After hours and hours on four different airplanes, I finally get to my hotel. I'm not even sure what day it is. I had brought along a few breakfast bars and ate a couple before bed. No water that I felt was safe is available in the middle of the night, but I thought that I could make it until everyone else was up in the morning before getting something to drink.

After travelling all day and night, I really needed to brush my teeth. While I had previously been warned about the water, I thought I would risk brushing my teeth. After all, I wouldn't be drinking it.

The next morning I get up and meet the rest of my group. At that point, I felt a bit queasy, and skip breakfast. A few hours later and I have diarrhea and a lousy overall feeling. Hot and cold flashes follow a bit later, and then a fever. Just the though of eating makes my stomach churn and cramp.

My host takes me to one of the larger hospitals where the hook me up to an IV for fluids and the next several days are very clouding and confusing in my memory. I'm pumped full of antibiotics and recover enough to get home. I still do not feel well and go to my doctor the day after I'm off the plane. He prescribes a strong antibiotic, but the cramps and diarrhea continue for the next several days and I see a Gastroenterology. She was stumped by whatever I have. After asking for help from the Centers for Disease control, she finally comes up with an effective treatment. That's right, my doctor had to go to the CDC to figure out how to treat my problem. All, I believe, from brushing my teeth with highly suspect water!

Since this terrible experience, I've researched and tried virtually all water purification methods available. There are several criteria any water purifying method must meet for the business traveler. Obviously, I'm not going to travel the far-east, or anywhere else, with a hot plate for boiling water. The first criteria was that whatever method I use, it must be portable, lightweight and small. It also must be easy to use and fast.

I looked into chemical disinfection. It turns out that just putting a few drops or tablets of a disinfectant may not protect you as much as you need. Iodine, and hypoclorite solution, both common chemical disinfectants, are portable and effective against many hazards, but I didn't think effective enough. Neither is completely effective against Giardia or Cryptosporidium. Chemical solutions that do work tend to be overly complex and time consuming. Test strips to assure safe water are needed when using a chemical solution.

A simple water filter won't do the job. However, there are many specialty pump operated water purifiers, and I used one for a few years. It protected me, but I never felt completely confident with it. I then learned that the filter itself can become a colonization site for bacteria.

A couple years ago I discovered portable ultraviolet water purification. Hydro-Photon introduced the SteriPEN, which uses UV light to purify water, and I was one of the first to give it a try. Using an advanced ultraviolet light, I found the SteriPEN water purifier to be by far easiest to pack and use. Many studies have proven these UV water purifiers to be extremely effective. In fact, they exceed the EPA guidelines for water safety. I've since learned that the SteriPEN water purifiers have been widely adopted by backpackers and hikers. This little water purifier has not yet let me done after monthly trips to the far corners of the globe.

When travelling there are many dangers you must consider. One simple slip, like my teeth brushing experience, can very quickly put you into jeopardy. Fortunately, once you recognize most dangers, you can prepare for them. This is the case with safe drinking water. I've come to depend on ultraviolet water purification for my travels, and plan to never repeat the sickness from contaminated water I had years ago.