Could've suffered much more at night... Have you considered mosquito nets?

PermaNet hanging out during the day. Not in anti-mozzie mode
just quite yet!

I woke up in the middle of the night from the swelling, itching and a thousand mosquitos finding their way through the giant wide open windows to the already stuffy room in India to eat me alive. It was mosquito netting time. I didn't think it would be as bad as it was considering how the evening was so mild. But then again, I'm the kind of guy that mosquitos love, to my demise.

Thank goodness, Vestergaard Frandsen had provided me with wonderful oppurtunity to try out their mosquito nets, aptly named PermaNet. This fantastic company, in short, helps improve lives of those in vulnerable countries through supporting the UN's Millenium Development Goals. And this mosquito net is one of the big products. It helps with fighting malaria in the most hectic mosquito ridden places.

Make shift the net; notice pack shoved
to increase height in feet space

Mosquito nets injected with insecticide
The one I received from Vestergaard Frandsen was big enough to fit two people in a rectangular prism. All four corners can be strung up with extra material to lift the mid points up. Or be creative and figure out how to fit your sleeping accommodations.

And embedded in the mosquito netting is insecticide. And my gosh does it work. The insecticide, Deltamethrin, is harmless to humans at that potentcy. However, I would still recommend washing your hands with soap thoroughly after handling it, as it can cause a burning feeling if touched in more sensitive parts of the body. It could last up to 2 days.

The results

You can actually see the mosquitos collect on the net and around on the ground. I had no idea mosquitos loved me that much! It was quite satisfying to have a full night rest without having to worry about being eaten alive.

The implications of this, other than my own comfort, is that when this mosquito net is distributed to the vulnerable countries, it actually will prevent malaria. Any mosquito net will do, really, but when there's insecticide, it will greatly reduce the chance of the having more mosquitos around. 

Practicality

The best part of it, especially for those hardcore backpackers, this mosquito net is pretty easy to set up, pack, and throw in your pack. I usually carry some cord when I travel (being me) and I can string it up in a makeshift way. Even when I don't have all four corners, I can shove my pack in the appropriate spot to elevate the net to not touch my feet. I love the fact I have a retangular prism, it provides ample amount of room under the netting and keeps it off your face. It's possible to fit 4 people in it easily.

Net shoved away during the day.

In short, if you're going to some mosquito infested regions, don't leave without this mosquito net, PermaNet. It's an amazing product that I had never considered until I was introduced to it.

Click here to find out more about PermaNet and Vestergaard Frandsen.