Preparations

Today I received confirmation that I will leave for Lusaka, Zambia on November 28, 2005 with a return flight scheduled for March 26, 2005. I will be working with Dr. Jeffrey Stringer and colleagues at the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), a nonprofit organization established in 1999 with support from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, on a clinical trial funded by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

In preparation for my travel, I was given the following vaccinations: Yellow Fever, Hepatitis A (second shot), Hepatitis B (third shot), Typhoid, and Influenza. I was also prescribed 25 weeks of malaria prophylaxis (Mefloquine). My passport is in order, and I have materials for a business visa to submit to the Zambian Embassy upon arrival. I also acquired an International Driving Permit.

To record and share my experiences, I ordered a Canon SD400 Digital Camera. It should arrive in the next few days, and I look forward to using it to update this weblog.

Check out my itinerary for the trip to Lusaka...
Monday, November 28 - Tuesday, November 29
6:30 AM - 8:39 AM - Nashville to Atlanta (1:09 flight)
10:30 AM - 10:05 PM - Atlanta to Sal, Cape Verde (7:35 flight)
11:05 PM - 10:45 AM - Sal to Johannesburg, South Africa (8:40 flight)
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM - Johannesburg to Lusaka, Zambia (2:00 flight)

Total time in flight = 19 hours, 24 minutes
Total time in airports = 10 hours, 06 minutes
Total travel time = 29 hours, 30 minutes