It will happen to all of us at some point. However careful are about what we eat and how we keep ourselves clean, we will experience that moment where everything inside us wants to come out, and take all our energy (and sometimes our dignity) with it. Food poisoining can create some of the most unpleasant and uncomfortable moments on a trip, so it pays to be prepared and try and make the experience as bearable as possible. Here are a few tips I’ve picked up along the way (more are as a result of painful lessons learned).
Things you should carry:
1. Toilet roll. This might be the most important thing you will pack. Not necessary of course if you are staying in a 5 star hotel, but for those who are camping, and those travelling long distances, ask yourself what you would do if you were afflicted with the runs on a long train journey: how many trains have paper in the toilet? If they do, would you want to use it? And while on a bus or in a jeep, those pit stops on the side of the road…. ok, you get the idea. Does anyone actually travel without this essential item? (And don’t scrimp here; you’ll be glad you bought the luxury stuff when you need it)
2. Immodium. The old friend I have carried in my backpack or suitcase for over 20 years, and the equivalent of a cork. Can stop you in an instant. Great when you are on the road, but not necessary if you are staying put in a nice hotel, and it does have the effect of blocking you up for several days longer than necessary.
3. Salt replacement drinks – these sachets of salt, sugar and usually fruit flavourings are the only thing that should pass your lips while in the midst of the fury of a full-blown attack of diarrhoea and vomiting. Disgusting at the best of times, they don’t taste any better in the heat of battle. Be warned though; you might not like them but mice find these sachets irresistable as I learned to my cost while camping in Australia, so think of them as sweets when securing your pack from unwanted little friends. Coca Cola is a more palatable alternative, but as it doesn’t come in sachet form you will need to have someone running errands for you to get your supplies.
4. Dried snacks – as plain and bland as possible. Jacobs Crackers are perfect for this, as are other types of dry biscuit. This is the first food you’ll be able to digest, and probably the only thing that’s safe to eat when you get those first hunger pangs on the road to recovery. Discipline is difficult but important in those first moments after you feel that you are truly empty. Eating food too rich will knock you back a few hours in your recovery plan.
5. Lots of water – it goes without saying, you have to keep hydrated. At this time more than ever, it is important to make sure the water is clean. Bottled or boiled only if you are in any doubt.
Two other things that will make a stomach bug more bearable: firstly, if you have the fortune to be in charge of your immediate plans at the point where you realise what is starting to happen, use a little of your budget to stay in a comfortable place, with a private bed and bathroom. I’ve suffered in both luxury accommodation and in basic and dirty places, and I can assure you the experience was very different. Not only do you need to guarantee unrestricted access to that bathroom, but you will want it to be as close as possible. And let’s face it, it’s not very nice for others to be sharing with you at that time.
Which brings me nicely to my final point. Having someone with you during this time will make the whole experience better. Obviously if you’re travelling with a partner they will be expected to look after you and run your errands (and remember that you need to show your appreciation when you are better; after all it will your turn to play nurse sometime). If travelling solo, it is still a good idea to let someone know you’re not well. Most people will help you out, and while they might not sit on your bed and tell you stories they will at least run to the shops and buy you water or snacks. I’ve been the patient and the carer in these situations and it does make a tricky situation better.
Thankfully a food-borne bug tends to pass through in 24 hours and it rarely ruins a big chunk of a holiday. On their return home, people strangely have a habit of thinking back to their illness with nostalgia, and it forms the basis of my stories re-told. Happy (and healthy) travels!
