hot, hotter, hottest

Yesterday I got quite a sunburn. I had sunblock on (maybe not enough?) but I think I must have forgot my left arm. Yes, my stomach and my left arm hurt most of all. I had to sleep in the dorm and not the condo because the condo only has fans and I really felt I needed the cooler temperature for my flaming skin. I'm reminded of that song about the roof being on fire (or is the room? I could never figure out whether it was the roof or the room). Well, yesterday my skin was on fire and I was quite upset with myself for allowing this to happen. I bought an aloe gel that contains lidocaine (I couldn't find Solarcaine at the convenience store). After about an hour of lying in bed last night, the pain subsided (tylenol helped too). Man, I really underestimated the intensity of the sun. I was so determined not to burn here. But everyone has such beautiful tans, even the Dutch guys!. But they've been here for almost 4 months. They must have been my colour when they got here, right?? As I sat under a beach umbrella by the pool at Club Akumal Caribe (I had the whole pool to myself!), I'm pretty sure the sun was still burning me through the umbrella (that's what I think now, but yesterday I thought I was safe). Well, I've learned some kind of lesson here. And I'm staying out of the sun for the next two or three days!

The other health problem I've encountered here is that the pompholyx rashes (on my feet and hands) that I get sometimes at home are flaring up here. I think it may be because of excessive sweating. Some of the itchy patches on my feet are probably also due to insect bites, but the itch feels more like pompholyx (and the lesion that comes up after looks particularly hideous, insect bites heal faster). I have two on my left arm that I've covered so people don't think I have so kind of strange tropical disease!

I'll have some photos posted here soon (not of my skin, don't worry). I find it's a major hassle to take the camera everywhere I go, so I don't have many pictures yet, (and it drives me crazy that the thing only stays powered up for a short period of time, even with rechargable batteries). Now that I've purchased a block of internet time, and they have a little device I can put my memory stick into, I don't think it will be a problem to get some photos up on this blog. As the Mexicans tend to say, "It's possible".

I'm going to work now. Y'all might be wondering if I actually do any work while I'm here. Well, "more or less". :- )

I'll fill you in on how I'm progressing with my "work" in another blog entry.

Cheers,

Tam