Hello Vegan Travelers!
One topic always on the minds of international travelers is the topic of contaminated water or food poisoning. Vegans seem to be especially prone to this problem, for obvious reasons. When a vegan traveler can not find a suitable restaurant in their general vicinity, they may have no other choice but to eat salad. Those raw, uncooked vegetables were probably washed in local water, not bottled water. Hence, the possibility of getting ill from foreign bacteria arises. Certain hotels or cruise ships offer a buffet selection for lunch or dinner. While this may provide some decent vegan options such as a bean dish or cold pasta dish, these food items may have been washed in local water.

Sometimes, travelers may actually be visiting a destination which does indeed have contaminated water. The locals or your hotel usually tell you if the water is not safe to drink. However, even if it is safe for the locals, our bodies are not accustomed to those foreign strains of bacteria. Montezuma’s Revenge is commonly known as the intestinal illness a traveler may get after drinking the water in Mexico. Pharaoh’s Revenge is its Egyptian counterpart.

Besides drinking foreign water straight up or eating raw vegetables washed in it, there are a couple of other ways. As a global traveler, it is always exciting to try different, exotic fruits. Again, this provides a problem if they are washed in local water. During travels, it is best to only eat fruit that you can peel. Other things to avoid are ice cubes in your beverage. They may cause illness due to the local water. Drinking fresh fruit juices is not recommended in a country where travelers get ill from the local water. it is best to drink bottle juices or water.

I have gotten food poisoning or became ill from the water in Central and South America. The positive side of things is that medical care their is inexpensive. I got ill from drinking fruit juice made with local water. I became nauseous upon arrival at the tourist attraction. However, there was a doctor’s office at the entrance where for $35 I received a checkup, antibiotics and an inoculation. It worked so quickly that within 15 minutes I could run into the place where my group was and join in on the tour. A similar thing happened to me in two other countries. Certain African destinations may not have clean water supplies too, as does regions of Asia. A friend of mine got ill in Egypt. I did not get ill there. I even drank lemonade with the local water. Americans typically do not get ill drinking from the water supplies in Europe.

In summary, it is suggested that travelers drink bottled water or bottled juices in countries which are known for water-borne illness. Hot beverages in which the water has been boiled, such as tea should be safe and free from bacteria. Never get ice cubes for your beverage. Vegetables should be cooked. Fruits should be peeled. These pointers will help to prevent any food or waterborne illness during your world travels.