International Travel Tip – Do not drink the water
International Travel Tip – Do not drink the Water
Tap water in many countries is not safe for Americans to drink. It may contain bacteria, viruses, and parasites to which we have not developed a resistance.
Safe water
I have used tap water in the cities of USA, England, Ireland, Japan, Australia, Singapore, and Germany and never had a problem. If you have had similar safe experiences in countries other than where you grew up and those experiences are within the past ten years, please e-mail me at Hugh@HughCurley.com and I will add your countries.
Health Insurance
Before going to another country, verify your health insurance will cover your costs if you get sick or have an accident. If not, you may want to get additional coverage. Even with coverage, you will probably have to pay first (with cash) and get reimbursed later.
When I recently went to a Chinese hospital, they would take neither my Medicare health insurance, credit card or check.
Long term visit vs. short term
Some people argue that if you will be visiting a country for a longer period of time, it may make sense to drink the water the natives drink, get sick, become resistant to the pathogens, and enjoy the rest of your visit. This makes sense to me if you will be visiting the country for more than a few months. Trying to avoid the water can be a problem, and accidents will happen despite our best efforts.
If you are visiting for only one week, spending three days in the hospital takes a large part of your vacation or work time. Being careful seems to make more sense for a short visit.
What does “Don’t drink the water mean?”
Do not drink the water means also do not brush your teeth with the water. Do not ingest water while showering.
Also, remember that the food you eat was prepared with the water, the dishes the food was prepared in were cleaned with the water, the dishes the food is served in were washed with the water and the utensils you eat the food with were cleaned with the water.
The ingredients of your salad were probably washed in the local water.
When you get sick
If you discover you have digestive track discomforts (nausea, vomiting, fever, stomach cramps, diarrhea), get to a doctor or hospital immediately. Some times the problem will not go away without medical treatment.
When I realized I had diarrhea, I thought, “I have had this before and it is a nuisance.” I had work to do so I continued with my work. However, this was like no diarrhea I had before; about 20 minutes after eating, I got rid of all I had eaten. Within one week I was dehydrated and very weak having received no food value. Being run down, I contacted pneumonia and a fever of 103°F. It took about five weeks to recover.
Returning home
Returning to the US when the symptoms first strike may be an option, but it may also be unfair to you, to the cabin crew and to the other passengers. 1. The “Use seat belts” sign can be on for long durations prohibiting an emergency run to the lavatory. 2. The cabin crew probably cannot do anything for you if you get sicker or exhibit new symptoms. 3. While you have a fever, you are probably contagious. It is probably better to wait until: 1. the fever breaks and 2. the digestive track settles down.
There are many beautiful sites, both natural and man-made, and many lovely people in the various countries of the world. To be afraid to travel because of “the water” limits the wonders you can experience. Travel, just be careful.
Bon voyage
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