The day was spent staring at my ceiling, aching from flu like symptoms and wanting nothing to eat while forcing myself to keep drinking water.
I had a short bout of something similar just a day or two ahead of the first tour as well and figured I'd be okay by the next day again. I wasn't. This time I had a decent fever and it wasn't getting better.
Perhaps it will take two days?
Everyone took my guys on the first day and great first flights took place. I missed everyone coming back to the hotel, I missed dinner and instead had some pepto tablets and a bowl of fruit in my bed.
On the second day, my fellow guides stepped up again and took my group while I had an appointment with the local doctor at the La Union clinic. I don't fancy hospitals, injections, blood tests or IV use, but the idea of missing yet another day was worse than my fear of sharp things.
Two hotel staff accompanied me to the hospital to ensure me getting there and to make sure we all understand one another. I explained my symptoms and my dislike of puncture wounds but they informed me I would be on the receiving end of a shot in my but and an IV in my arm. I was too weak to complain (much) and they took care of business right away.
It was an hour and a half later when the plump IV had drained completely.
I was still groggy and found it hard to sit up without seeking a horizontal position almost immediately due to my light-headedness. Surprisingly, I was able to pound a bottle of water that Viviana brought me. Eventually I did feel stronger and walked out of there under my own power to a waiting taxicab.
Within an hour of returning to the hotel, I had my appetite back and was slurping up some homemade chicken soup with amazement and great satisfaction. I still had some Doritos from just before my appointment and ate them as well. Yum.
It wasn't long before guides and pilots started trickling in, at it seemed that there was some fender benders this day, and some glider repairs would be needed. Fortunately I felt really well and dove into some of the repair work with all the other guides and we mostly finished before dinner.
We sat down to dinner and finished up in minutes afterwards.
Dinner was great but my now shrunken stomach wouldn't hold as much as it did before. Sadly, I had to leave the table with food still on my plate.
I was so amazed at my transformation back among the healthy. I met with my group for a little chat and went to bed, hoping my health would stay strong tomorrow.
That's all for this two day stretch.
Ciao,
Martín
