Biohazard

A few weeks ago I noticed the tap water tasting a bit "off". I have been drinking the tap water here for almost 2 years without problems and now it tastes funny and I had some intestinal malfunctions. After talking to my coworkers, I have discovered that NOT ONE of them drinks tap water in Abu Dhabi. They thought I was crazy to do so. They all drink bottled water. After 2 weeks of not wanting to be far from a bathroom, I thought they may be right.

Sure enough, I switched to bottled water and without being too graphic, my problems ended. I would expect that a modern country such as the U.A.E. would have potable water, maybe it is just the place where I live, but it is relatively new so one would expect sanitary conditions. What is disturbing to me is that for my whole life, I have had an unlimited supply of drinking water as convenient and close as my tap. Now I can't trust that anymore and have to procure drinking water, just another pain in the ass. Yet another assumption of life dashed.

Next missive will be about my rather tedious trip to Kathmandu, Nepal.