Hopefully you won't have any medical problems, but many visitors
experience 'gyppy tummy' or 'pharaoh's revenge', which is a common
form of diarrhoea, possibly accompanied by sickness and can last for
two or three days. This complaint is most often brought on by
overindulgence of rich food as well as dehydration. The food may be
wonderful, but take it easy to begin with and you should have no
problems. You may wish to take a diarrhoea remedy such as Immodium in
your first-aid kit, but some of the Egyptian ones work much better and
are much less expensive. The main cause of illness in my experience is
that visitors who are not used to the heat simply don't drink enough
fluids to replace those lost. It is suggested that you drink around 6
litres of water a day (you may feel awash, but it could prevent you
being ill). Remember, alcohol is dehydrating, and is no replacement
for water. The general rule of thumb is that if you don't need to pee
much then you're not drinking enough!
It is recommended that visitors drink bottled water. The main reason
for this is that tap water, at least in Cairo and the main cities is
heavily chlorinated and this can cause stomach upsets. In some country
areas water may come from tanks or underground wells and should be
avoided. Bottled water is available everywhere, but check that the
seal on the bottle is unbroken before you buy it. A 2-litre bottle of
natural water should cost no more than EGP 3 to EGP 4, except in
hotels and restaurants where it will be much more expensive. Ice cubes
and fruit drinks (such as lemon juice) are often made with tap water
and should be avoided if you are worried about your stomach.
Heat stroke can happen very quickly if you are not used to high
temperatures and can make you feel unwell with headaches and nausea.
In the warmer months the sun can be fierce by 11.00am, so be sure to
keep your head covered when out in the sun.
Mosquitoes can also be a problem, especially in summer and into
autumn. Upper Egypt is the home of some very large and hungry bugs, so
if you are prone to insect bites it is wise to use a repellent on all
exposed areas of skin, especially in the evening. Insect spray is
available in Egyptian pharmacies but it may not be the brand you are
used to and you may prefer to take your own. I have found that vitamin
B12 tablets help to deter biting insects (don't know why, but it seems
to work for me). Since the building of the High Dam at Aswan, Egypt is
considered to be a Malaria-free region, but check with your GP for
precautionary measures. Malaria tablets can have adverse effects on
some people.
Finally, the River Nile is the habitat of a certain snail which
carries a parasite called Bilharzia or Shistostoma, especially in
shallow water near the banks or in the canals. This can cause serious
illness if transmitted to humans, so it is wise to avoid bathing in or
drinking from the river. But the good news is that there are no longer
any crocodiles in the Nile north of the Aswan Dam!
I hope this review of possible problems doesn't sound too gloomy. If
you are aware of the pitfalls you should have a healthy and
trouble-free holiday in Egypt. |
