What to drink?
Sep 27th, 1999, 04:03 AM
#4
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Stellarossa advice: In the tropics, avoid uncooked food if at all possible. Fruit, vegetables, salads etc. I personally wouldnt touch eggs either. <BR> <BR>On no account drink 'tap' water. Bottled is a must and is readily available most places. <BR> <BR>Cooked food from restaurants should be fine. However this is a rough guide - I ate wisely and still got ill. Fish was fine, cooked meats (beef,chicken etc)were fine, potatoes, rice as well.
Sep 27th, 1999, 04:46 AM
#5
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Of course you can eat fruits and vegetables when you're in Africa. For salad, tomatoes and vegetables that are not cooked or baked, be sure that they are washed in purified water. <BR>Furthermore, you can eat all the fruits but don't eat the peel. This is quite obvious for pineapples, bananas, oranges, etc. but you should also remove the skin of grapes, peaches, mango's, payaya's, etc. <BR> <BR>Never drink tap water. Bottled water is available everywhere, mostly in large bottles. <BR> <BR>Although I never did it, it may be wise to take water purifying tablets with you (available in every drugstore) in case bottled water is not available. As far as I know you have to dissolve these tablets and after a few (??) hours the water is drinkable. <BR> <BR>I have been to Tunisia, Egypt, Senegal, Kenya and have never been sick there. <BR>
Sep 27th, 1999, 11:03 AM
#6
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I think the regular advice is to only eat fruits with thick skins or shells which you can remove yourself. The group I was with had them on the truck, so they must have considered them safe. Also, at stops, people would come running up and sell them. They were a good snack. <BR> <BR>Everything that was washable we washed in treated water and always disinfected our hands before eating. <BR> <BR>With all good intentions beforehand you can find yourself doing foolish things in reality. I was convinced I wouldn't put a toe in any lake or stream there, but after being covered in dust for days I lept right into a river - with Masai cattle all around. We also were on a hike that required walking through a stream several times. <BR> <BR>
Sep 29th, 1999, 02:53 PM
#7
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We drank bottled water (readily available) and soft drinks w/ NO ice. What April was referring to re: bananas is that you can eat fruits that you peel ie. bananas, oranges, etc. Also, you should use bottled water when brushing your teeth, don't drink juices (look good, but may be made with tap water). I would skip the salads and raw vegetables as well. How do you know if they've been washed in purified water? We asked - they smiled and nodded and never got an answer. Despite our precautions we were on a steady diet of immodium and pepto. We had great seafood - fish and crabs and cooked meat.
Sep 30th, 1999, 10:43 AM
#8
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Obviously bottled water is the ONLY choice for drinking, tooth brushing. etc. As for fresh fruits and vegetables - refrain from them. Eat only cooked foods in reputable restaurants, hotels, and do not fall to temptation from the street markets. You have come a long distance in a short time by plane and will be spending a short time in a very foreign area where body will not have time to acclimate itself. Why spend that money and time to get there to get sick when to drink bottled water and refrain from fresh fruits and vegetables would save you problems? Most African intestinal diseases do not respond quickly to Western medicines so if disaster strikes consult a hotel physician who can prescribe the proper medicine for the diseae and area.
Sep 30th, 1999, 10:43 AM
#9
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Obviously bottled water is the ONLY choice for drinking, tooth brushing. etc. As for fresh fruits and vegetables - refrain from them. Eat only cooked foods in reputable restaurants, hotels, and do not fall to temptation from the street markets. You have come a long distance in a short time by plane and will be spending a short time in a very foreign area where body will not have time to acclimate itself. Why spend that money and time to get there to get sick when to drink bottled water and refrain from fresh fruits and vegetables would save you problems? Most African intestinal diseases do not respond quickly to Western medicines so if disaster strikes consult a hotel physician who can prescribe the proper medicine for the disease and area.
Sep 30th, 1999, 08:29 PM
#10
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I don't know what part of Africa NW is talking about, but for overlanding I would think bottled water would be inconvenient as you'll need gallons and gallons of it, and there is no grocery store around the next corner. You can purify it yourself. Water is not always handily available so you'd want to stock up when you can get it. <BR> <BR>If you're out in the middle of 'nowhere' there are no physicians let alone hotels so you'd best have something on hand.
Oct 2nd, 1999, 12:17 AM
#11
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Paula, <BR>Very sorry but I don't agree with you to refrain from the fresh fruits. Pineapples, mango's, papaya's, etc. etc. I've never have better ones than in Africa. Even in the Carribean it's not the same. (Wash and) peel and it's OK. <BR> <BR>In addition to my former posting I would recommend to be careful the first days in a far-away-country. It's not only the food that makes one sick, but certainly also the long travel time and the jet lag that upsets the stomack.
