This Sunday I’ll be flying from Chicago (United States) to Amsterdam, then down to Istanbul, and finally to Konya, Turkey. It’s a work trip, to visit one of our materials suppliers and work on some product designs (engine parts). I’ll be going with an older gentleman who is their US sales representative.

I’ve thought long and hard about it, and the adventure outweighs any travel risks for me. I’m quite sure that since I’ll be in their company the whole time, I’ve really got nothing to be concerned about. However, I’m looking for some travel tips.

I know to bring the following items – Immodium AD / Pepto-Bismol (just in case my tummy hurts!), and a 220 – 100V converter so that I can recharge my little electronic items. I’m also considering purchasing either an ipod or Nomad Zen before I go as well. I also know that I’ll be bringing my camera and a bunch of film in hopes that we do get a little sightseeing in, and a good book to read.

Anything else I should bring? Anything specific (other than the obvious things like “don’t joke about explosives”) that I should do / not do?

Remember that ice is frozen water. If you're not drinking their water untreated, then don't accept ice in any drink. You'd be surprised how many people forget this.

If you're not drinking their water untreated, then don't accept ice in any drink.

Ditto for water you use for brushing your teeth. When I was in Sudan I stuck to water I boiled myself, CocaCola and hibiscus tea they call kharkadeh or something like that. Then, after two weeks or so, I discovered how that tea was made: one brews dense syrup few times a week, then grabs a bucketfull of Nile water and dilutes it as needed.... I had absolutely no digestive problems.

Seriously, I don't think water- and food-borne deseases are something to be very vary of in Turkey. They have quite healthy tourist industry

Seriously, I don't think water- and food-borne deseases are something to be very vary of in Turkey. They have quite healthy tourist industry

For the whole part that is true. But it is a large country, and business trips don't always involve the tourist areas.

Seriously, I don't think water- and food-borne deseases are something to be very vary of in Turkey. They have quite healthy tourist industry

Yes, and if your trip is in the cities where your water will come from municipal systems, then risk is lower.... ('course there are still all of those uncooked salad ingredients that came from who-knows-where to worry about!)

After enforcing pretty rigid food/water discipline on a few trips to Mexico and *still* getting sick, I experimented the last 2 trips with Pepto-Bismol prophylaxis and purposefully ate/drank whatever appealed to me (including salads). The experiment was a success. So, at least when it comes to typical amoebic "traveller''s" diarrhea (as opposed to places where there is risk of nastier things like cholera/typhoid), this might be a cheap strategy to hedge your bets regardless of how disciplined your ultimate approach to eating and drinking.

I'd still be as careful as is practical (without taking the fun out of it) and remember Cummunicable Disease Rule Number One:

The safest thing to drink wherever you are in the world is BEER.

Hmmm. That web page implies that carbonated water is a viable bioled water alternative. Thoughts?

That web page implies that carbonated water is a viable bioled water alternative. Thoughts?

I just turned that page up with a "pepto prophylaxis" search and just went back to reread it.

I would not blandly call carbonated/flavored beverages "safe" the way they do. "Safer", I think, would be a better description, depending on where you are. Carbonated or not, the fact that water (or soda) from a local source is in a bottle or can doesn't guarantee that there aren't amoeba or other critters floating around in it. On average risk would be lower as bottling operations are more likely to have a stable water source and to pay some attention to that issue with things like filtration, but you can't know for sure. Beer wins the prize due to pasteurization.

(edit: their rating may be based on the idea that carbonated bottling with create an anoxic environment. That sounds good, but I don't think that would kill off all types of cysts and other low-grade pathogens. Don't know. I'm rusty)