UK tourist in Fiji, undeterred by parasitic ordeal
A tourist from the United Kingdom ended up in the hospital after contracting a parasite while swimming at a waterfall in Fiji. Despite the dramatic ordeal, she told the media that "life is too short and if you're worrying about that you would never experience new things."
The 23-year-old, Isabelle Lythgow, is a graduate of the University of Salford. After completing her studies, she embarked on a six-week volunteering trip to the village of Nairukuruku in Fiji. She also wanted to explore local attractions.
It started after the bath
Her adventure quickly turned into a nightmare when she began experiencing severe health issues after swimming in a local waterfall.
As she recounted in an interview with the Daily Mail, following an evening bonfire, she started feeling dizzy, experienced back pain, and tingling in her limbs. During the night, she vomited every half hour for more than 12 hours. Upon reaching the hospital, doctors determined that she had contracted a waterborne parasite, which is a common occurrence among tourists in this region.
After four hours on a drip, she was discharged from the hospital, and she was recommended to drink only bottled water.
She would do it again
Despite the traumatic experience, Isabelle was not discouraged from travelling. She admitted that she would swim at that spot again because the experience was remarkable. "I'm absolutely terrified of being sick, I have emetophobia. It was my biggest fear before going," she said in an interview with the Daily Mail.
Isabelle admitted that after the illness, her stomach shrank, and it took her quite a while to get back to full health. Nevertheless, she encourages others not to give up on travelling for fear of illness. "Life is too short and if you're worrying about that you would never experience new things," she added.
Despite the difficulties, Isabelle emphasizes that the value of life experiences and travel is immeasurable. "I would never say don't do something out of fear of getting poorly, you can get poorly anytime," she stated.
