Holiday tummy troubles

This is what we are having for dinner tonight. Well no grapes - but bread, cheese, tomatoes. And David has bought muesli and one of those fermented drink things for breakfast. We are staying in the most beautiful luxury hotel in a very lovely spot on the coast and this is what we are eating for dinner. Why?

Well there are a few contributing factors, some of which I have referred to before. David's dislike of seafood, being perhaps the main contributor. And dare I say a general dislike of restaurants. Mostly though it's because both of us have been suffering, albeit mildly, from a case of holiday tummy. Me the day before yesterday and David yesterday and today.

Which got me to thinking. After all when one goes abroad there are all sorts of reasons why one get a stomach upset. And yes I almost always do. Whether the destination be Europe or Asia - these being our major holiday destinations these days. Very different food, different water - although these things are more prevalent and real potential problems in Asia rather than Europe are the most cited reasons, plus the extra stress of getting there and being in a foreign culture. But even so, now that I think about it, I almost always have at least one day when I'm not feeling so good whenever I go on holiday. Indeed am sometimes quite ill for a day or so.

This time I can't say I have been desperately ill, just very wan, exhausted (how can that be? - I've done nothing but lie around) and with a marginally upset tummy. Sufficient not to want to wander too far away from a toilet, but not so bad that I have to be very close. Yes it's true the water is different - we are in Queensland, not Melbourne, but it's perfectly safe to drink. The food is high quality and I have tried to be reasonably healthy in what I have chosen. Yes I have had a croissant for breakfast a few times, but then I often do at home too. Ditto for the dishes I have chosen to eat in restaurants. And in spite of what my husband might say I have not been knocking back the wine. A little more than usual, but very marginally. We have only had a whole bottle on two occasions and on one of them there was sufficient left to bring it back here. Otherwise it's just been an allowance of a glass.

So why the tummy upset? Well, I'm tempted to say stress - the stress of trying to accommodate everyone's eating preferences mostly. But we are hardly in a stressful situation here - it's the opposite in fact. Pure relaxation. Can't do much else. But it is interesting, is it not, that even this type of super relaxing holiday has its own kind of stress? We met up with Melbourne friends today and found that they too suffered a bit of stress. Maybe it's because we are old.

But I don't think the cause of our slight malaise is really stress this time, because we have both been a bit off. So I can only assume that something, somewhere that we ate or drank was not quite right. Or I caught some kind of bug and passed it on.

And I guess it matters more with this holiday - because it's only a very short break - a week - and two days have been sort of knocked out. On a longer holiday you just grin and bear it. Though if you are far away it becomes more worrying because of being in a foreign land and not near your own doctor - however good the doctors - in France for example - might be.

There seems to be a new medication 'enterosgel' that is supposed to be a wonder cure. I have tried to find a medical website that might say something unbiased but haven't found one so far. But if you are considering taking a trip somewhere and you do often suffer from upset tummies, then consider putting it in your luggage. It's too late for us!

So I'm looking forward to our bread and cheese tonight, sort of, and to a nice breakfast tomorrow. I am not going to join David in his muesli and fermented milk thing. I haven't decided yet though, whether to go for the full buffet or just a coffee and croissant. I rather suspect it might be the full deal. And I'm also looking forward to our last meal - with other Melbourne friends at the Services Club. It will be a modest meal but in a lovely setting and I do remember the fish and chips were delicious.