Mosquitoes: the invisible enemies

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When you plan your first trip to south east Asia, you probably worry especially about one thing: how to avoid mosquito bites. We were particularly worried because of all the stories we heard and all the sicknesses that people talk about in this area. They exist, the possibility of getting one is there, but it is probably lower than what one thinks.

We researched about techniques and things to do, but most of them are suitable for short trips, like the method of impregnating clothes in permethrin, or using repellents with DEET (a strong chemical and not so good for the skin). The more we researched the more worried we got, because so many people take it to the extreme. Because of that, we thought maybe the situation is actually that hard. In any case, we decided to not use permethrin, because the process needs to be done every few washes, and it is not really possible for us in this trip. Moreover, it is a hard chemical that is all the time in contact with the skin when you wear the clothes. We finally stuck to the sprays with DEET and others with picaridin and we would buy the typical plugs anti-mosquito.

As you may know if you read our previous stories, we put the DEET spray at the airport even before going to the street, because we expected all to be bad... But it was not. Truth is that many times you cannot really see the mosquitoes because they are small. But in the first week only I got bitten, and only twice in the same day. The second day. I already thought "shit, the malaria...", and stayed worried for few days, being alert for symptoms hahaha. But no, I had no trouble at all.

This is of course only our personal experience at the time we went (November 10th, 2019). It might be though also in other times of the year in the same area and maybe you would have the same. We did not see a big ammount of mosquitoes, but we used the spray every single day for the first few days. We talked to different locals to see what do they use, and most of them just use the plug "Good knight" in the night, and said it is enough in the area. Some use just citronelle. Others use Odomos, a mosquito repellent cream that also works. In fact, Odomos is pretty cheap (around one euro) and it is proven that works. There are many methods, some more aggressive than others, and we will be telling you more about each of them in a tips and tricks story soon.

We decided to use only as much chemicals as needed, not more, because it is not nice for the skin. We started using Odomos most of the times we went out, and the plug system in the house. That was effective for us to fight the invisible enemies and we did not get many bites.

While traveling around, we carried our mosquito net just in case and a HIIT mosquito spray for the place to use in the stays the first night, and also the plug system. 

We used the other, more aggressive sprays only when we went in the mountain or for a long walk in which the Odomos effect would not last enough time. Also, if we would go somewhere by bus or by taxi, as few times we were bitten in them.

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The take-away of this is that locals use less aggressive methods, and in the medium-level hotels, hostels and in the flat we rented there was no mosquito net already installed, which says much. Do not do like we did and carry more than one spray with you, more expensive than Odomos. If you go to Goa just take a mosquito net just in case, your preferred spray (only one) for the first days, and when you arrive you buy Odomos cream and a Good Knight plug, and you are all set up. Use the repellents, because one does not see all the mosquitoes that can be around, but do not worry too much because in that area with these methods you will surely be safe.