I’m not going to gloat. I’m tanned. I’m refreshed. I devoured three books – only 1 of which is worth remembering and/or recommending (The Bite of Mango). The weather is above freezing, even if it is raining today. All in all, it was a great week’s vacation.
When I wasn’t reading I will admit, I was people watching and minding my infection prevention practices! It truly is amazing the number of people who have no understanding of how easy it can be to pick up “bugs” while travelling. The following are a few of my favorite pictures depicting a few infection control risks I found!
- Shared towels…. Okay, fine they are laundered and yes I used them BUT if you recall a Gerba study found that 93% of the “clean” cloths contained viable microorganisms EVEN AFTER LAUNDERING!
- Cream on tables…. Here’s one I learned the hard ways years ago on a trip. Do NOT use cream or milk that has been sitting on a table unless you are looking for a quick weight loss program! If you do not believe me check out “Real Raw Milk Facts” as an example of outbreaks associated with raw/unpasteurized versus pasteurized milk and milk products. In tropical climates, bacteria can grow quickly! Skip the milk and keep the calories for consumption of other beverages or snacks!
- Bare feet…. I could not believe the number of people walking around without shoes – even in the “He – She” (aka restrooms). Athlete’s foot, plantar warts you name it! I kept my shoes on to avoid bringing home anything that would ruin my beautifully pedicured feet!
- Water… You always need to be sure when you can or cannot drink the water. For us, tap water was a no-go and we kept to bottled water except when at the resort restaurants. However, after watching the video of us getting “slimed” and watching the resort staff squeegee the green water away I have to admit I wondered if they were recycling the green water. I never asked. I do not want to know. I do not seem to have any long term ill effects from the experience!
Is anyone as geeky as me when on vacation? If you have any pictures or stories I would love to see and/or hear them!
Bugging Off!
Nicole
