In Reply to: Staying healthy in Bali posted by btw on Saturday, 19. March 2005 at 10:52 Bali Time:
in cottonwool! And there is a travel warning on too - so just don't go to Bali. But we still go!
40% seems a bit high to me. That couldn't be 'the real thing' otherwise people wouldn't go back with those sorts of chances, especially having already suffered through it once.
Yes everything you have posted is absolutely correct. But no need to PANIC newbies. I and family have been 5 times and always eaten fruits and salads off the dishes, that are washed in the same water as the glasses, that we drink out of with ice. We also touched contaminated cutlery that was on a contaminated table that was cleaned by a contaminated cloth that was washed................and so it goes on. Surely its impossible to avoid completely. Unless you eat out of the pot with your just washed hands! Not one of us, or friends we have travelled with, have ever been sick. Surely taking all of those risks we should have. Or was it the raspberry jam? Research is currently underway to explore this, as oppossed to raspberry cordial decontaminating the water. In any case its cheap, not fussy and can't hurt (unless you're a diabetic or allergic to raspberries!)
I'm not advocating drinking the water by any means, but newbies DON'T PANIC if you accidentally consume some. First thing my 12 yr old did when we got to hotel was have a drink from bathroom tap! He didn't get sick. I used to brush my teeth with tap water but never got sick. I don't anymore because a split gum is a great way to catch Hepatits or something more sinister.
Making sure food is properly cooked is an absolute must ANYWHERE. Friend of mine recently went to a conference in a big hotel in Aus and all of her group were sick the morning after eating there. As for the Balinese not having enough education re hygiene - some staff in Aus restaurants would make your hair stand on end.
And yes Rotavirus is nasty - its the dehydration that kills them. Plenty of clean bottled water is available for us rich tourists though.
Look I'm not dismissing what you are saying but I'm curious as to how you survive overthere?