The Real Adventure Begins
Day: 34
You can´t help but get up early when you are in rural Mexico. Roosters are up very early and soon after the family was awake and doing their daily chores. We had a good sleep in our very basic room. It was a thatched roofed, wooden walled place with walls that didn´t reach the roof, hence bugs could freely make their way in to visit. We had a moskito net, but it did not cover the whole bed. We were to be picked up at 9am for the ride back to Fronterra Corozal where we would take a boat down river to Guatemalan immigration.
Up at 7:30 I first walked across the yard to the showers and cleaned up, then Jordana made her way to the shared cement block shower. When she returned I was sitting on the bed reading up on Guatemala. About 20 seconds later I was startled as she screamed, “MICHAEL!!!” I jumped up and as she pulled her towel off her face I saw a huge scorpion drop on the floor and scurry under the bed. “It stung me!!” she cried out. My first reaction was pretty calm, “are you sure? did it really sting you??” Judging by the tears and screams my question was answered quickly. Now panic was creeping into my mind, “ok be calm let me see what the guidebook says.”
Scorpions are a problem in some regions. If stung, you should immediately apply ice or cold packs, immobilize the affected body part and go to the nearest emergency room.
Now real panic set in. We were about 4 hours from the nearest emergency room and how to you immobilize some ones face?!? I didn´t tell Jordana everything it said, “ok, lets get ice. It says put ice on it.” By this time Philip the German had heard the screams and come over to see what was going on. Thankfully he speaks fluent Spanish and we went over to the family to ask for ice and what to do. I was already hatching a plan to pay them to drive us to Palenque or just steal their car. The family was calm when we told them, this calmed me a bit but I still wasn´t sure. They gave us ice and Jordana kept in on her face, the sting was right next to her mouth on the cheek. If you don´t know Jordana shes a pretty tough girl and I could tell she was in some serious pain here, it didn´t help that she thought she was going to die. We calmed down a bit since all Jordana felt was pain and no other side effects of the sting. The old lady of the house explained how she has been bit several times and the scorpions here are only dangerous for kids.
At about 9:30am we were picked up for our drive to the border. I was still nervous about everything but Jordana said she still only felt the pain in her cheek, no dizzyness or anything else. I figured when we got to Flores, Guatemala we could see a doctor or get to the hospital. We quickly made it thought Mexican customs getting a, “ahh Canada” from the custom agent. I wasn´t sure if that was good or bad but he never asked us anything else. We made our way to a boat and 1 hour later landed in Guatemala. We boarded a bus and drove a good 5km until we stopped for the Guatemalan customs. I always find this strange, I am in the country but nowhere near customs. I could run off and they´d never know. Then again the El Peten region is the most remote jungle in Guatemala and really why would I want to sneak in?
Quickly through customs we boarded the bus for the 4 hour drive to Flores. Guatemala was already so different than Mexico, the road was the worst one I have seen, more of a dirt track with crater size potholes that swallow chicken buses. We passed through jungle and some cleared spots for cattle ranches. How long until the Peten looks like Southern Mexico?
Finally in Flores just before sunset and Jordana was feeling much less pain. I was searching for doctors online but all the recommended ones were in the capital, more than 8 hours away. After reading up on Scorpion stings we become satisfied that everything was ok. Apparently if the pain subsides and no other side effects are apparent after 6 hours then you are in the clear. This was a huge relief, to celebrate Jordana surviving the scorpion we splurged on some great pizza and wine. Flores itself was beautifully located on Lake Peten, a quiet laid back place. Much different then the tense, crime ridden country I had expected.
Travel is adventurous and we are always looking for new experiences. However today became a bit to scary for awhile. By evening we were already laughing about the scorpion and tagged Jordana the scorpion queen.
Tags: Flores, Guatemala
Michael Coroneos
Wow! That’s beyond scary. I’m glad Jordana is alright. What a way to be greeted by Guatemala. But hey, you guys are super brave to venture on a tour around the world to begin with 😉
Oh, and have a super Merry Christmas!
/SuperTFC
Thanks Alex, have a good chirstmas!!
Glad to hear everything is ok with Jordana.
Have a SAFE and Merry Christmas.
George & Tanya and the boyz
Between the howler monkeys (which by the way is the scariest sound in the world!), and the scorpion, I’d say your trip is sounding like quite the adventure! Merry Christmas!!
Big Hugs,
Lena
Hope you guys had a wonderful Christmas. We love to hear about your adventures and think of you often.nrKelly (kelzag) & Pete