Pharoahs revenge!

[Alwaysbloodyhungry]

Anybody actually been to Egypt and remained puke/ diorrhea ( how DO you spell that word?!) free? Going for the first time in 5 weeks and bit worried about my 8 yr old getting poorly...couldn't give a hoot about the riots going on but the bad tummy horror stories are making me wonder if we should give it a miss....any reassurances would be great?! Thanks..

Went at Easter. No problems. Take wipes and hand gel and clean hands after every time you touch money. Don't eat any salad or fruit. Not sure about ice cream, probably best to eat ones from wrappers. Of course don't drink the water even a bit on tooth brush and don't drink juices that may have been mixed with water. We were on a Nile cruise which was wonderful. Take plenty of imodium just incase.

I've been to Egypt 5 times and never had the Aswan two step.

The cause of most stomach upsets there, contrary to popular belief, is not the water. It is the change in temperature of your stomach.

Example, you go out sightseeing for the day, are boiling, come back and have a long cold drink. Canny people drink room temp or lukewarm drinks when they are this hot. Save the cold cold drinks for when your body has properly cooled down.

Having said that,the advice is to avoid the water. Do remember ice. No ice.

Been 5 or 6 times and only had the trots the first two times. Avoid all ice and too much sun. Oh, and I don't eat meat or fish.

My friend and I got ill from eating a salad from hotel room service. If you do get ill, go and see a local pharmacist, they sell some really effective remedies for it.

I've been twice, both me and DH were ill... Both times!

You can buy some tablets over there called antinol, they are amazing, really do work.

Been several times including with 8 year old and none of us have ever been ill there (or in Tunisia, Turkey and Jordan - though was ill as a dog in Morocco so it's not that I'm actually cast iron/totally immune!). Don't eat salads, make sure meat is well grilled, that eggs are completely cooked (the Moroccan downfall...), don't have ice in any drinks and, as Taffeta says, don't fill your stomach with freezing cold drinks if you've been outside in the boiling heat. Wait until you have had a chance to cool down then have tepid water if possible first.

Wear a hat at all times, absolutely make sure you are in the shade 11 - 4 and that means out of the pool in the shade because the sun is still beating down on your head in the water and it's Africa in August. If they will do it make sure the dcs wear a baseball cap/kepi type cap or something in the pool as the day goes on to keep sun off head/necks.

Try and make sure all of you have the Hep A shot before you go - it seems to protect not only against Hep A but also against some of the other nasties. You can have it as a one off or get a course which covers you for 10 years.

Hope that helps and that it's a good trip - and as thegraduand says, if you do get ill the local pharmacists are brilliant. Immodium didn't touch the Moroccan ghastliness so I had to have something 'plus forte' from a Marrakech pharmacy which achieved the desired effect very speedily compared to the Immodium brought from home.