Hola all...
as you might have read, back when I was sharing stuff round in Peru on the night bus, I managed to lose my yellow fever international certificate (thank you kind thief). Anyway, to further make matters ... interesting... the Brazillian embassy kindly did not return my photocopy of said vaccine whilst I was reapplying for my visa to Brazil...
As I need this vaccine certificate to enter into Brazil and, I believe, to return to Australia, it was imperative that I get another one.
Whilst Peru and Bolivia do offer free vaccinations, I wasn´t too excited by the prospect of filling my body with more live vaccine... especially as I only just got mine in March... besides, surely someone else here would be better off receiving it than me?
The English girl, Sharm, was in a similar predicament as the US authorities had kindly relieved her of her certificate, but unlike me she still had a photocopy. We went to the hospital in Cusco, Peru... but they insisted we must still get the vaccine. So we decided to see if officials in Bolivia were any less... officious. We also considered the possibility of picking up a certificate on the blackmarket here... after all, almost everything else can be obtained there - so our guide assured us. (Including probably my mp3 player... and passport).
So... in LaPaz with our Peruvian guide, Kike, we went to the local tropical disease vaccination place. But of course, along the way, we had to stop at every stall in the market. I did manage to pick up a cheap set of UNO cards, very handy whilst travelling... but by the time we made it to our final destination they had decided to close half an hour early. Well, it was almost siesta time... grr.
So, a few days later, still in LaPaz and feeling less well (stomach woes) I made it back with Sharm and this time Hugo, our new guide (he´s from Argentina). While we both still had to pay our 60 Bolivianos for our certificate, Sharm was excused from having hers on account of her photocopy. So she said thanks and bye... as she had to dash to a local salon appointment (the girls were having a few touch ups done). I stayed with Hugo. Then I had an idea...
´Hugo´I said.... ´isn´t this vaccine card that I´m holding already stamped and signed...?´
´Che, why look at that´ said Hugo in his Argentinian accent... ´so it is...´
And so, whilst everyone was bustling around and waiting for their vaccines I happened to wonder down the hall supposedly looking for the toilet... Hugo followed not long after. We got outside and Sharm was still haggling with her taxi driver, so we jumped in and said ´quick, lets get out of here´.. or something to that effect. She still maintains that first I placed my icy fingers on her back - which is how she knew it was me.
Anyway, so now I have more photocopies of my yellow fever vaccine certificate, in addition to the original, all placed strategically out of reach.
So far I have not been tracked down by the yellow fever police...
