I’ve rejoined the living after spending the last two days in bed, thanks to a wicked bout of food poisoning that had me running from both ends (TMI, sorry).
I has thusly realized that the worst part of travelling solo = getting sick and suffering alone.
I spent the last 36+ hours locked up in my hotel room in cold sweats and clutching my stomach in pain. I couldn’t sleep, nor lie down since my stomach hurt so much, so I had to prop myself up on some pillows and maintain a half-upright position for the duration of my illness. There may have been a bit of crying. There also may have been a few out-loud prayers to God begging him to make it stop and wondering why I had been chosen to go through this.
I don’t have a mobile phone and my hotel room is not equipped with a fixed line, so I had no way to get in contact with my mommy or Liebling so I could share my distress. Not that I’d be able to remember their phone numbers anyway- I’ve been calling them through Skype where the already recorded numbers mean that I don’t have to learn them by heart.
Yesterday, after a particularly harrowing time spent in the bathroom, I had a brief moment of physical clarity and thought I would actually make it out of the room and up the street to the internet cafe. This moment lasted for approximately 3 minutes. I was pulling on a pair of pants when a wave of nausea struck and I realized I wasn’t going anywhere.
The culprit is more than likely a yucky cream of celery and carrot soup from a restaurant I have only been to once before. I’m not a fan of celery and cream of celery and carrot soup sounds like a horrible combination, but in a fit of “let’s try something new!” I ordered it anyway. I ate about a third of the soup before I finally admitted that it tasted funny and pushed it aside, you know, lest I get sick.
Of course, I did.
I feel A LOT better now, and have to give some credit the hotel staff for being so sweet. They came to check on me on a couple of occasions once they realized I wouldn’t/couldn’t leave the room and offered tea, and to call a doctor, both of which I refused.
Being sick like that will make you start thinking some crazy things. Like I felt so sick that I was afraid that I wouldn’t be well enough to fly out of Guatemala on Monday morning. I felt so sick that I was afraid that I would have to cancel my trip to Chile next week, where I am hoping to meet up with fellow bloggers Kyle Hepp and Emily in Chile. That would totally suck!
It kills me that I got sick (and at the end of my trip), since I have been sooooo good about avoiding ANYTHING that could possibly mess up my stomach. After all, I usually get some sort of stomach bug when I travel.
But I have to say that the worst thing ever is to get sick while travelling alone. Call me a baby, but somehow being sick when people you know and care about are around makes me feel way better. It’s not even about them taking care of you- sometimes, just having them there and being able to feel their presence is enough to make you feel stronger.
Has anyone else ever gotten sick while travelling solo? Anybody out there prone to get sick on the road like me?
P.S.: I leave Guatemala in less than 48 hours, which is crazy. How have 4.5 weeks here managed to fly by so quickly? I fly back to Canada for a day, before boarding a plane once again and flying to Santiago, Chile. I’m hoping I will do all of this with a perfect, food poisoning-free stomach. Pray fuh me.
85 Comments
glad you're ok now – there's not much worse than food poisoning when you're alone in a different place. been there.
Oh no! Sorry to hear you got sick on your trip! I can only imagine how terrible that would be, especially when there's no one there to take care of you. On the other hand, the food photos you posted look delicious!!!
That sucks. I've had food poisoning before and it is soooooo painful. 🙁 I'm sorry you had to go through that alone.
The food looks yummy though, and you look like you've got a tan! Your skin is gorgeous!
P.s Even though you couldn't use them in this situation, You should definitely learn at least your Liebling's and your mother's phone number by heart. You never know what can happen.
Awww I felt for you just reading this. I've never had food poisoning (*touches wood*), but I know many people who have, and it seems to be just awful. I couldn't imagine suffering alone either. Even just having my pets around when I'm sick and Max is working helps.
Have a safe trip back to the T-Dot and can't wait to hear all about Chile and see your gorgeous photos!!
Being sick alone is definitely the worst – I'm so sorry it happened to you! And here I was thinking all that food looked so delicious…guess not.
Being sick when you're all alone is the worst!! It happened to me once not too long after I first moved to Paris – it was a big holiday and everyone was out of town. I had just gotten back from a work trip & had no food, so I grabbed a quick bite to eat from a sketchy restaurant and then proceeded to spend the next 48 hours upchucking. It was awful – I couldn't keep anything down nor move without feeling nauseous. It was one of the only times where I've ever felt really and truly alone. So I definitely don't think you're a baby – being that sick when you're so far from home is no fun at all!
OH no! Yes, I have been sick while traveling alone, WHICH SUCKS, because you are right…when you are sick you are allowed to be a baby! Glad you are feeling better…I pray that you are vomit free for the next week of rigorous travel! 🙂
Yikes!! that is the worst. happy to hear you are doing better. the foot looked great, but yes, food poisoning can game change an entire trip. take care sweetie.
Oh there is nothing worse than being sick away from home. I always feel so bad for my poor patients in the ER. I admit my mother hat replaces my nurse hat, and I try to fix everything for them. You be safe, drink lots of clear liquids, and stick to very bland foods the next few days. See I'm doing it again.
oh no, food poisoning is the worst!..ugg somehow always finds a way into my stomach but usually not as bad as in your post, and then with no phone for mommy! LoL.. I spent only 4 days in Guatemala (loved it!) but my sis came back with a slight bug.
(P.S. Thank you so much for your compliments! Do you want to follow each other? Looks like we have lots in common 🙂
Hugs from NY!
TravelDesignery.com
P.S.S Since you're on your way to Chile, do not miss the Atacama Desert in the North! It is unlike any other place on the planet, i"m convinced.. Lake Tebinquinche at sunset was out of this world gorgeous with the almost evaporated sheet of water that you could walk on.. Must!
oooh that sounds nasty
I totally know what you're going through and I am so sorry. This is the worst thing ever. I went through the exact same thing on my last day in Costa Rica. I am a stickler about not eating anything dodgy when I travel and I always take acidophilus to ward off the harmful bacteria. Well, after taking these horse pills every day of my trip, I went to the hot springs in a luxury resort and figured I'd be alright not taking one that one time. Right. I violently threw up the entire night and could barely make it out of my room. The clerk gave me anti-gripe tablets that helped a little but I had to pack and get on the plane. I don't even want to talk about what it was like in a middle seat, having to get up to go to the bathroom every 5 minutes. I was sick for a week when I got home and yes, it is much worse being sick all alone. Love your blog and name. Believe it or not, I have problems with people pronouncing Rosalind as well. We are sisters on many levels!
oh Oneika I am so sorry!! Eep. I am glad you're feeling better.
I once got the stomach flu when I was visiting my brothers and even then I wanted my mommy.
I've never gotten food poisoning while travelling (i tend to get parasites instead) – as I opt for more…how shall say…anorexic tendencies when food could be an issue.
But I did get the flu once in India. And man, I spent a lot of time watching indian MTV and wishing I wasn't alone.
Oh wow, so sorry to hear that. It sucks being sick when you should be having a good time. At least you're better now. 🙂
All that food really looks so~ yummy though. Ugh… I'm hungry.
Have a safe trip to Chile!
I am glad you are better. Oh and I know your pain. I got sick in Panama because I had lived there a year and was a "ga gahn" and could drink any kind of water. Oh I felt it. It felt like death. And yes, I too (not religious) called on all the gods in the universe to help me. The good thing was I lost some much needed weight 😉 Oh vanity. Que va. Cuidate mucho chica.
Glad u r feeling better! You need to get an unlocked quad band mobile phone and save all the numbers on it!
This happened to me on a long weekend trip to Bangkok from Singapore…spent most of the weekend in bed almost in tears, but managed to call my family in the US even though i cld not talk cos of the pain, but was just good to have them on speaker!…and ended up hiring a taxi for the last day to take me to "see" all the main sights from the window of the cab!
Guess I need to make a return trip to Bangkok!
I'm sooo sorry, honey!! I'm glad you are feeling better. I haven't gotten food poisoning abroad, but I have been sick and only had some cough medicine and a pillow for comfort. Glad to hear that your are feeling better.
I know exactly how you feel. I'm a baby when it comes to getting sick as well. And it's ironic you ask the question, because I just blogged about getting sick in Paris last week.
http://www.mypeacelovetravel.com/2011/09/getting-sick-in-paris.html
So sorry that you got food poisoning, especially while being alone. I think food poisoning is one of the worst kinds of sick. The food photos are just awesome, everything looks so delicious!
Btw, thank you for visiting my blog. Your blog is so awesome!!! I am putting you on my blog roll today.:)
I admire you! I don't think I would ever be brave enough to travel alone, at least not the way you do it. What awesome stories you will have to tell children and grandchildren. Thank you for sharing your adventures with us.
Wishing you a beautiful and lovely week! xOx
I post this on your FB page, but I'm really glad you do feel better! I've never had stomach poisoning before, but from what I read just now and heard from others, I can't even begin to imagine that kind of pain. I hope you have fun in Chile and stay safe (and healthy!)
But I definitely think it is the worse to be sick alone. I was sick abroad, but luckily I was with my best friend who was even more sick than I was. We both thought we had swine flu because a few kids at our schools had it. Fortunately, it wasn't that, but due to our symptoms, we felt like crap for weeks. Funny thing is I think all that brought us closer together, because we only had each other to rely on to get back well.
Sorry to hear you got sick Oneika, but glad that you are on the mend. And yeah, it does suck to be sick, and be alone. Whenever I travel, I try and remember to carry Imodium with me. It can really be a big help at times.
Christ, I'm glad you've rejoined the land of the living. Fear of dysentery is a major stumbling block for my travels to about half the world.
Can't recall suffering sickness alone in the wilds of the world. I do know that my dedication to purity prevented my making use of any squatters throughout Japan, which meant no going to the bathroom at school. Found myself locked out of my host family's apartment, clutching my guts, begging anyone to return home. But the only sickness at hand was in my head, I'm afraid.
Glad you're feeling better! The only time in my life I've ever had food poisoning was when I had just moved to France and started a new job and was staying with my boss. I threw up at work, in her car, at her house (several times) … I would really have preferred to be alone!
@JessieV: Thanks!
@thatbackpacker: So good, but potentially dangerous 😉
@liveletlive: Thanks! I've been a bad girl and haven't been wearing sunscreen! And you're right about learning the numbers!
@Crystal: Never?! I'm jealous! Would be nice to have the support of pets and a hubby while sick, I agree… 🙂
@Emily: The saddest part is never really knowing when food poisoning will strike. I guess I just have to enjoy and live with the risk!
@Ksam: Goodness, that's the worst! When I lived in Mexico and was on a road trip I was literally STARVING and ate food from a sketchy roadside stop. I should have known I would be sick but was so hungry I didn't exercise discretion and ended up barfing for the next 24 hours! That's awful but now you have C to look after you, you lucky girl! 🙂
@Ashley: Thanks so so much!! Vomit free I hope to stay!
@Tamra: Thanks for your kind words! Did you get sick at all in Italy? I felt ill when I was there last year, but it was mostly due to overeating. LOL.
@Anna.Kathryn: Awww! I'm coming and getting sick in your town, then!! 🙂
@Lorena: Already following you and your fab blog! And going to the Atacama desert this Friday!! I can't wait! Did you write about your trip to Chile on your blog?
@Little Gumnut: It soo was…
@Fly Girl: Oh gosh! Can't even imagine being violently ill on a flight AND on a middle seat! Yikes!!
@Deidre: Parasite in India?! You were travelling alone there?Wowzers, you are brave. I once watched MTV while in Nepal (I think it was Indian MTV) and it was awesome!
@Diana: Thanks for the support 🙂
@kvowels: Yes, losing weight is probably the only good thing about food poisoning. 🙂
@kuesooM: What a bummer! I went to Bangkok with a friend a couple of years ago and she got horribly ill as well! Go back to see the sights but don't eat anything, lol.
@Terri: Lucky you!! Thanks!
@Peace and Love: Yes, I saw that post last week! A shame but saying that you got sick in the City of Lights has a ring to it.. 🙂
@Sixpence: Thank you!! Travelling alone definitely has its perks, but it's episodes like this that make me wish that I never travelled alone!
@Afromorena: Good gracious, swine flu?! Yikes! The only redeeming thing about being sick is having your friend being even sicker than you and at the same time, LOL… Bad as it sounds, it would make me feel a teensy bit better to know that I'm not as bad off as someone else!
@Ajoa: Would you believe that I'm a baby about medication as well? I try to advoid taking it at all costs but carrying Immodium around may not be such a bad idea!
@legrandezombie: LOL! I HATE disgusting bathrooms and would prefer makeshift facilities in nature than letting the soles of my sneakers touch a yucky squatter toilet. That being said, lots of the time one doesn't have the choice and I have spent time writhing on the floor of a gross toilet in China. Being sick will really make you do things you couldn't imagine doing while well!
@Canedolia: Oh my gosh! What was her reaction? In her car? It's awful being sick at work or around people that you don't know intimately enough to call a friend. I would be mortifyied but at the end of the day, you can't help being violently ill!
oh no! this sounds awful & is so scary!! Glad that you are feeling better! xox
I just became your newest follower! I would love for you to check out my blog & follow back if you'd like!
Blessings,
Kat
http://www.maryanddyer.blogspot.com
oh girl so sorry to hear you are going thru this again seems like China again. I am happy you are recovering though. I was sick when I travelled alone before and I felt most alone then. As a result my policy is to stick to the evil I know. Take care. Gorgeous pics
Oh man, being sick AND alone is the worst! That was me last week, too. I was praying and crying and hoping it would all just end (the pain and discomfort) and I said several times to the toilet, "I WANT MY MOM!!!!"
@kimvan: I don't know what makes me prone to getting so tummy-sick! It's so annoying and exhausting, sigh. I agree that it makes so much more sense to stick to the evil you know! That's why I'm not usually big on trying new things. 🙂
@Erika: Oh no! What did you eat? Anything out of the ordinary? How you feeling now?
Well I'm glad that you're feeling much better now!
Being sick anywhere is terrible, but away from family and friends, in foreign country? Oh H No!
No food poisoning stories from me, but I did wake up one morning with a huge pain in my side. Went to three specialists in Paris in the morning, the day before my flight (I love the French medical system!). They thought that it was an appendicitis, told me that I was not going on any flights, that I could die if I did. Well, it wasn't an appendicitis thank God. They gave me some medicine, I was right as rain a day later. My dear friend took me to three specialists on the back of his Vespa and I'll never forget how he took care of me. A friend FOR LIFE.
How could food that looks so good make you feel so bad? So sorry there was no one you could reach out to – in person or by phone – during such a miserable time.
So sorry you got sick like that! Don’t touch that soup again! At least now it seems you’ve gotten through the worst of it. Your upcoming travel schedule sounds absolutely insane. Those are VERY long flights for one day in Canada!
Ugh! I completely feel your pain. I hope you are feeling better by this point, but I agree. Getting sick while traveling is horrible. Getting sick while traveling alone is the worst. I decided to be adventurous in my eating while in Portugal last year. I would try more menu items than normal. I got back to my apartment in Italy and came home with a parasite. Somewhere along the way of being adventurous, trying new things, I got a parasite. I think it is not having someone to go get things for you to make you feel better that really makes it difficult. If you have to do it all on your own, your strength really depletes.
We've all been there I remember feeling that I was on the brink of death in Bangkok (I know this is a widely shared experience). Glad to hear your OK now!
So late coming to this post but just to say, so sorry you got sick, you poor thing! I hope and pray you are fully recovered and wish you a uneventful, relaxing time during your upcoming trip.
Take care, stay safe, and stay well!
@nearandfar: Those are the friends you treasure with your LIFE!
@Monique: Awful awful but a good reminder to have phone numbers on hand in case of emergency!
@Leslie: I wont be eating celery for a while! And I wish I could have avoided those flights but I didnt have a choice… sigh!
@Suzy: Sometimes it´s not worth it to be adventurous!
@Will: My friend was deathly ill when we went to Bangkok due to a bag of taro root chips!
@sprite: Thanks so much!
Been there…not very fun! I now take every precaution available to me to prevent sickness from happening on the road but sometimes it just can’t be avoided!
Sorry about your pain. I also got food poisoning in Guatemala and was scheduled to leave the next day to the U.S. I was so weak from all the diarrhea and vomitiing that I didn’t think I could make the flight back. After being up all night and taking a car trip 2 hours to the airport, I made it to the airplane only to be questioned by airport security if I was able to travel. Luckily, I was permitted to fly and although refusing all food on the plane trip, made it back to the U.S. I had a friend who didn’t give much sympathy to my plight so might as well of been alone! Not visiting again for long time if at all.
Yikes! Sorry to hear that!
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