Panjakent Warnings Or Dangers

With some of our group coming from a tick-prone area, thus being well aware of the problems they can pose, and knowing that areas of rural Tajikistan (and Uzbekistan) are home to the nasty critters, we factored tick-prevention into the general traveller's list of comfortable walking shoes, long sleeves and covered legs along with the usual hats and sunscreen for days spent in exposed sites. Pale colours are best as ticks will show up more easily.

Our guide clearly didn't have the same hangups. As we strode out in our sturdy walking shoes and trousers, she tripped around the rough paths of the archaeological site in high-heeled mules and a black sparkly skirt. She did look sweet, if more dressed for a party than a day scrambling around utterly ruinous ruins.

Joking aside - ticks are a real threat. One settling on you and transmitting one of the tick-borne diseases that are endemic in Central Asia could seriously spoil your holiday.

Bring DEET-based insect repellant and apply it to exposed skin, avoiding eyes, mouth and any exposed wounds. Pack some tweezers or a small tube of cream containing permethrin and check carefully for ticks after a day spent in rural or forested areas and, if you find one, remove it carefully by grasping the head with the tweezers - be sure to remove ALL of it - or by a couple of applications of the cream a few minutes apart and then leaving it for 24 hours after which it should drop off or it can be gently removed.

I don't profess to be any sort of an expert on this but I do know ticks are very nasty creatures and, whilst I'm not paranoid about them, I am not prepared to dismiss tick prevention and care either. Trekkers and anyone heading for rural home stays should certainly seek advice from their doctor or pharmacist if tick-care is outside their usual experience.