There are vaccines for Cholera, which I think would be worthwhile protection to have as well as insurance.

Insurance to cover medical care is essential for travelling outside the area where you are covered by your home country medical insurance.

Diarrhoea is always a travel risk. Bring Imodium for the times it strikes when you need to go outside of your room and an electrolyte powder for adding to water when you are staying in bed for a day or two to wait it out.

Read up on how to avoid it (no fruit that can't peeled and no salads) and what to do if your good sense isn't enough. I ate a delicious salad at a grand hotel in Luxor once and was very sorry.

The hotel sent a German trained Egyptian doctor to my room who gave me a jab and a schedule of different tablets that would do a German train company credit.

It was gone in a day or two and, while unpleasant, didn't really spoil the trip.

I have been back to Egypt at least twice since the as well as to Jordan with no repeat of the problem.

I have never had Cholera although I have had the vaccine.

Here is Canada we have a med called Dukoral which is either a vaccine or pill that you take pre trip. In my city there is also several doctors that specialize in travel advice/medicine that I accessed prior to my trips to "Egypt/Tanzania/Peru/China. Perhaps there is a similar service in Oregon.

Welcome

You nedd to talk to your healthcare provider on this.

And let them know you are traveling to those places and if any vaccines are needed or required.

They can perscribe chemicals for Diarrhea.

And thete are doctors and Pharmacies too.

Then ask about medical coverage. Chances ate you will need to pay out of pocket, keep ALL RECEIPTS , and then get reimbursed.

You can look for some medical coverage that may cover additional things and medivac/repatriation.

Start googling or look at the insuremytrip website. Thete are others.

If you own or rent house, your insurance may cover belongings.

Some credit cards cover you too.

And or your employer may have coverage.

You are not the first person to travel there or anywhere.

Did you consider getting a travel book and read what info it has.?

Are you doing this as a tour? If so, ask the tour operator.

Good luck

I don't know about Kenya, but have been to Egypt, even though many years ago. It has only gotten much much more consevative.

For healtlh insurance, just pick the plan that suits you best for what you want to spend, that's what I do. I use tripinsurance.com

YOu should go to a travel doctor, if possible, there usually are some in major cities. But cholera is not a particularly major risk in Egypt. Typhoid, is. There is some dengue fever, also, but no vaccine for that. Also, there can be parasites in the water so do NOT go into the Nile, etc. Some bozos on my tour did and they got really sick. If possible, you should get vaccines for Hep A and Hep B and typhoid. Another major problem can be bacteria in the water or food, of course. My doctor gave me some antibiotics as a prophylactic measure and I didn't get sick at all. However, nowadays with the antibioltic-resistant straing, they don't recommend that. Some other people on my tour did get sick. LIke any place with questionable public health measures, you have to be careful of what you drink and eat.

As for solo travel as a female, yikes. I don't know how you behave normally or where you plan to go but I would not go anywhere alone. You also have to dress modestly, meaning no shorts or sleeveless blouses. Luckily, it is going into winter so long pants may be tolerable. When I was there, I wore long cotton or linen pants or calf-length gauze skirts. I was assaulted by a man in a store when I was just looking at cloth, I believe, someone else (a teenage female) on the tour was assaulted in the corridors of a train when she was alone. Now we weren't raped or physically hurt, but what I mean is men would grab us and try to force themselves on us, kissing us, etc. I was in the store alone as my driver was waiting outside. This was a fabric store in a good part of the city, also. Egyptian men think they can do whatever they want with Western women, actually. The guys in stores, clerks, that kind of service person, are not the elite highly educated people, of course.

As I said, I don't know as much about the main disease problems in Kenya or traveling there, but I think malaria can be a problem there, and the same other ones as Egypt (typhoid, hep A and B). I don't think cholera is a big risk there, either. They have had outbreaks of polio recently so I presume as an American, you are vaccinated for that. I'm sure a solo female could have problems there also.

Diarrhea is from the bacterial presence in food and water. As I said, maybe your doctor can give you some antibiotics to take with you in case you need them. I don't know where you read cholera was a big risk in those countries, though.

ChristinaW, I realise you prefer not to travel alone but many women do and prefer it to travelling with others.

As to “Egyptian men think they can do whatever they want with Western women, actually. The guys in stores, clerks, that kind of service person, are not the elite highly educated people, of course.”

That sounds rather an unpleasant racist generalisation.

When in Egypt or any Middle Eastern country or in Southern Africa countries I wear loose trousers or long skirts and loose tunic tops with sleeves, usually 3/4 length. I am female, almost always travel solo and have always been met with respect.

I have seen tour groups with women wearing shorts and camisole tops with no regard for the local cultures. This may make it difficult for other Western women travellers to be treated with respect.

Going down dark allies is unwise anywhere by any gender.

I agree with ChristinaW about travel jabs and sympathise with her about her assault, but it certainly doesn't match up with my experience as a solo female traveller in Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Zambia or Tanzania.

I use public transport in Egypt as well as the occasional private driver/guide.

It is always a good idea to read up on the customs of your destination. That can prevent you giving signals likely to be misunderstood.

Some years ago a poster on this forum pointed out that if you dress according to the cultural norms for "modest women", other women will help if you find yourself feeling threatened by a local man.

If you don't dress in accordance with local norms, local people may feel you had it coming.

The more traditional the area you are in, the more important it is to dress in accordance with the local views of modesty.

A scarf covering your hair isn't necessary in the more international parts of Cairo, but in the local markets, it is polite and sensible to do so. (and of course it is necessary in a mosque)

Tour companies sometimes play on peoples' fears and make money from people being afraid to travel independently or for women to travel solo.

BTW, I was told how "brave" I was to travel on my own in Australia as much as in Jordan.

Be sure to check with your health care provider about any vaccinations or meds recommended, in particular, anti-malarial meds.

I’ve been to Kenya solo, for work and a short safari. I felt in no danger in the international areas of Nairobi or with the safari tour group. I did dress conservatively and always had a scarf to wear if necessary to blend in.

some other hints...take or leave...

> Do you see yourself traveling more in the future? If so, some vaccines are good for years or LIFE!

> there may not be a shot for some bugs out there, so its really up to you to be aware and educate yourself on those things. Its sort of too late to say "i didnt know" when the info is out there and you are your body is really hating you for not knowing.

> And again, dont forget the local pharmacies/doctors. They maybe able to help. That also goes for your lodging. My 1st solo trip for work way back in the 80s, i got food poisoning? and had fluids flowing out of both ends for 3 days and this was in Europe too. On my 4th day when i was able to get out of hotel room, the desk staff asked if i was ok. By then the worse was over. And then they said i could have asked them to call a doctor for me. Duh. some places they still do "house calls" or a place may have a "doctor on call". Painfull lesson learned.

> again, talk to your doctor about this trip and future trips and or look for a "travel clinic". You can google for it and there is one in downtown NW PDX that i use.

> my dad/bro did 2x trips to Africa. both times werre on a tour and both times no issues. Of course a tour will try to keep you "safe" from many things, but its really up to you and if you use a tour. The travel books i buy/read will also call out what not to do.

> you have Powells in yoru backyard, i would go and get a current book on where you are going and readup. chances are you dont want to and want to get your answers from the web, but you will have more questions and a book has a table of contents and index. But its up to you. your pain your gain.

good luck

@ChristinaW wrote" As for solo travel as a female, yikes. I don't know how you behave normally or where you plan to go but I would not go anywhere alone. " This is the 21st century Christina and women do not need to be somebodies arm candy to travel!!! I have traveled to the Hutongs of Beijing, the streets of Cairo and the back alleys of Lima , the off the path boroughs of NYC etc and never once felt unsafe. And your comment re uneducated Egyptians is borderline racist.