Image courtesy of Erik Cleves Kristen on Flickr.

Picture this: a tropical climate, golden beaches, exotic wildlife, diverse culture and lush rainforests. If this sounds like  your next dream trip, then get ready to explore the coastal nation of Liberia! Located in western Africa, this country is home to four million people and was founded by freed American and Caribbean slaves. Brimming with natural wonders, it also has a rich cultural vibe and plenty for visitors to see.

Liberia is well-known for its beaches, most notably surfing beaches near Robertsport or the stretch of beaches surrounding its capital, Monrovia. Visit Silver and Cece beaches for the best experiences, as both are stocked with bars, restaurants, entertainment and family fun. Yearning for a little alone time? Venture past the crowds of Cece beach, where miles of warm sand and sun create the perfect environment for a little solitude.

If hiking and adventure is more to your taste, be sure to add Mountain Woligizi to your list! Surrounded by dense jungle, the hiking trail up the mountain leads you to the nation’s highest point. As you make your way to the top, waterfalls and wildlife will be sure to greet you. Once at the top, you will be able to see Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea stretch out before you. Deep-sea fishing is also an option for ocean enthusiasts. Located off the shore of Monrovia, a deep ocean trench is full of big fish for those who want to check that experience off their bucket list.
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Much recent news coverage has focused on viral outbreaks like Ebola and measles, while coverage of another outbreak has been somewhat muted.  Since the 1980’s, there has been an increase in the number of reported pertussis (whooping cough) cases in the United States, culminating in more than 48,000 cases in 2012, the most since 1955.

While the reasons for this increase are varied, a new study done in Washington state shows pertussis immunity wanes within five years of receiving the Tdap vaccination, which protects against pertussis, tetanus and diphtheria.

“The take-home message is that the waning is there,” said Dr. Art Reingold with the University of California in an interview with National Public Radio.  “You’re protected initially but it wanes over time.”

The majority of people receive their last pertussis vaccination when they are teens, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that a booster is needed every five to 10 years to uphold a high level of immunity.
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The cholera outbreak in Haiti has been ongoing for over five years, and, unfortunately, the disease is still harming and infecting many. Over 8,500 people in Haiti have died from the disease and thousands more have been infected.

Cholera is a bacterial disease most commonly caused by ingesting contaminated food or drinking water. It can cause severe diarrhea and dehydration. The disease has spread rapidly in Haiti since hygiene practices are poor and there is a lack of proper sanitation and latrines in the devastated nation.

In Haiti, the most common, current sanitation system consists of bayakous, a system similar to having an open septic tank underneath the home. One of the biggest problems with bayakous is that many people cannot afford to have one, causing contamination in many otherwise clean areas. After the earthquake in 2010, short-term solutions were put in place in the form of porta-potties. However, this was never meant as a long-term solution, and proper, sustainable sanitation practices have still not been implemented.
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Are you getting ready to embark on your next journey abroad? Remember, booking a plane ticket and taking care of any medical needs are not the only things you have to check off of your to-do list before traveling overseas. You may also need a visa to even be able to get in to your destination.

Many countries require you to obtain a visa for travel by dropping off and picking up your actual passport and supporting application documents at the consulate that has jurisdiction over your state of residence. Unfortunately, this consulate is likely to be out-of-state and open only during select hours.  That would mean you would have to take time off from work and spend extra money just to make a trip to the consulate!  You would also likely have to wait a few days for your application to be processed, or you would have to make another trip to pick up the documents when your visa was processed successfully.

However, there is good news. Today, travelers have an option for Passport Health to handle the visa process (that is all too often fraught with bureaucratic red tape!) on their behalf.  Passport Health will handle the entire process of application completion and submission for you, so there is no need to become overwhelmed by paperwork or make a trip out to an out of state consulate.  The visa process often seems daunting, but three simple steps can help you find out what you need to know so that have everything ready before you go.

These three easy steps to a stress-free visa are:

1. First, pay a visit to the U.S.State Department’s website to find out the general requirements for obtaining a visa for your destination country.  You might be pleased to learn that some countries do not require visas for short stay. Visiting the website also provides other useful information like the maximum amount of currency you are allowed to bring into each country, and it provides some generic guidance on the vaccinations you need to have received for your trip.

2. Next, do a little research on your destination and create a timeline marking important dates and the expected amount of the time it will take for your visa to be processed. Some countries allow you to start your visa application process several months in advance. You also need to be aware of how long it will take to get your passport back, as visa processing times vary by country.

3. Ultimately, however, it is best to turn to a company that is expert in processing travel documents, like Passport Health, for help. Slogging through government web pages trying to find the right documents can take a lot of time, and accidentally making a mistake on your application can take even more.  Some countries are so particular that if the address on your driver’s license and the address you enter into your application differ by even a punctuation mark, the application will be rejected!  Leave the minutiae to the experts: we can handle the visa process for you and obtain a visa on your behalf. After just filling out a simple form, Passport Health’s travel document experts can help you get a visa for any global destination, and we are here to answer any questions you may have throughout the application process.

Don’t wait until the last minute to get your visa. Following these easy steps early on can help obtain your travel visa with ease. Avoid the nightmares of visa delays or expensive last-minute expedited processing, and you’ll be one giant step closer to the vacation you’ve been waiting for.

For more information on Passport Health’s visa and passport processing program please visit our Visa and Passport Processing portal.