Altitude Sickness Strikes

Here I am, lying in bed and experiencing Altitude Sickness in La Paz. Waking up feeling like vomiting isn’t the best way to start a day.  Again it hits, as the feelings just like morning sickness are sweeping over me with wave upon wave of nausea. Though right now, I am not pregnant, I am also feeling dizzy and I can’t breathe. I have a headache and I don’t feel eating.

As a single Mum, I don’t have the option to not function. I have a child to care for who requires feeding for starters. And I need to put an action plan in place to overcome this illness, so I drag myself out of bed and into the shower.  We go out for a simple breakfast which I hope will cure nausea but it doesn’t scratch the surface.

Church

©Exploramum and Explorason – resting near the church on the way back to the hotel

Grabbing a taxi, we decide to attend an English church in the area as I feel a little support might assist.  We often feel connecting with a church is a good way in case there might be an emergency and I need support. Today they ask if anyone needs prayer, and it is nice that they pray for me to feel better.

Shopping Mall

After church, we have a lady who drives us to the Mega Mart. This is a massive shopping complex for the rich, and for the ‘Gringos’.

Money Matters

I need a bank as I only have a few Bolivianos from the border crossing money exchange. Their rates are always lousy and they are notorious for ripping people off.

Right now, I can hardly breathe as we walk around to find a bank or Auto teller machine, but I feel so ill.  I am glad that we find a bank that works for us, so I withdraw enough money to last us quite a few days since I know there is no ATM in the town we are visiting next.

Lunch

One great thing about western Megal Malls is that they always have great food courts, and here I get my son some lunch.

Limit Our Time

©Exploramum and Explorason – local graffiti

I feel that we need to limit our time in La Paz, and move on quickly if this altitude sickness does not abate.  Therefore today might be our only day here, thus we catch a taxi back to the touristic area and old city to look around. But I can hardly walk. We taxi past some amazing wall art and it is nice to be driving and not walking. South America is graffiti crazy and we love it. We pass so many bargains, yet I have no desire to shop.

Tour Options

Wandering in and out of Tour shops with great apprehension after our recent tour rip off, I dubiously (and finally) get two quotes from travel agents. I soon realize it is cheaper just to go to the Uyuni Salt Flats and work out our tour from that town when we arrive.

Cute Local Girls

©Exploramum and Explorason – Bolivian girls dressed for a party

We pass through the church, and I take a rest but I notice this altitude sickness is getting worse, and not better. We try to get a taxi back to our hotel, but being Sunday they are scarce therefore we walk for over 1 hour.

We pass some lovely little girls dressed in Bolivian national dress as they head to a party. They must only be about 4-years-old and so cute! I notice here that traditional clothing is still very much a part of the culture, with a focus on looking like you are plump or of a full figure for the females.  We are told, “this is a sign they are wealthy because if you have money you have food, and if you have food, you can be fat”.

Is this the Flu?

At this time, I feel like I have the flu coming on. We manage to walk all the way back to the hotel with no cab.  I put myself to bed with a hot water bottle. 

Heart and Chest Pains

I have heart pains and chest pains coming now and I am starting to become overwhelmed as I am here alone in this empty hotel with an 8-year-old. In fact, I work myself up that I could be so ill. Then I have a big cry. The fact I am using an asthma puffer and finding it so hard to breathe on my own is just so scary.