Traveler's diarrhea, however, remains a fairly common occurrence for all people traveling in South America, especially first-timers.  As careful as we are about providing bottled water, some folks still occasionally get a case of the runs, commonly called "Montezuma's revenge".  They may forget and perhaps order a drink in a hotel or restaurant (their water is generally not purified), or a juice, or maybe swallow some water while brushing their teeth. A modicum of care is necessary. Another helpful hint for avoiding any problems is to avoid getting dehydrated (drink lots of water, avoid soda and alcohol until later in the day, and don't get over-exposed to the sun).

We recommend carrying a good antibiotic such as Cipro (check with your physician) to quickly nip the condition in the bud, should it occur in spite of all precautions.  A good anti-diarrheal, such is Immodium is also helpful to suppress the symptoms.  Although traveling overseas and being exposed to new foods, different conditions and foreign ambient flora can upset one's normal routine, most of our anglers experience no problems at all.