Food poisoning on safari

[ParsnipPuree]

Dh and I are on what's meant to be the trip of a lifetime. We've spent 4 days in a lodge where each night is an obscene amount. This is relevant because I thought I was safe eating fish here. The menu was made specifically for my dietary requirements and no one else had the fish I had.

Yesterday was freak weather conditions of 44 centigrade which is higher than normal. I woke up with severe runs and have been in bed all day. We're meant to be catching two small planes tomorrow to our next destination. I can't even get out of bed.

I obviously can't prove anything but this place is in the middle of nowhere so not eaten anywhere else.

Waiting for manager to speak to dh. Aibu to expect them to refund cost of today out of goodwill?

Emetophobe wisdom: there is absolutely nowhere in any developing or developed but land-locked country that you can be 100% safe eating fish. Even in the richest countries, only places with a high turnover of customers (ie. fresher ingredients) can you be reasonably confident about food safety. Any meal which is prepared for a smaller group of people such as those served via room service or mini buffets as part of a tour or event need to be treated with caution.

Travelling to any continent like Africa, South America or Asia (with the possible exception of Japan) means taking the inevitable risk of food poisoning regardless of how luxurious or expensive the hotel is. The problem is that the hospitality provider cannot control every single step of their supply chain. They may know how to store and handle food correctly but they have no idea if the truck driver supplying the fish was stuck in traffic with inadequate cooling 2 days earlier. The dodgier the infrastructure, the more likely that high risk foods will already be bad. before they were prepared.

Unclean tap water is another major culprit. Most people know to avoid salads or ice cubes but an innocuous herbal dipping sauce could easily be teeming with bacteria because it was thinned out with tap water or the herb leaves were wet before being blended.

You can still get malaria if you are taking tablets and you often don't notice getting bitten. If you feel ill after getting home please remember to see a doctor and tell them you've been in a malarial area.

Sure. Also, frozen fish suggests the OP is some considerable distance inland, making the supply chain from wherever that fish originated long and full of potential pitfalls.

Sorry you’re not feeling well, but. I very much doubt it’s food poisoning, To expect 2 days refund for something that’s unlikely to have been the hotel’s fault is pretty bloody unreasonable.

also - just spent 10 days in Africa, at a top end hotel. Drinking water was amazing, probably the cleanest water in the world, and we were in the middle of nowhere,

Africa is a big place, there will be good and bad everywhere, so just your generalisation of “ Africa” is frustrating and lacks critical thinking,

staying in a 5 star resort in South Africa will look very different to a resort in the Sudan!

hope you feel better soon

It's usually the salad or fresh fruit, even if it's washed the water is usually not safe. Eat everything really hot and it's usually OK wherever you are. Street food is surprisingly safe if you see it sizzling in the pan.

Actually a high end safari is one of the few places in Africa where I would not expect food poisoning -and yes, it probably was the fish. What a shame!

Ultra-luxury in India, with my own chef, on a business trip. Ate only vegetarian food. Got Giardia. Shit happens (and it really did!)

I don’t think you’ll get a 2-night refund tbh.

Goodness, I have a different take. Yes, it’s horribly disappointing getting sick on holiday, especially an exceptionally expensive one like a safari. But claiming back two full days seems entitled. Who knows where you picked up the bug? Sometimes bad things happen - that’s why you get insurance. Go easy on the safari operators, who generally really care about providing guests with a great experience. If they have to refund you half your trip despite looking after you, laying on food/drink/game drives/ wildlife insights/ staff/ shipping luxuries to your remote location, how is that fair?

I hope you feel better and enjoy the rest of your trip.

Agreed it is most likely something to do with the water, either ice or salad leaves. Has happened to me twice in separate places in Africa and it’s simply my body was not used to the bacteria. Don’t know if I’d be having a go at the hotel and claiming a refund for this, to be honest. It happens — a lot, to tourists.

also - just spent 10 days in Africa, at a top end hotel. Drinking water was amazing, probably the cleanest water in the world, and we were in the middle of nowhere,
Africa is a big place, there will be good and bad everywhere, so just your generalisation of “ Africa” is frustrating and lacks critical thinking,
staying in a 5 star resort in South Africa will look very different to a resort in the Sudan

This is insane because the point about Africa (generalised) is the same as any foreign travel to less developed and hot countries - the bacteria and viruses are totally different to what you are used to and exposed to in this country.

It doesn't matter if you are in a 5 star resort in South Africe or in a village in Sudan, that point will still apply.

Clearly the less developed a place, the more risks but ironically, the level of care a foreign traveller will take will be in inverse proportion.

& unless you are testing the water under a microscope it is just stupid to say of anywhere "the drinking water is amazing, probably the cleanest water in the world". For example, you can't see giardia cysts and they are easily transferred from microscopic particles on hands. Like I said above, the water can be fine, the food hygenie can be perfect but if you have a staff member who hasn't washed their hand properly after going to the loo and then is involved in laying the table, washing or drying cultery or glasses, handling glasses as they pour the water, you can get giardia or infected with bacteria or infections.

You can pick up food poisoning anywhere - I remember The Fat Duck was affected by this (also seafood) and I'm sure it didn't reflect on their hygiene.

The lodge have elevated it to the highest management and they are "investigating" by testing the other fish that was frozen with it, though that won't show if the chef practised poor hygiene with my piece! They are aware we are expecting compensation and if I have to guess they'll offer us a couple of days stay at one of their other locations.

I've been to the Fat Duck, was a bad enough afternoon without poisoning!