Many of us will have been there. We get a bout of food poisoning on a trip and don’t want to venture more than 100m from the bathroom (or hole in the ground, depending on your accommodation). We are working overtime at both ends, so to speak, and feel increasingly weak and dizzy.
It’s all very well if this happens to you in a nice hotel room, and while you might lose a day of your holiday, at least you have some comfort and privacy for the duration of your sickness.
How much worse is this when camping rough, with the toilet being nature’s garden and water to wash flowing only from the nearby river? Worse still, when there is an unavoidable road trip to endure during your period of explosive dehydration?
I will never forget my day in southern Peru in 1996, when we travelled from Puerto Inca, a remote camp on the Pan-American highway, to the beautiful city of Arequipa. 12 hours of driving, through mountain passes and along some very twisty roads. I had started feeling ill in the middle of the night, and by the time of departure was walking around with my toilet roll never out of my hand.
I will spare you the details, thankfully. Suffice it to say, it was the worst trip I have ever experienced. I quickly learned to say the Spanish equivalent of “Stop! Now!” with sufficient urgency to the driver, and he quickly understood that he had a matter of seconds to get me off the bus. As my stomach emptied and nausea kicked in, I spent hours drifting between wanting to sleep and not being able to, and wanting to vomit and not being able to. Immodium was no match for whatever had made its way from last night’s buffet table into my body. I had no option but to keep watching the minutes crawl by as we meandered our way southwards and eventually inland.
Entering Arequipa was without doubt one of the greatest moments of relief I have experienced. A decent hotel room, a comfortable bed, and most importantly a full day where I could opt out of a day trip to the mountains and remain in the city to recuperate.
It has happened since, and is a fear of any trip that involves many days on the road. Isn’t it great though, how for most of us such experiences soon drift from the miserable through to the holiday legend that we recall with relish to our friends? Next time it happens, maybe I’ll comfort myself with the thought “this’ll make a great story!”
Feel free to share your stories, but please spare us too many graphic details!
I'm creating my great story right now…and I happen to be in Arequipa
I've had two days of relative comfort in my hotel, but have a 15 hour bus ride back to Lima in a few hours. Wish me (and others on the bus) luck! I think I'll be alright, but it was a matter of time as I'm in my 5th week in Peru. Good times!
Good luck John- it was eating from a luke warm buffet that did for me, so watch out for that one. I hope you're enjoying Arequipa – it's a beautiful city isn't it! Enjoy the ride. We were there at this time of the year too, and saw whales while skirting the ocean coast.
Got food poisoning in Rome a few years ago. Threw up on the Vatican wall, actually. Missed out on the Colosseum, which was my most anticipated tourist site at the time. Ended up back at the hotel for two days…miserable.
More recently, in El Salvador, I had about a week of gastrointestinal distress. Of course it was as I was substitute teaching a bunch of high schoolers. Had to leave them unsupervised far more often than I would have liked.
Survived both times…things can always be worse. It’s nice to have a decent place to recuperate and people who you’re really comfortable with to check in on you.
Sounds grim Paige. I think you summed my own feelings up perfectly. It’s so much less traumatic if you’re in good company and with a decent bathroom of your own. Can’t usually choose the best time to get sick sadly!