I Have Malaria and Not Food Poisoning

john from has written 84 comments

Sounds like you are doing ok because your still blogging but by all means be safe, that is not something you want to be messing around with.

Gadget from has written 916 comments

I have finally got my mind around the defining symptoms of Malaria. There are cycles of fever or severe lethargy, then a time where you are thinking you are feeling better. Now, they just pumped a half liter of some yellow fluid directly into my vein yesterday, this is truly a Malaria stopper.

Lying in Bed typing on my computer and Blogging using a tether.com connection to my Verzion Global Internet access on a BlackBerry Bold is about as easy as it gets.

Yesterday, my brain was working at 30 percent, today closer to 60, and tomorrow I think it will be back to normal. My body on other hand is rather beat up, I think it will take longer to revive.

For some mysterious reason to me, people have little desire to think about rational type things. They will take about emotional things like eating, drinking, weather, sports, but to introspect is not on the menu.

Mate,
I have a soft spot too for the hobo life and happened across your website and thought "this sounds great, traveling in paradise for $500 a month", then I clicked thru to your blog and turns out you've got malaria, food poisoning - and took at least one wrong turn! May I join others in wishing you a better time ahead!
If you need a pad to recover (before Xmas or after New Year) and not bust the budget, can I invite you up to the Mosel River for a week in your own apartment on us - you can get a cheap Ryanair flight from Morocco (ex Agadir, Marrakech or Fez to Hahn) if that's near where you are?
Our place we call 'My Europe Base', it's a pretty 1920s house with 5 modern self-contained apartments overlooking the Mosel River in the vibrant wine-maker town of Zell an der Mosel. We offer short and long stay rates, with long stays from approx $200 a week ideal for anyone who wants to live in and explore Europe - made easy by Hahn Airport (major Ryanair hub) being a local bus ride away. For the next few months, most of the 50 flight destinations (some exotic) are easy to get to and back for under 100 EUR, even some returns under 20 EUR. The house is heated and the previous owner, the lovely Elspeth, lives in the top floor apartment.
There's lots of information on our website...
Hope it sounds good and let me know if you want to take us up!
cheers
Ralph - Australia
myeuropebase.com

Gadget from has written 916 comments

Thanks for the offer Ralph to come to Mosel River, Germany.

It is a little chilly there right now in December for me, but the place does sound nice.

Lome, Togo or Kpalime are great places to hang around for a couple of months, however the same for any tropical country, there is Malaria. Here is my page where long term (3 year plus) experienced travelers want to hang out:
http://www.hobotraveler.com/travel-destinations-to-live-1-3-months/index.php

Andy, I only know you via your blog, but I hope you recover soon.

I read/scan around 200 blogs/day and your posts are always the ones I look forward to the most.

Take care Andy. And get well! Mike in CA, US

hi andy,
hope you get well soon.
malaria does not fun.you are doing
right.get rid it of it quick. i hope you
can recover in a nice warm place for
the holidays.
please have a merry christmas.

mike machine in usa

claptona from has written 13 comments

Andy,
Having had Malaria myself, there is one good thing about it - they will never take your blood donations again.
I had it in the 70's and to this day, cannot donate blood for any reason.
Cheers - you are not going to die, you will recover, and get back on track.
John Wilson

tropicalguide from has written 112 comments

You will be all right in a few days with treatment. I have had dengue fever, bad enough, never malaria, last year at this time was in a Salvadoran public hospital with a tube coming out my thorax, post pnuemonia and nicotine poisoning, had smaoked 1 to 2 packs of cigarettes a day for some 40 years,they in a third world public hospital, too many anti biotics for sure, but saved my life, here I am sober and smoke free now. Dengue and Malaria are 'no fault', I have lived in the tropics some 24 years now, so your bloqs are all pretty well 'normal' to me. You got bit by a mosquito, you got malaria, you will get over it, take precautions and go on. If I start smoking know I will be dead in 6 months so I simply stay away from cigarettes a day at a time. All part of traveling on the edge. Get well soon. Again may I say 'life in the tropics'.
To those of you planning to travel to Africa, SE Asia or Latin America...do, check up on Google to see if you require any vacinations or such to go to sub tropical lands, your health comes first. I never got any, just got on buses or planes and arrived. Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas to those traveling during December and if coming to visit us here in Latin America do remember this is a very festive time of year with a lot of celebrating, so if you drink and are traveling alone, especially women, remember never get so intoxicated in a bar, especially the 'tourist' places that you become vulnerable!!!! Been there many years ago, done that, being a guy I just got robbed! saludos salut and greetings from under the volcano here in San Salvador, hot and humid but sunny and warm people.

Get well soon friend!

Brian -

TheKeeper from has written 25 comments

Hi Andy,

Your blog is a freaking trip!

All these "travel bloggers" with pretty websites have come and gone over the years and here you are 10+ years later with malaria, blogging from a hospital in Togo. You've got the perseverance I wish I had.

Heal up - I need my Hobo fix.

Best,

Frank

Gadget from has written 916 comments

I am not afraid to die, therefore my mind is free to think about what is happening. The sad part about this whole malaria situation is that for roughly 20 dollars I am doing the super cleansing of my body, which is about a weeks pay here in Togo.

I was going to take the pills, but this takes 10 days, and not sure it finishes the job, therefore I did the IV bottle solution.

For each day my body is infected, it is possible for a mosquito to bite me, suck my blood, then carry it to another person.

Hey Andy,

been following your awesome blog some years ago.
I stumbled upon it again today, read some of your latest posts, ending with you reporting about a Malaria infection.

Hope you have some support from the community around you and can recover from the disease soon.
Malaria is not to something to joke around with.

I was wondering about your malaria treatment. Does it cost you anything?