"On the Trail"

The Journals from the Road

March 17-18:   Save the Salmon, Slay the Salmonella - Arriaga, Chiapas

I thought I would work a little eco-message into my journal. The short truth is that I am hanging tough in a motel for the day. Yesterday, I made a b.o.o.b.o.o.(Better Off Only By Occuring Once - learn a lesson event). I took my sweet time getting out of town with an email upload stop and leisurely breakfast. It was about 10:00 before I headed off and I was sweatin' like a dog(come to think of it dogs pant, don't they.), no, like wrestler in a plastic bag. The hot breeze eased my downpour a bit.

At my lunch stop I felt unusually tired and layed down for a bit. Towards the end of the day I crossed the border between Oaxaca and Chiapas and shot an exercise video (coming soon to a website near you).

I took a quick break at a restaurant for some juice but all they had was beer and a few bottles of pop. Not what I had in mind, but a truck drove up and a bunch of guys with rifles jumped out and marched into the restaurant. They weren't wearing any uniforms so I began to wonder. But, no worries, the chief (of police, I guess) came up and shook my hand. It seems they were only coming by for a routine inspection and lots of Modelo beer.

I asked two of them for directions to Arriaga and was out of there. Too hot, too many rifles.

When I came to a hotel in Arriaga I realized I was more than tired. I had a fever and wanted to take a nap. I took a quick shower and then went to visit a doctor.

I visited Dr. Julio Cesar Cisneros Mandujano , at 2a. Av. Poniente No. 5, Arriaga, Chiapas (tel. 2-14-41). He speaks some English and uses his translation program on his computer for the rest. He thought I had Salmonella poisoning, probably from the water. He gave me a prescription for some Salmonella slayers and after taking them and sleeping for 12 hours I am feeling much better. I have spent the rest of the day doing a bit of shopping, email, and hanging cool underneath the fan in the hotel. I have a room with its very own, working bathroom (2 pluses) for 70 pesos ($7.50) a night. I hope to head out tomorrow, well rested and sometime between dawn and 7:30am.

No sign or word from Jon the bike messenger, last seen by my eyes on Tuesday, so it may be solo for a while.

Peace(Bike),