Traveler’s Diarrhea is part of the Still The Best Trip Report.
Many friends offer unsolicited recs. Typically I find the tips are useless (see Giordano’s Pizza Chicago: Trust Your Taste Buds, Not Your Friends). I like what I like and do as I please. I have been wrong twice in my life so I still hear what they have to say.
On this occasion, I am happy I listened. The location was Cannes. The town was buzzing. Only I had a serious issue. With nowhere to turn, I confided in my friend the unstoppable problem I was facing. He replied, “I have the cure for that. All we need to do is find a pharmacy.” All of a sudden finding a pharmacy seemed impossible. Google Maps did not help. Finally, I saw the green sign of relief and entered. I asked for the magical potion and the pharmacist audibly said, “Oh for diarrhea?” I meekly said yes.
On the street, I opened a tube of this peanut butter gummy and found immediate relief.
As one who is prone to food poisoning (see Malaria Or Food Poisoning? Day 2 Safari Ruined & Hyatt Sharm el-Sheikh Wants My Stool Sample) and has been lectured by ignorant readers that I should not travel on account of said proclivity, I will not leave the house without this:
Overall
Most people talk shit. This time it was worth listening to it.
Excellent shitty article. There is no smecta in Us? Thought you might be familiar with.
I have not found that shit anywhere which is why I reupped in Paris last summer.
What country did you purchase the product?
I had 27 hours from hell after bad sardines in Portugal many years ago.
Would like to get a pack of this for my travel backpack.
I have tablets, but it appears this is faster acting…correct?
France
How quickly after ingesting did the waterworks ease up?
That is, do you think it’s better than Imodium tablets?
Seconds. Physiologically it worked and after taking one every three hours it was all gone. Imodium never worked for me. This paste provides a layer of coating for my fragile stomach.
I think it is widely available in Europe.
It’s available on Amazon as Smecta. The active ingredient is bentonite (a clay of volcanic origin, mined in Wyoming).
In previous years the American product named Kaopectate had kaolin (also a clay) as its active ingredient, but I see that its active ingredient is now bismuth subsaliccylate (the same as Pepto Bismol). I don’t know why the change was made.
Solid poop info.