Gov.uk and Nathnac have between provided pretty comprehensive info on what I’ll need for the trip, and I’ve tried to collate that on the Route page.  But it seems sensible to put it all together here then update this post as I get stuff sorted. So…

 

Health risks and vaccinations

Diptheria – not needed but had as combined on 02/04/2014, lasts 10 years

Hepatiitis A  –  Had in 2000, lasts 25 years

Hepatitis B  –  Will cost £150 and take 21 days to administer.

Polio – Had on 02/04/2014, lasts 10 years.

Rabies  –  Will cost £150 and take 21 days to administer.

Tetanus  –  Had on 02/04/2014, lasts 10 years

Tick-borne encephalitis – vaccine not deemed necessary

Typhoid – Had on 3/5/7/04/2014, effective 17/04/2014 for 3 years

Tuberculosis – vaccine not deemed necessary

Yellow Fever – Had on 02/04/2014 effective from 12/04/2014 for 10 years, have certificate.

 

Visas

Turkey – get it in advance for $20 here

Lebanon – get it on arrival (may be problems if passport contains Israeli stamps)

Jordan – get in in advance from the Jordanian embassy in London, (3 working days)

Egypt – get it on arrival

Algeria – get it in advance from the embassy (can take up to four weeks) UPDATE: the webpage says 10 working days. So allow four weeks for Algerian and Jordanian visas is probably fine.

 

So the biggest determinant factor in when I can leave is how long it takes to get an Algerian visa.  Algeria and Algiers aren’t the most important parts of the trip… but in addition to Algeria (and the familiarity of being in a French=speaking country) it would be a shame to miss the Tassili n’Ajjer… so I think I’ll go straight to the embassy when I get back from Brazil.

 

I don’t think I’ll need a second passport though.  Lebanon can give you grief if you have an Israeli stamp, but I’ll hit Beirut before Jerusalem.  They reckon Jordan won’t give you a problem as long as you have a visa in advance (since none are issued on the crossing from Israel) and that’s what I’ll have.  So, only reason to get a second passport is in case one gets stolen; but  then the second wouldn’t have visas in in any case.