Joe's World Backpacking Trip Stories and pics from my travels.

Turns out my food poisoning on the descent of Mt. Kenya was actually Malaria. I was sick for about 2-3 days before I decided to get checked. I got my antibiotics and spent the next 3-4 days recovering in my hostel; in a dimly lit room under a mosquito net tossing and turning, pouring sweat. All I needed were flies landing on the corners of my mouth and eyes and it would've been a scene out of a UNICEF commercial. The best way I can describe Malaria overall is feeling "kinda yucky." I'm in Arusha, Tanzania now, fully recovered. I depart on my Mt. Kilimanjaro trek tomorrow. I found mosquito repellent for the first time in 6 months in a grocery store in town today. So not only am I taking anti-malarials, but after about 5 applications in the past 3 hours of spray repellent I'm also coated with a glistening sheen of mosquito death. I'm excited that I'm almost to the pinnacle of my main goal in Africa, and really happy that I was able to raise money for an awesome charity on the side.