Aftermath of Heat Stroke and 9-9-09

Tuesday I thought I might start a little walking routine here. Just down the Malecon next to the Bay of La Paz. A little breeze made it seem not so hot. I had my camera along. Taking photos I thought I'd just go to the statue of the mermaid with the dolphins. When I got there I decided that wasn't bad so I'd walk on to the statue of the fisherman, then it was the statue of the manta ray. Then I decided that my friends, Anne and George, had a house not far away and I would go have a little rest and get some water. It was almost 100 degrees and I had only taken an 8 oz. bottle of water with me. Stupid.

Anne and George weren't home. Of course. I took a photo of their front door NOT opening to welcome me to rest and refreshment. They had not known I was coming. I had not known I was going that far.

It really hit me on the return trip. I bought a 12 oz. bottle of water at a kid's park near their house. After that it was too much effort to make the walk across the wide street to get to the tiendas selling water on that side. I stayed on the bayside without vendors. Stupid. Stupid!

I made it back to the boat. My face was beet red. I had tunnel vision. I was so dizzy that I kind of fell through the doorway. Heat stroke. I made it to my bunk and more or less passed out for about 3 hours. When I woke I had the worst headache I had ever had, I was too dizzy to stand without holding onto things. And standing was agony due to the blisters on my heels. Back of my heels. Under my heels. Alongside my heels. On my toes. I hadn't felt them earlier but I surely did feel them when I woke. And it felt like the bones in both feet were pulverized! Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!

Lots of double strength Gatoraid, Advil, 9 baby aspirin, and a 12 hour night's sleep and I am in pretty good shape for the shape I'm in. Except for the unopened watery blisters on both feet. I couldn't do yoga. Could barely walk to the shower to wash the nasty ol' sweat off of me.

But I won't do it again. 6.2 miles or 10 kilometers. In the heat of the day. Heat index approximately 105 degrees. No hat and sandals instead of walking shoes. What was I thinking? Obviously I wasn't.

Anyway, here I sit today. The Internet has been down much of the day. Apparently a religious fanatic hijacked an airplane here in Mexico and officials shut Internet and Cellphone usage off. Didn't want him collaborating with anyone I guess. Turned out to be a guy with a juice can with a few small lights claiming he had a bomb. Made the pilot circle Mexico City 7 times. Said 9-9-09 was 666 upside down. Warned of earthquakes. They arrested 3 other guys when he told authorities he had accomplices. Later he let them know the REAL accomplices, according to him, were God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost! And for that all of Mexico and it's business was put on hold for much of the day. I kid you not.