Sorry we’ve been out of touch. You might think it was because we were in the Amazon…but we’re not. We had to scrap those plans after getting back to Cusco only to discover that three of us had intestinal parasites. Only Anna, our fast-food eating devotee escaped the wrath. She has sworn off Cusco food except for a local Australian-owned place we found called Jack’s.
It’s not that we haven’t been careful…bottled water, washed hands (at least we do), recommended travel book restaurants, only peeled fruits…it’s just that apparently giardia is quite common in Peru and we have fallen victim. Right now all we want to do is kill the little suckers even if it means eating bland diets for a few days.
Our trips to the medical clinic have been quite enlightening. First we had a house call by a doctor who immediately wanted to get Garin some “irritation.” We finally figured out, with Hal’s help, that he meant “irrigation” (aka an IV for fluids). We opted for water and Gatorade instead -- lots of Gatorade. They took us via ambulance to the local O2 clinic where we opted for blood and “other” tests instead. Then we waited. Things move at their own pace in other cultures and you can’t rush it. We watched other sick travelers come in and out of the clinic, watched a little Peruvian TV. We learned that feminine hygiene products can get you a date and make you beautiful. And that stupid obstacle course challenge shows are not limited to the red-white and blue. Finally, three hours after we got there, we got meds with the recommendation that we all be tested the next day. Court spent another two hours at the clinic getting results and more meds.
Needless to say “Gerry” (as we have dubbed our little gut friend) hasn’t totally incapacitated us. On our way back to Cusco we stopped by another ruin with a lovely old colonial church. Yesterday we took in two museums -- modern art and regional history, learned that it’s near impossible to get a cash advance on a credit card, researched other Amazon trip options (after losing our $400 deposit on the other trip), saw another protest with riot gear police, and watched a lot of “Friends.”
Thankfully, despite our physical challenges, our hotel and staff have been amazing. Our huge family loft decorated in tangerine and browns, offers room to spread out and lovely city views. Each morning you get a full breakfast served on china by staff. And of course there is Wifi access (a must for Anna and her Facebook connections). We’ve also learned that everything whether waiting for more towels or test results takes “veinte minutos” (20 minutes) -- which can sometimes mean an hour or more. Patience is a virtue in Peru, especially when you have to change your plans and adjust -- a must for world travelers as we have learned over the years.
Our trips to the medical clinic have been quite enlightening. First we had a house call by a doctor who immediately wanted to get Garin some “irritation.” We finally figured out, with Hal’s help, that he meant “irrigation” (aka an IV for fluids). We opted for water and Gatorade instead -- lots of Gatorade. They took us via ambulance to the local O2 clinic where we opted for blood and “other” tests instead. Then we waited. Things move at their own pace in other cultures and you can’t rush it. We watched other sick travelers come in and out of the clinic, watched a little Peruvian TV. We learned that feminine hygiene products can get you a date and make you beautiful. And that stupid obstacle course challenge shows are not limited to the red-white and blue. Finally, three hours after we got there, we got meds with the recommendation that we all be tested the next day. Court spent another two hours at the clinic getting results and more meds.
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