Let’s be real—it’s basic logic. The more you travel and try new foods, the higher the chance that, at some point, food poisoning will strike. Sure, we joke about it like it’s some kind of travel trophy—proof that we’re bold eaters, right?—but when it actually happens? Absolute nightmare. Just take this Reddit user’s story, shared as a warning in the Digital Nomad subreddit.
They started off feeling like a champion: “I was on top of the world—two whole weeks of eating street food in Mexico City without a single problem. I thought my stomach was unbreakable. Then, three days ago, the universe decided to teach me a lesson.”
It all began while they were sitting in a café in Zona Rosa. That’s when they felt it—the first uneasy rumble in their stomach.
“I thought it was just a harmless fart. Big mistake. Within seconds, I knew this was way worse. I went from ‘Hmm, that’s weird’ to ‘EMERGENCY’ in no time.”
What followed was a brutal 24+ hours of non-stop misery. “I’ve spent so much time on the toilet that I might as well give it a pet name.”
Looking back, they had a few suspects:
- A seafood poke bowl ordered through Rappi (“probably risky”)
- Two tacos al pastor devoured after a late night out (“The stall seemed clean, and there was even a separate person handling money—but let’s be honest, it was 4 a.m.”)
- Brushing their teeth with tap water (“Yeah, I got too confident”)
- The person they kissed that night (“No regrets, but they’re suspect number one.”)
And guess what? They’re not the only one with a horror story. By March 31, their post had over 140 comments, with fellow travelers calling food poisoning a “rite of passage.”
One person shared: “I survived a month in China eating street food like it was nothing. Then, in month two? Boom—ended up in the ER getting my stomach pumped. Fun times.”
Another added: “Oh man, I had pizza in a small Peruvian town with these sketchy sausages that definitely weren’t fully cooked. By 3 a.m., my stomach declared war. The rest of the night was a desperate race between my bed and the bathroom—I mostly made it.”
Now, while you can’t always avoid it, there are ways to lower your risk. Grant Winter, a travel insurance expert, broke it down:
- Drink safe water: Stick to bottled water (“even if people online swear the tap water is fine”). Check that the seal isn’t broken. No bottled water? Boil tap water or use purification tablets.
- Watch what you eat at resorts: Buffet food sitting out for hours? Avoid it. Flies buzzing around? Hard pass. Only eat raw fruits and veggies you’ve peeled yourself.
- Skip the ice: It’s often made from tap water (“some fancy resorts use bottled water, but always ask”).
- Wash your hands—seriously: Germs spread fast, so clean hands before eating or handling food. Carry hand sanitizer for when you’re out exploring.
Because if you’re not careful? You might just become the next “Don’t make my mistake” story on Reddit.
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