[Note: This posting is more about food safety than travel highlights.. Read at your own discretion.]
About one o'clock in the morning I woke up and got violently ill. Over the next several hours, I emptied the complete contents of my stomach (and more).
I might have gotten some satisfaction about the weight loss, if I was not afraid I was going to die. I can joke about it now, but it was not at all pleasant.
I was weak and after several hours decided to try to replenish some fluids. I was unsuccessful in my attempts to consume (and retain) warm tea or warm instant oatmeal.
When the sun began to rise, it became obvious to me that I probably would not be able to travel after two hours of sleep. A friend brought me some Saltine Crackers (which I could not successfully eat) and a soft drink called Sierra Mist (similar to 7Up or Mountain Dew).
I considered going to a hospital emergency room, but decided that rest and rehydration were the priorities. Fortunately, the room was quite dark, and I slept most of the day (except when I was on my knees).
Sierra Mist and Pepto Bismol were the only things that I could tolerate until evening when I ate a few crackers. It is not clear that Pepto Bismol was a valid treatment for food poisoning. I wish I had some Activated Charcoal Tablets or Powder (though it may not have been the right thing to do either).
[ Looking back, I suspect that the source of my infection was probably either:
- The Sweet Peach Iced Tea (made locally in the restaurant), or
- A raw Jalapeño (of which I ate about one quarter).
