wat in January; we will be travelling with our two year old son and our mothers (active 60s).
Can you suggest where ELSE we go in the area? Although we live in Tokyo the mothers will be coming out from England and so would like to come for more than the 5-6 days we might have taken. We were thinking maybe Vietnam but we don't want to miss other interesting historical/ beautiful places in Cambodia.
The other question is about health - I gather we need malaria tablets. If I were pregnant could I take malaria tablets, would I be absolutely mad to go if I were in the early stages of pregnancy? (I realise this is a question for a doctor, and will check with the doctor if the situation arises).
Thank you
Answer Oh, I think you will find that unless you are spending several months there, Angkor Wat will take up most of your time! It's an enormous complex.
It's still not such a good idea to go traipsing around off the beaten track in Cambodia - mostly because of the land mines.
There is Batambang - you can reach it by river. And there's Phnom Penh of course. A lot of Cambodia's more recent history is pretty sad and often quite horrific - so I am not sure how much impact this would have on a two-year old. Certainly there are places, like Teuol Sleng, that are really NOT appropriate for an older child. They're just too nightmarish.
Re: Anti-malarials. Hmmm. This is not something I would like to give an opinion on. Lariam is a very harsh drug and in the early stages of pregnancy, you might easily cause harm to the fetus. This is absolutely a question for a doctor. But you will also need Japanese Encephalitis, Meningitis and Hepatitis A & B shots. The JE and M shots are especially important for you son. Although you are going in the dry season, it's still worth getting the shots as the risk with brain fevers is just not worth taking.
Unfortunately, I am listed as a Cambodia expert because they don't have a Vietnam Category. I actually live in Vietnam.
The safety advice is the same as for every tropical place: Drink tons of fluids, wear light clothes that cover your arms and legs after sunset or before dawn, use mosquito repellant (because anti-malarials aren't 100% effective and also because the mosquito that gives you denge fever is a day biter)
