As a certified obsessive-compulsive, this was my biggest concern about the trip. Not being able to wash my hands 20 times a day, having to use public restrooms, eating in rooms where smoking wasn't banned - could I do it.

I did get and read the Lonely Planet health guide for southeast asia and read the CDC website warnings and recommended precautions pages regarding travel to southeast asia and Nepal and I made sure I had plenty of time before my departure to get all the immunizations recommended.

I carried some antiseptic Purell lotion in a small bottle to wash before handling food but only used it once - In Europe I was always able to find a bathroom to wash before and after meals.

There were two times in Europe that I sort of felt a cold coming on but they never really materialized - there must be something about constant travel that has a boosting effect for my immune system. Throughout the 6 months of travel I really only got sick once - some intestinal bug at the highest point in my Himalayan trek.

I actually gave up hand washing shortly after starting on the trek in Nepal as there were so many people coughing and such poor eating-utensil washing. I think I was actually spared from catching whatever respiratory thing was going around and up and down the trail, by having a fever for 48 hours due to the intestinal bug I caught - these 48 hours began about two days after we left the worst of the guest houses (in terms of number of people coughing) - the time in which the coughing illness would finish incubating and be likely to appear.

In south east asia I never ate fresh vegetables, never had water that wasn't bottled and never had ice in my drinks.

I was glad though, when I got to Japan and then New Zealand when I didn't have to worry about the tap water.

On the trip I carried with me a 3 month suppy of Malarone to take thoughout the duration of travel in malaria areas, a course of Ciprofloxacin for severe diarhea and a couse of Zithromax for severe respratory illness. I also carried a sealed "Steri-kit" which I bought at REI which had hypodermic syriges and several sizes of sterile needles and sterile wipes and bandages. This kit was for emergency use in areas where sterilization might be difficult.