Well we all have to get sick at least once in a foreign country and I did…

I met up with my friend Tim to go to the beach and all the sudden my stomach started to ache with pains. Thank god we were close to a hotel so I could use their bathroom. Bathrooms are hard to come by in Cuba, they are always usually missing a toilet seat, toilet paper, soap and sometimes even running water. Make sure to always carry toilet paper on you and use hotel bathrooms because they’re sure to have the most amenities.

I thought I could walk it off but it just started to get worse and worse. My doctor had prescribed me some medicine in case this happens. I had left some items with my Couchsurfing host in Mexico City because I had too many things to carry and of course I stupidly I left those pills.

I returned home to sleep it off. When I awoke I was feeling better so I accompanied my friend Leduane to his hip hop dance class. It was on the roof of a four story home. There were about 50 students and a DJ. Behind the house was a huge cloud with a lighting storm inside. There was no thunder or noise just flashes of lighting illuminating the entire cloud.

After class we grabbed some dinner. At this point I realized food was a bad idea. I began sweating and feeling ill again. We decided to walk over to the Malecon after dinner to get some fresh air. The Malecón is a huge sea wall that lines La Habana. It’s where everyone goes at night to get together, drink and listen to music.

After about 20 minutes I was not feeling well at all. I needed a bathroom immediately but I knew the closest one was where I was staying about a 5 minute walk away.

I just had to accept the fact that I was going to shit my pants in the streets of La Habana in front of my friend and a bunch of other people.

I don’t know how I managed but I some how made it back to my casa in time.

The next morning I knew I had to get medicine but there are no walk in pharmacies here like a Walgreens or a Rite Aid. The only pharmacies here are for Cubans only and you need a prescription. Luckily my friend Enzo was willing to accompany me to find medicine.

We had to go to about three different pharmacies before we found one that would sell us the medicine. He had to go up to the counter alone and pretend it was for himself.

All I can say is if you’re planning a trip to Cuba it’s a good idea to bring medical supplies. It’s hard enough to find eggs here let alone medicine when you are sick.