the drink is made from the fruit called GUAVA (either pink or white) and it is NOT the fruit itself which makes americans and other (ahem) foreigners sick---it DOES come the fact that the knife the vendor uses, which is most usually a cast-iron type--NEVER gets washed AND all sorts of insects set themselves upon it, at times, laying their eggs upon it. it's sort of like when you go on a picnic in america and besides keeping foods and/or salads made with mayonnaise or cream cheese, butter, etc., advisors ALSO tell you to keep juices and other SWEET & FRUITY items...COVERED===this is to keep insects from being able to lay their eggs upon them.
besides, it's not TOO bad (unless you're pregnant and hafta squat to go to the bathroom-gulp)...all you get is a dose of the runs for a couple of days. IF you are wise and bring with you, to india (or ANY asian country) a bottle of KAOPECTATE or PEPTOBISMOL, etc, then your problem is solved; otherwise, you just must wait it out. for those who ARE pregnant, whatever else you may try to "cure" yourself, for god's sake.... do NOT allow a "local" doctor who will, depending upon the size of city or village you're staying in, diagnose you without even visiting you...do NOT take ANY pills which come in foil or paper wrap written in german (THINK: thalidomide)!!!!
how do i know you are probably wondering??? that's an EZ one: i WAS 7 months pregnant, IN a little town, oozing with the runs, being in a house with well-meaning in-laws, who kept trying to A) get me to eat SOMETHING; to wit: "my dear, my dear, you MUST eat SOMETHING...think of your baby;" and/or B) brother-in-law hopping on his vespa (a tiny version of a motorcycle) to get a remedy from the village doctor, who, incidentally, "went to school with your husband...aren't you lucky?" OY VEY!! i guess i should insert here, on my closing, that i am NOT indian, i came to india with 2 sarees knowing the in-laws would dress me, and 2 t-shirts, one of which said, "BABY ON BOARD" and pointed downward," and the other t-shirt said, "SHHH, baby sleeping." you SHOULDA seen their faces!!
