Everybody Poops

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Warning: This entry involves pooping. Get over it.



I’ve had a realization. When it comes to traveling, me and pooping don’t get along. When I first got here nothing would come. Now? it won’t stop. That’s right, I have contracted what I found on WebMD is called Traveller’s Diarrhea. Sexy, I know.



It actually started the second day of the Inca Trail. I didn’t think much of it at first, but when the symptoms lasted for more than a week, I knew something wasn’t right. Of course this happened! I mean think about it, there is zero soap in any of the bathrooms on this trail, let alone toilet paper. Unless the porters are hauling up a full carton of hand soap and proper sink, I don’t really know how they are keeping their hands at the highest sanitary conditions. Last night was awful. My stomach simulated the pain of child birth for me all night. Every. Single. Hour. I puked twice times and got three hours of sleep. So…does this mean the coca leaves were right??



I booked biking on Death Road (through the company, Barracuda) for the following morning. Once I woke up, I almost decided not to go. I kept picturing myself being too weak to steer over the rocks and drift off the 50ft cliffs, which I found out later is actually pretty common. (Hence: Death Road.) Thank GOD I gathered my strength and went! I loved it SO MUCH. This is a true bucket list adder. It was so exhilarating! Imagine: you’re speeding down a rocky, graveliy, narrow road. You’re twisting and turning through waterfalls and creeks emerging from the jungle brush to see 50-70ft cliffs!



The bus brings you up 4000+ km and you more or less coast the whole way down. The first run was torture though. It was so cold, no amount of layers would suffice. You’re just a gliding popsicle on the first run, you’re fingers feel like daggers every time you move them. I was afraid at first thinking that it would be like that for the rest of the day. It wasn’t. With each run, you’re shedding layer after layer until you’re just in a bikini top and board shorts…depending on how you roll.





I felt pure adventure. This is what I was seeking! Plus, it made my stomach issues go away too, surprisingly.

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