How many gringos get sick?

[latinstranger]

The last 2 trips to Bogota I got a stomach virus. I am not sure what happened I only drank bottled water. I also brushed my teeth with bottled water.

[Mountain Man]

When in Bogota ans Medellin I always drank the tap water never had a problem. Although i did have a few "movements" that seemed to be fruit related. I am one of those guys who trusts the tap water more than the bottled water. Having sid that i would not drink tap water in the more tropical climates. I always seem to get sick from my very long tiring flight home to the North West.

I think allot og guys might pick something up on the plane on the way down and blame it on Colombia????

[STM]

I think I have goteen beyond any sickness stage, and reached an immune level. Have not gotten sick for years.

"What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger"
quote from some oriental karate guru.

[Khun Talung]

Lettuce and cabbage do not filter bacteria out of water the way other vegetables do, so those healthy salads might do you damage if you're new to an area.

Eating honey and cinnamon seems to keep people from catching many things. You can google 'honey cinnamon therapy'. I think raw organic honey is the best, and will also strengthen immunity to allergens.

KT

[Sailover]

Another issue is the flight here and back. A jetliner is a breeding ground for all sorts of hideous things and the airlines use the minimum allowable fresh air to save money, reventing the majority around an already germ laden cabin. And of course there is always someone with TB or some other expelling ailment sitting close by. I have only had the bad stomach (and lower) a few times, usually after some sort of mistake. Like eating 4 day old chicken. (hey, it smelled okay). That cost me 4 MORE days and about 15 pounds. Met some nice neighbors though! (brought me soup).
Bogota was particularly tough for me with the combination of thin air, high pollution and being around so many OTHER sick people. I seemed to always have a cold as did most around me. My students would come into class all wrapped up in scarfs and gloves. It was about that time I asked myself what the EFF I was doing in such a cool and damp place and moved to Cali. (via Miami which was the final kick offshore.)

[Rogbo]

I’ve always been pretty healthy in the States, but since I moved to Colombia I have had two bouts with pneumonia. In June 07 had a mild case compared to August 08, it’s been a month and half and I’m still getting over my second case, it just lingers on. Coincidence? I do not know.

When I first started traveling to Colombia , I tried to avoid sickness by drinking only bottled beverages and avoiding salad & street food. But after a while I slipped into complacency with my diet, and I have only suffered 1 minor case of revenge, that was in Cartagena after eating seafood?

In May I visited Parque Yaku in Yumbo, I was wearing shorts which invited some sort of insects to mass an attack, I don’t think they where skeeters not sure what type but they only attacked me. I had numerous bites and the Colombian folks with me had none? Could it be a gringo thing?

In a bar on Sexta I’m talking with a gringo and seasoned Latin American traveler who recommended to drink the beer directly from the bottle rather than from the bar glasses as they are not washed well, after that I looked for myself at a few locations and yes for the most they are not washed well, more like a quick rinse and wipe the lipstick off and back in service.

Perhaps this is a good place to mention Scopolamine or Escopolamina, I have heard the stories of people being drugged with it and there bank accounts drained or worse, but I am not sure how widespread the problem is. It is possible to find it placed in your drink, on your food, sprayed in your face or other clever method, if you are not aware.

[STM]

Ha, this post is old.
Have not been sick for a few years, must have developed the imunity to the prevoius germs.
Though I did get a mild cold , last trip to Bogota, of course sleeping a Bogota airport bench overnight, due to the hurricane did not help. Avianca cancel the delayed flight at midnight, rescheduled 7am.

[Khun Talung]

STR comments on the bad water in Barranquilla. When I was going to India, I used to buy a 4oz plastic bottle of Nutribiotic grapefruit seed extract from www.vitaminshoppe.com, product code NQ 2014, $12.75. A couple of drops of this will kill anything in the water. It's bitter, best to put some lemon in to cover the taste. We need to remember that ice is water, and not always clean.

There's a rather long, rambling account of one guy's experience with scopolamine in Bogota on www.colombianblog.com. Doesn't know how they got it to him in a bar late at night, but he was found on the sidewalk with no shoes or pants.

KT

[Benjio]

Originally Posted by Mountain Man

When in Bogota ans Medellin I always drank the tap water never had a problem. Although i did have a few "movements" that seemed to be fruit related. I am one of those guys who trusts the tap water more than the bottled water. Having sid that i would not drink tap water in the more tropical climates. I always seem to get sick from my very long tiring flight home to the North West.

I think allot og guys might pick something up on the plane on the way down and blame it on Colombia????

I agree with Mountain Man. I was very careful in Barranquilla. The only time I even touched tap water was when I showered. I was also very careful about what I ate. Didn't have much time to eat actually. But as soon as I got back home....BAM!!!! I got as sick as a dog. Nasty ass stomach virus accompanied by flu like systems. Lasted for well over a week. I think it was definitely something on the plane.

[latinstranger]

I traveled to Bogota in June this year for a week. The day I returned I was sick as a dog. Flu like symptoms, stomach pain, bad fever and cold sweets. I lost alot of weight. My Dr. here thinks it was some type of respiratory infection. I was tested for a parasite and that was negative. He thinks the polution in Bogota had something to do with it. I am 46 now and have been traveling to Colombia since 2003. I used to never get sick. Not sure what the culprit is.