Oct 2 - Nov 20: Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin, Togo, Ghana

Day 42: Déjà vu

Filed under: Togo — Eliza at 4:31 pm on Sunday, November 12, 2006

Admittedly, I can be a baby when I get sick, but I’ve never considered myself a hypochondriac. Still, maybe I have some form of it that manifests itself only on long journeys. In any case …

After happily over-paying to get a taxi all to myself back to my auberge yesterday (a sure sign I was feeling unwell!), I collapsed in a sweaty heap in bed and slept for six hours.

When I awoke, I had a chat with the auberge owner: yes, I had a fever (38.8 this time – I little lower than the 39.3 in Mali, but I’d been taking aspirin to try and reduce it), and all the symptoms I remembered from four weeks ago.

Do I have malaria AGAIN? Is it me? Is doxycyclene just ineffective in this region? Or am I just getting some flu thing and over-reacting?

Who knows. In any case, the auberge owner is convinced it’s malaria and, now knowing the routine, I bypassed the doctor and headed straight to the pharmacy for exactly the same pills which I took last time. (Fate’s cruel twist here is that this seems to happen only on weekends, when clinics that could confirm or deny malaria are closed. So I’ll never know for sure).

I’m still pretty tired, but already feel enough energy to come here and visit the CyberCafe – which I officially consider the road to recovery.

So a few more rounds of pills and I should be tip-top again – just in time for the last week of the tour – and Ghana….

PS: Which reminds me: What have I been forgetting about the trip? What do you want to know more about? (safety, border crossings, shared taxis, nature, etc) - Drop me a comment if there is a subject you would like to request!

1 Comment »

58

Comment by Solomon George

November 12, 2006 @ 8:27 pm

What an electric sense of humor and great eye for detail. I was in the hood you are traveling in not too long ago, but boy what an adventure you are having. You appear to have a third eye and your sense of humor keeps you so spirited and energized that nothing seems to faze you. That’s the way to be, I would say, if one wants to enjoy one’s travels anywhere in the world, not just in the so-called advanced countries. I see your comments on the spirit of the people you come across and I smile. I wish I could see such happy faces on the subway here in Chicago in the morning.
My own travels took me from Morroco, through Mauritania, onto to Ghana and down to South Africa through the Congo and Namibia and the other countries. I traveled in my own truck, alone, and boy what an adventure I had.
Travel wide, my friend, and keep your ears open and heart open. It is a short life, but reading your blog I see you have already lengthened yours by about 1000 years. Not as the days are counted, but as the feelings are energized and rejuvenated.
Thanks for sharing your travels.

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