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# Village stays and mosquitos Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Fiji
revhebu 03:14 UTC 07 Feb 2007 | Greetings - My fiance and I would like to homestay with a Fijian family in one of the villages; I have already had dengue fever once in my life however, and have absolutely NO desire to ever feel so sick again! Has anyone stayed in one of the villages, and are there mosquito nets? Thanks for any help you can offer. |
raro 06:22 UTC 08 Feb 2007 | I haven't stayed in a village in Fiji, but I doubt there would be a mozzie net available for you. Most villages are pretty poor, and may not even have nets for their own people. You might want to buy one in Nadi or Suva, can't be more than US$30 or so. | 1
oldpro 17:09 UTC 08 Feb 2007 | Your question is too vague. Which one of the (many) villages are you going to stay at? And how would you go about arranging the visit? Some places in Fiji that I visited did have nets available if they were catering to western tourists. But nets were not standard by a long way. Fijians themselves do not seem to use nets very often. If you're concerned about the matter, it's probably better to bring your own net (I had my own as well). | 2
mandja 18:13 UTC 09 Feb 2007 | The village houses that Ive seen havehad no nets. Buy and take your own. Also take lots of Rid etc | 3
jirikoo 10:07 UTC 10 Feb 2007 | villages have no nets since mosqitos dont creep on natives, sometimes only curtains, for you its strongly advisable to bring one, though | 4
agingaquarian 10:50 UTC 10 Feb 2007 | Unfortunately, mosquitos do 'creep on natives' - otherwise there would be no dengue fever in the pacific islands. Certainly in Rarotonga I have known 'natives' to be very ill indeed. | 5
dev10 19:15 UTC 10 Feb 2007 | Hi, alot of people swear by taking vitamin B a couple weeks prior to your trip really helps.I don't know if it truly works or not but I'll find out next week,the little buggers usually love me. | 6
ozziegiraffe 14:36 UTC 11 Feb 2007 | The vitamin B story has a lot of support - that is why sp many Australians eat vegemite. Incidentally, a village stay on an artificial island in Solomon Islands, or in the Reef Islands is safe, as they (unlike the rest of the country) are mosquito-free. | 7
mandja 15:49 UTC 11 Feb 2007 | <blockquote>Quote <hr>that is why sp many Australians eat vegemite<hr></blockquote> Are you seriously saying that Aussies eat Vegemite to keep away mossies???? Garbage. They eat it cos they love the salty taste. | 8
i_want_summer 07:08 UTC 21 Feb 2007 | I did the vitamin B thing (didn't really work) and serriously nothing beats that really strong stuff (deet???) I know that there are numerous objections to it though. | 9
joolz2 08:41 UTC 21 Feb 2007 | I thought that dengue could be transmitted by mozzies that bite during the day, not just night-biting mozzies. Therefore a mosquito net wouldn't be much good unless you are going to walk around with it on your head all day. Unfortunateyl I think really strong DEET is probably the best way to go. Buying yourself a lightweight mozzie net to use at night won't hurt though. What #4 says is total crap. Doesn't he know how many "natives" get sick every year? I'd hazard a guess that the reason locals don't use nets is more to do with the cost. | 10
aussiefi 13:43 UTC 06 Mar 2007 | I stayed at a village and there were no nets or glass on the windows. Great experience though, well worth it. | 11
agingaquarian 23:10 UTC 06 Mar 2007 | #10 Dengue is transmitted by the daytime mosquito only. The particularly dangerous times are dawn and dusk, but precautions are needed all the time. The outbreak in Rarotonga is getting worse all the time. | 12
bendejo 10:49 UTC 08 Mar 2007 | I have been taking substantial daily doses of vitamin B complex for decades, and I can assure it does not deter the mozzies. | 13
bendejo 10:54 UTC 08 Mar 2007 | A question about mozzie nets: I know there are the types that are suspended from the walls (forming a cubical) and the ones that hang from the ceiling by one rope (this is a very popular style in Brazil). Problem with them is you need something on the wall/ceiling to attach it to. Some hotel keepers may not appreciate you driving nails into their walls. Anyone have any other types of portable net to recommend? | 14
oldpro 12:39 UTC 08 Mar 2007 | The single attachment nets are the least flexible. Box nets or wedge nets are better. You do not need to hammer nails into walls. Have about 2-3 meters of light cord for each corner of the net, and then use anything within reach -- curtain rods, lamp fixings, sink faucets, clothes closet handles. I've taken pictures off the wall and hung the net on whatever it was that the picture had been hanging on. I always have a few eye screws with me. A couple of turns in a joint of a window frame or door frame and you have another attachment point that leaves little or no damage. | 15
oldpro 13:26 UTC 08 Mar 2007 | #16 in very rare cases I have even used the back of a chair against the foot of the bed and hung the net over that -- maybe using an extra pillow or some rolled up clothes/towels to create space around my head. As you say, there has to be space between your skin and the net. | 16
jacjacjaci 09:57 UTC 30 May 2007 | hi! could you possibly give me any inforamtion on where you are home staying? thanks! | 17
jacjacjaci 10:02 UTC 30 May 2007 | just subscribing to this thread.... excuse the extra comment! | 18