How To Catch Colds In Hot Places
People seem to be concerned about mosquito-borne illnesses while traveling in the tropics, and with good reason too. Rarely, they are concerned about catching the dreaded common cold. Sure, a cold is no big deal but it's uncomfortable and in this age of H1N1 panic, it is potentially inconvenient to be held up at border crossings. So how do you get a cold in hot climates? Let me tell you the three ways I caught a cold during my travels.
The first time was in the middle of the Peruvian Amazon. It was a warm day, perfect for Joe and I to try our hand at fishing the river. Borrowing a canoe, we clumsily paddled out and it began to rain. Surprisingly the rain was bitter cold and soaked us, and we endured about two hours of shivering. This was sufficient to land me in bed for two days with a fever, and I didn't recover completely for weeks, thanks to Limeño smog.
The second time it happened on the Costa Rican coast. It was stinking hot, so much so that it sapped your energy and you felt like doing nothing at all. The hostel was airconditioned, which was a blessing, until I got a cold from the alternating temperatures so many times a day. Fortunately, it was mild and went away after a few days.
The final time was on the Brazilian coast. Actually, a few days before arriving in Rio, I sat in an airconditioned bus for a day, traveling from Salvador. It was uncomfortably cold, and by this time I had lost my only warm piece of clothing. It gave me a fever for a day in scorching 39ºC temperatures as well as the sniffles and a sore throat.
So, don't be complacent about avoiding colds when you're traveling through warm areas! Bring a decent jacket with you on buses, and don't forget that it's cold in high altitudes, even in the tropics.
The first time was in the middle of the Peruvian Amazon. It was a warm day, perfect for Joe and I to try our hand at fishing the river. Borrowing a canoe, we clumsily paddled out and it began to rain. Surprisingly the rain was bitter cold and soaked us, and we endured about two hours of shivering. This was sufficient to land me in bed for two days with a fever, and I didn't recover completely for weeks, thanks to Limeño smog.
The second time it happened on the Costa Rican coast. It was stinking hot, so much so that it sapped your energy and you felt like doing nothing at all. The hostel was airconditioned, which was a blessing, until I got a cold from the alternating temperatures so many times a day. Fortunately, it was mild and went away after a few days.
The final time was on the Brazilian coast. Actually, a few days before arriving in Rio, I sat in an airconditioned bus for a day, traveling from Salvador. It was uncomfortably cold, and by this time I had lost my only warm piece of clothing. It gave me a fever for a day in scorching 39ºC temperatures as well as the sniffles and a sore throat.
So, don't be complacent about avoiding colds when you're traveling through warm areas! Bring a decent jacket with you on buses, and don't forget that it's cold in high altitudes, even in the tropics.
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