Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
pecially if it is homemade and even factory-made ice creams can be bad news if they are
stored badly. So, particularly if you have a sensitive stomach or haven't travelled much be-
fore, you should avoid ice cream, and also ice, salads, fruit with lots of crevices such as
strawberries, uncooked foods and cooked food that has been hanging around or has been
inadequately reheated. Sizzling hotstreet foodislikely tobefarsafer than the foodoffered
in buffets in expensive hotels, however gourmet the latter may look. Yoghurt is usually
safe, as are sorbets. Remember:
peel it, boil it, cook it or forget it!
The way to the quickest recovery from traveller's diarrhoea is to reduce your normal
meals to a few light or high carbohydrate items, avoid milk and alcohol and drink lots of
clear fluids. Youneed toreplace the fluids lost downthe toilet, anddrinkscontaining sugar
and/or salt are most easily absorbed. Add a little sugar to a salty drink, such as Marmite
(available in Tana!) or Oxo, or salt to a sugary drink like non-diet Coca-Cola. Sachets of
rehydration mixtures are available commercially but you can make your own by mixing a
rounded dessertspoon (four teaspoons) of sugar with a quarter-teaspoon of salt and adding
it to a glass of boiled and cooled water. Drink two glasses of this every time you open your
bowels -more often if you are thirsty. Substituting glucose for sugar will make you feel
even better. If you are in a rural area drink young coconut water or
ranovola
(rice water).
FALLING ILL IN MADAGASCAR
Marko Petrovic
With less than a week left until the end of my seven months in Madagascar I fell ill
with a serious infection. About a fortnight earlier, I had scratched a mozzie bite on
my ankle just a bit too vigorously and it had turned septic. I treated it with antiseptic
powder and covered it with plasters and it almost healed. So I went out with it un-
covered and while I was engaged in conversation the infernal flies found the minute
spot and had a feast.
Next day I found I could hardly walk because the infection had spread to the
muscle. I obtained some antibiotics and had a good dressing put on it. By evening
the whole foot had ballooned and looked quite frightening. The next two days I spent
mainly in bed because even sitting put me in great discomfort. I had high fever and
couldn't eat. But with my visa running out and my flight back booked I had to get
to Tana. The two-day road journey from Vangaindrano was out of the question so I
flew from Farafangana via Taolagnaro to Tana. The Air Mad steward helpfully fol-
ded down the seat in front so I could keep my leg up. I was very impressed with how
quickly I was provided with a wheelchair at both Taolagnaro and Ivato without even
having asked.
My flight back to Paris was the following evening but an 11-hour flight in a sitting
position was completely out of the question and, having no insurance, I didn't want
