Community Blog

“We set off on our trip to Africa in February of 2002. Leaving behind the chilly climes of a Canadian winter in exchange for the salty heat of Cape Town, South Africa. Our journey was to last some six months and in that time we were to visit South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique. On many occasions throughout the trip we found some use for the SteriPEN, either in hotels where the water was far from safe or at bush gas stations where nobody was ever really able explain to us what the water’s source could be. The effectiveness of the instrument also became apparent after each use since we found that after drinking the water we had treated we never suffered from the discomfort of stomach upsets. The most memorable occasion for the use of the SteriPEN came while we traveled between Zambia and Tanzania aboard a train called the Tazara Express. This journey involved three days and nights aboard a severely packed train through the spectacular landscapes of open savannah and then later the thick foliage of green jungles. Although the vistas were unforgettable we realized a day into the trip that our four bottles of water would not last and that our chances of finding more were bleak. The train bar did not waste the valuable space in their fridges with water since beer was the preferred beverage of our fellow passengers. Thus, we were forced to forage for water and finally found some in one of the toilets were the basin taps were still functioning. The water appeared clear and we rejoiced knowing that dehydration had been averted and that the SteriPEN would have no difficulty in eliminating anything potentially harmful. That night, while we slowly moved eastward our little compartment became lit by the blue glow of the SteriPEN as our water was purified. We finally made it to Dar Es Salaam suffering from no bellyaches or the like, though the same could not be said for the toilets which degenerated into a rolling and heaving mess over those three long nights and days.”