Confused's Question:
Soon our family will begin a 1-year adventure around the world. Our trip will
focus on Asia and Africa. We will backpack and stay in cities. Seems like filtering
would be the best bet (since iodine isn't safe for a whole year). Or, would
filtering plus chlorine bleach be better? My PUR filter says it filters 0.3
microns. I like it because it's lite. What would you do on such an extended
trip?
—Confused
Karen's Answer:
Dear Confused —
It's a good question, but you'll be relieved to know that the answers aren't
all that complicated.
Drinking clean water is indeed an important consideration both in the
backcountry and when you're staying in cities in developing countries. (I've
gotten far more ill in cities than I've ever gotten in the great outdoors.)
In cities and even in small towns, bottled water is widely available and
inexpensive, which is a great convenience, since filtering all of your water
for an entire year would indeed be a monumental chore! If you are staying in
very remote local villages, you probably won't be able to buy bottled water,
since the locals don't use it—but you'll almost always be able to buy soft
drinks. (It's sometimes disconcerting to realize that while you may be on the
adventure of a lifetime, Coke and Pepsi have gotten there first!)
When bottled water isn't available, I use either iodine tables (for
emergencies and times of laziness) or a filter. I, too, like the PUR filters,
although I've also successfully used Katagyn, Sweetwater, First Need, and
MSR. PUR's Scout model comes with an iodine element. The water passes through
a mechanical filter, which removes bacteria, amoebas, protozoa, and other
fugglies (like Giardia) that can ruin a trip after a single sip. The water
also passes through an iodine screen, which kills viruses. It doesn't take a
lot of iodine to kill viruses, so we're talking a minimal dose. It's not the
same as using iodine pills for a whole year.
A couple of other water hints for travel in less-developed countries:
* Most tourist-class hotels are well aware that tourist stomachs are no match
for the local microscopic fauna. They take appropriate precautions, so you'll
usually be safe. (If in doubt, ask.) But in"adventure travel" and local
accommodations, you'll need to be more careful.
* Don't accept drinks with ice in them, since the ice could be made from
unfiltered water.
* Don't eat raw lettuce.
* Only eat raw fruits and vegetables that you can peel yourself.
* Use filtered water to brush your teeth.
* Avoid milk (unless you know it's been pasteurized). Yogurt and cheese are
safer alternatives.
* You can also get sick from utensils and plates that have been washed in
dirty water. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do about this. Sometimes
you can see the food preparation area. I've seen plates dipped into a bucket
of water, and then immediately used to serve food. If you see something like
this happening, you might want to try to insist on rinsing and drying the
plate yourself, or using your own utensils.
* Similarly, when you buy a bottle of water or soft drink, open it yourself:
Sometimes, locals, wanting to present you with a clean bottle with no dust on it, will
rinse off the bottle with dirty water when opening it—which, of course, defeats the
purpose.
Finally, you might want to talk to your doctor about getting an all-purpose
antibiotic to treat any bugs you might pick up.
The bottom line: If you pay attention, you'll minimize the problems. Have
fun! it sounds like a great trip!
Karen
