My wife decided to book the family on a six night all inclusive trip to the Dominican Republic. The Riu Bambu is a five star resort, so I didn't think we had to prepare for any health concerns. I was wrong, wrong, wrong.
They tell you not to drink the water when you go to Mexico, that's true in the Dominican Republic too. Don't forget to use bottled water to brush your teeth. Of course, you are going to take a shower and wash your hands in this tainted water. Prepare for that. I suggest you bring any medicine you will think you will need and put it into your luggage. Two major things I suggest you bring, Pepto Bismo and antibiotics. Of course you need to bring any of the normal meds you take on a daily basis. I would also suggest bringing wet wipes to wipe off your hands.
This is what happened to us on our six night stay at The five star Riu Bambu in the Dominican Republic. On the second day, I woke up with diarrhea. It was so bad, I even had blood coming out. I went to the pharmacy to buy some Pepto Bismo, the guy told me 15 US dollars for a 4 ounce bottle. I negotiated this down to ten. That was the start of our health concerns. Each day I got a little sicker, until I began to wake up in the middle of the night gagging up dark colored phlegm. It was horrible. It is really hard to enjoy a trip when you can hardly stand up. On the second to last day, I lifted up the sofa bed ( I was sleeping on). The entire bottom of this bed was filled with mold. These beds do not fold into sofas, so I never thought to check during the rest of the week. The problem is I am dangerously allergic to mold.
We decided to try the doctor. They did not accept US health insurance and charged 180 dollars just to see the doctor. This did not include any meds. This from a country where the average Joe only makes sixty dollars a month. We decided to skip the dr. and waited to we got back home. Once we found the mold, the resort moved us, but it was too late. I was a mess.
When we got home, I went straight to the dr. She said I was lucky to not have pneumonia, but I did have Bronchitis mixed with an upper respiratory infection. I was put on antibiotics and two inhalers to fight the sickness caused by a mold in a five star resort. If I would have brought antibiotics and inhalers, I would have been in better shape.
Learn from my mistake. It does not matter if you are staying in a five star resort, bring all the medications you will need with you or you will pay the hard way.
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