Day 24 (Aug 1): Sick

Well, I hinted in the last post that I was getting a sore throat. And simply put, I got sick. It wasn't too bad though, mainly a cough and a runny nose, and I figured that a day's rest, fruit, and some basic meds would bring me back to travel mode soon enough. It also helps when your cousin's a doctor =).

5 Reasons why it's easy to get sick on the loveboat (aka the Expatriate Youth Taiwan Summer Camp):

1. Close proximity to other campers. And counselors. We're on a bus for a good portion of most days, with limited air circulation, and then we sleep in rooms with up to eight campers in total. Many counselors and campers have worn facemasks in the last couple days (and even as early as two weeks ago), and the chorus of coughing we bring to each destination definitely indicates that something's going around.
   
2. Lack of sleep. Sure, bed check's at 11, but that's often followed by sneaking out, watching movies, using the computer, hanging around, playing cards, and anything else but sleep. The 6:50 morning calls don't really allow for sleeping in.
   
3. Lack of nutrients. Night market / vendor food doesn't normally provide a "healthy option". Enough said? Even the provided meals are usually lacking when it comes to vegetables, and when we do get them, they seem like they've been stir fried, and drenched in oil.
   
4. The heat. With the exception of the lovely weather in Sitou, most of our time is spent in hot and humid Taiwan. Too much time outside often left many uncomfortable, and/or dehydrated.
   
5. The cold. The instinctive thing to do after spending a day outside is to enter the hotel room and turn the air conditioning as cold as it goes. But honestly, I think I spent more time on this trip uncomfortably cold than uncomfortably hot. Museums and stores tend to have their AC units turned on quite strongly too. 

Well, there you go. Either way, I was feeling much better the day after, ready to explore some more of Taipei.