A few years ago, I took a trip to Boquete, Panama, a small mountain town in the northern highlands of the country. One day I went hiking with a guide. Along the trail we crossed this pristine mountain stream in a completely unspoiled forest. I commented on how the water in that stream must be the purest on earth. "I bet you could just kneel right down and take a long drink," said I.

My guide let out a chuckle and replied, "You could, but you'd probably want to filter it through a T-shirt first. There's a parasite in that water that will attach itself to the lining of your throat and swell up until it eventually suffocates you." Whether or not the story was true, it freaked me out for the rest of the trip.

Travelers and campers have to be very careful with water. It is the easiest way to get sick in another country. Even if you don't drink the water, you still have to watch out for ice cubes, drinking glasses, opened bottles, silverware, and so on. It's enough to give you OCD. The SteriPEN is a quick-and-easy way to make water potable. It uses ultraviolet light to zap the viruses, microbes, and parasites from a half liter to 1 liter of water. You just turn it on and stir it for about a minute (or until the device gives you the green light). The new model, the SteriPEN JourneyLCD has an easy-to-read display to let you know how long to stir and when your water is ready to drink. It weighs just less than 5 ounces and comes with two batteries. The JourneyLCD retails for $129.95 and is available at L.L. Bean, REI, and other high-falutin' camping stores. Now you will finally have peace of mind knowing that you are safe against throat-sucking Panamanian parasites; I know I do.