Waste not…
Many restaurants in the Western Hemisphere instinctively dispense a glass of water as you sit down. A wasteful cliché, and one that needs revising.
If you plan to drink tap water, a glass fresh off the tap is of course welcome. For those who choose other sources of liquid refreshment, it is wasteful. If you do not want to drink the restaurant’s tap water, inform the wait staff as they seat you. Over the course of years, and as it catches on, this trend will prevent a large amount of water from needlessly spiraling down the drain. I suspect that in the next 2-3 years, carrying your own reusable water bottle into a restaurant will become culturally acceptable. Hopefully, no corking fee will be charged to twist open your Klean Kanteen. But then, some water bottle-sized ice cubes on a hot day might be worth it.
When travelling, To bottle or not?
Despite the hypothetical corking fee, reusable water bottles are a good idea. Drinking bottled water has become a societal evil, and rightly so, with the large amount of pollution, resources, and landfill space all of the small plastic water bottles take up.
But when travelling in foreign lands where water quality is far from reliable, what is the best solution? Brands such as Katadyn and New Wave Enviro offer on the go “swoop and scoop” style filtered water bottles. These bottles allow you till fill them with plain water from wild or tap sources, which is filtered as you drink it. Katadyns are far more advanced, filtering out nearly anything contained in a forest pond, while New Wave Enviro’s water filter bottle made of corn, is more mainstream. These are excellent options to travel with. Katadyn offers an extensive line of water filter solutions for travel and adventure, as does Platypus.
Another option is to carry your reusable water bottle and fill it with spring water. In my soon-to-arrive reusable water bottle review, I will test all of those water bottles mentioned here, including the Katadyn, and many more, and report back to you. I will even test the Katadyn’s filtering – though there are not many wild sources near me, and I do not plan to swoop and scoop parking lot water.
Bottled spring water in large 5 gallon containers is available almost universally. The quality may not remain equal as you hop from country to country, but in some cases it may be better than the options available in the municipal water supply.
Iceland’s water supply comes from a pristine spring, and every household tap spews forth sulfur-rich spring water. So, fill up on it and feel happy. Countries less fortunate have been reported to have many water quality issues. The US Department of State publishes useful travel advisories, which are helpful to read.
Know before you go
It is always best to know before hand, and I recommend reading a few country guides, such as Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, other travel guides, talking to friends who have travelled there before, or even with your general practitioner to inquire about necessary vaccinations.
FAA guidelines and reusable water bottles
The FAA changes its travel regulations frequently regarding carrying liquids, so I recommend checking their website before you go. The safest method is to pack your reusable water bottle empty, but have it easily accessible if it’s in your carry on; metal bottles cannot easily be penetrated by airport X-Rays, and will need to be manually inspected.
On the road with your water
The World Health Organization (WHO), a part of the United Nations (UN), estimates that 80% of all illness during travel is directly related to water quality. Having travelled extensively to remote regions of the world, I strongly advise considering the water that you drink. Research beforehand into the municipal water quality of your destination is a valuable hefty ounce of prevention that weighs against the pound of cure you earn as you wander through less developed countries, forgoing a nasty souvenir such as amoebic dysentery. Even an upset stomach from differing water composition can throw your trip off for a few days. To err on the side of safety, Katadyn offers a line of water purification tablets, under their Katadyn Micropur label, as well as portable desalinators that I recommend. Katadyn is a high quality Swiss-made product that outfits the military. But, wherever your destination, a reusable water bottle travel sling, tote, or loop top is a must have. Can you imagine summiting Mont Blanc with your Sigg in one hand?
Water and health: 13 important tips when travelling
- You may not know the source of the water in a restaurant’s ice cubes. If the restaurant is not trustworthy, ask for no ice.
- When ordering a bottle of water, only accept it if it has been factory sealed. Open bottles brought to your table may have been refilled with potentially contaminated water. 3. Ask for the vegetarian meal on flights when making your reservation. Statistically, food poisoning occurs in meat-containing airline meals.
- Drink at least 2 liters of water during the flight if it is from 2-9 hours. Drink more depending on the length. Getting up more frequently to use the restroom will help keep blood flow moving throughout your legs. Better hydration will help alleviate jetlag.
- Do yoga or stretch every hour on any length of flight, rail, or car travel.
- If you must eat meat or animal products while travelling, ask for them well done, and always avoid anything not fully cooked, seafood, mayonnaise, and dairy products in less developed countries (LDCs).
- Shy away from “roach coaches” or street food.
- Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables to keep your digestive tract healthy, but avoid those that cannot be peeled. Fruit and vegetables washed in safe water with castile soap, or travel soap, should be safe.
- Avoid unpasteurized dairy products completely.
- Juice contains higher levels of sugar, in which many bacteria thrive; avoid these if possible.
- Generally, beverages that have been heated at some point during production are safe: coffee, tea, beer, alcohol, and wine. Alcohol should not be used to “disinfect” the digestive system.
- Brush teeth and consume medication only with clean water. Small amounts of bacteria can cause massive upset in the digestive system.
- Wash hands frequently.
- Most importantly: take Probiotics containing several strains of friendly bacteria and yeast, daily. Those with enteric coating are optimal, such as Jarrow Formulas brand, Jarro-Dophilus EPS. This is the product that I personally use.
- Eat a minimum of 20 grams of fiber daily, aiming for 30 grams or more. Avoid harsh fiber supplements, and instead opt for fresh fruit, quinoa and grains, and other whole foods. If you do want a supplement, look for hemp protein, flax seed, or unfortified brewer’s yeast. All three of these options have 2-6 grams of fiber per tablespoon and are easily mixed with beverages or added to cereal or smoothies. Always drink plenty of water (minimum 2 liters) with higher fiber intake. Fiber absorbs water in the intestinal tract, and needs additional water to aid in peristalsis (movement of intestine’s smooth muscle that aids in digestion).
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