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Published: January 30th 2011
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I had a rubbish night sleep in the cabin. It rained so much that I started dreaming about a landslide taking away my hut into the river. I even got up to check that the water hadn't risen up too much. It hadn't risen at all. I suppose, to have such vegetation, they must be getting a fair bit of water falling from the sky.
So I eventually woke up for the final time at 5.40 and thought I might as well get ready. I was stressing about the buses, after having been told by one local than they ran every hour and took 2 hours (I knew that was wrong as it's more like 6 hours to get there), another who wasn't sure but thought they only ran at night and the last one suggesting there was one at 8am. I really wasn't convinced that I wouldn't have to spend another day here. My other problem was that the camp was quite a distance from the centre of town, and with the ruins not opening until 8 or 9am, I thought there might not be colectivos around, in which case I would have to walk.
I'm sure I'd read it
Campeche
The cathedral was 4 or 5km, so I left at 6.20, thinking that would be plenty of time. Thankfully, the rain had stopped; I really didn't fancy an hour's walk in the sort of weather that had kept me awake hours earlier. Just in case it restarted, I'd put the rain cover on my pack, put a change of clothes easily accessible and worn shorts to avoid the bottom of my trousers getting soaked (although they hadn't dried from the visit to the ruins anyway.) So I set off, just as a colectivo was pulling in, but going the other way. This was a good sign. Worst case scenario, this one would be back going my way in 10 minutes. But I didn't even have to wait that long.
As we went along the road I thought I'd be happy to be there early in case the bus was at 7 instead of 8. If it was 6.30, I wouldn't make it... And as we drove a bit further, I thought there was no way it was 4 or 5km into town. Never in a million years would I have made it by 8am walking.
6.45, and I was waiting at the
Campeche
around the central plaza till, in front of the bus schedule saying 8am, 9pm, 11pm. Once again, I was grateful to the lovely person who'd suggested 8am. So I was dry and should be in Campeche by early afternoon. The 266 pesos for the bus (the one thing everybody agreed on was that only ADO-the 1st class bus company – offered this trip) seemed like a reasonable price to pay for all this...
During the long journey, I watched a film and although I think it was because the dubbing was very clear, I understood pretty much everything. I also got controlled by the police for the first time and looked like a right tit trying to get my passport out of the secret pocket inside my trousers...
When I arrived in Campeche, I took a colectivo (5.5 pesos). It wasn't too bad because the roads are numbered rather than named once you get to the centre. I jumped off and walked the last few blocks to the hostel, which I had found in the guide book. I intended to stop at any other hostel I'd find on the way to check their prices, but the way I came from, I didn't see any.
Campeche
around the central plaza So I checked in at 95 pesos a night, dropped my stuff and went to explore. My first stop was the market to buy some bananas (I then went back to the hostel to have avocado and banana lunch). The hostel was half a block away from the central Plaza, where the tourist office was located, so that was my next stop to get a map. Campeche, yet again another UNESCO World Heritage Site is in the state of Yucatan. It is a “walled” colonial city and compared to some others around, is very well preserved. The multicoloured pastel terraced houses along cobblestoned streets have become a bit of a usual sight on this trip, but it was very pleasant nonetheless. I had a look at a few churches and then I couldn't resist having a peak at the sea. I didn't walk along it for a great distance but there wasn't a beach I could see. Still, it was nice to see the sea. Then I decided to go and see the walls. Well... They're not really walls any more, just some bits left here and there, not like you could climb up and walk around the centre on
the walls...
After all this, I returned to the hostel with a banging headache, which I assumed was due to a combination of the wetness the day before, the lack of sleep and the heat and sun in Campeche. I spent a nice evening with a group of American and Canadian ladies and we exchanged some tips as we were going where each others were coming from.
I had quite an early night, with my head still hurting...
Now, sensitive readers, stop here. What follows is not pretty city description...
You have been warned.
I couldn't sleep and then at about 2 am the shits arrived! From then on, I spent half my night sat on the toilets and drifting in and out of sleep when I wasn't, with fever, chills, stomach cramps and headache. Let's just say this was not a pleasant experience. I got up the next morning exhausted, drained and wondering how so much poop could fit inside my body. So after a light breakfast, I decided that paying a visit to the doctor was the best thing to do. The hostel manager was very helpful (he clearly hadn't seen the state of the toilets!) and
even walked with me to show me where the nearest doctor was, but unfortunately it was closed. So I got directed to the health centre, which I was expecting to be like A&E and hoping they had toilets for me if I had to wait for hours. I walked in and joined the queue. 5 minutes later I had my ticket number and was sent to the till to pay 26 pesos for the consultation. Moments later I was discussing my health issues with the nurse, who then sent me straight in to the doctor. He gave me antibiotics, painkillers and rehydration sachets. All I had to do was pay (12 pesos) and pick them up from the chemist located within the health centre. I reckon I was in and out in half an hour.
I went back to the hostel and paid for a second night, as I decided that the order of the day was to rest and then I did nothing, other than try to drink the rehydration mix. Trust me, this is horrible! It's a bit like salt water but different. I'm supposed to drink 1 litre a day for 3 days and I only managed
Campeche
quiet little street 0.5l today. By then, every mouthful made me want to throw up...
So, about 12 hours later, I feel less rubbish and the toilets visitations are less frequent. However, consistency is not what it should be, so let's hope for a better day tomorrow!
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delphine
non-member comment
alors tu avais prevu le PQ dans ton sac?? comme te dirait mon collegue: tu vas avoir le cul rouge comme les singes!! je plasante ma je l'ai attrape en Thalainde et vraiment, j'ai souffert. repose toi et dors, bois bcp d'eau... y a rien d'autre a faire... a si arrete de manger des fruits.