So… I had Covid. I think…?
I had a feeling it was going to happen. It seemed to me, if the incessant sounds of sniffling and coughing were any indication, that a lot of people around me had Covid. Omicron was spreading fast. Antarctic cruises were cancelled, some which were already underway - the boats turning around and returning to port. From what I heard, not a single ship managed to avoid Omicron.
I didn’t want to stay in Ushuaia because it was too expensive to spend a week in isolation at a hotel there and it was too cold to spend time outdoors, away from the Covid. Of course, because of the Covid outbreak, Chile closed the land border, and my only option was to fly. I flew back to Buenos Aires and found a very cheap hotel where I knew I could isolate if I got sick, or just kill some time if Covid shut down travel options.
I don’t really know when I caught covid. Maybe at the airport or on the plane? Maybe before that? My symptoms didn’t set in until almost 2 days after my flight, so the airport or airplane are the most likely suspects.
I had a feeling it was going to happen. It seemed to me, if the incessant sounds of sniffling and coughing were any indication, that a lot of people around me had Covid. Omicron was spreading fast. Antarctic cruises were cancelled, some which were already underway - the boats turning around and returning to port. From what I heard, not a single ship managed to avoid Omicron.
I didn’t want to stay in Ushuaia because it was too expensive to spend a week in isolation at a hotel there and it was too cold to spend time outdoors, away from the Covid. Of course, because of the Covid outbreak, Chile closed the land border, and my only option was to fly. I flew back to Buenos Aires and found a very cheap hotel where I knew I could isolate if I got sick, or just kill some time if Covid shut down travel options.
I don’t really know when I caught covid. Maybe at the airport or on the plane? Maybe before that? My symptoms didn’t set in until almost 2 days after my flight, so the airport or airplane are the most likely suspects.
This gull shared a boiled egg with me before my flight from Ushuaia. Is it weird for a bird to eat a boiled egg?
The first symptom I had was a bit of a tickle in my throat. I assumed the worst and bought a ton of juice and food – whatever I could get that didn’t require refrigeration. I also bought tissues, some cleaning wipes and a can of ant killer. My room was pretty good, but the tile floor was dirty, and I had seen ants. Both of those things I was able to fix, and for $13.50 a night, I didn’t complain. It was more important that I had a good bed, reliable internet, decent plumbing and sufficient AC.
The AC was necessary. Temperatures got up to 37C while I was there and managed to stay up around 30C throughout a few of the nights. It was humid too.
I never got tested for Covid, but I didn’t think it was necessary. The positivity rate the day I got my first symptoms was 64%. That’s… pretty high. The flu isn’t going around here, and I had most of the possible Covid symptoms. I never lost my senses of smell or taste, though they may have been a bit off. Fortunately, I avoided a lung infection. I had a little bit of burning in my lungs at the beginning, but I suppressed the urge to cough, and the burning went away without any further lung problems. I had body aches and headaches and alternated between Tylenol and Ibuprofen for the worst of it. On day 4, I had insane sinus congestion. Swallowing was difficult because of the airlock. I couldn’t blow my nose either. It took about a day for that to improve. The last few days I just had some sniffles and a bit of a headache. By that point, I was going stir crazy in my hotel room, so when I was feeling better, I went out for a walk. I kept my distance from people and wore my mask, and I probably wasn’t very contagious by that point. Unfortunately, I probably spread Covid far more before I had any symptoms. That’s the nature of the beast.
So, there isn’t much to say about my time in Buenos Aires. I spent most of my time in bed watching stuff online. This season of The Expanse is fantastic! Also enjoying The Book of Boba Fett.
By day 8 or 9 (the days are a bit of a blur) I was feeling pretty much back to 100%. A bit tired though and still sleeping a lot.
I want to add that it looks like the worst of the Omicron wave might be over already, at least in Buenos Aires. And the hospitals aren't overwhelmed, so the government didn't impose any new restrictions. For the most part, they're letting it run its course. More than 90% of people have had at least one vaccination, and they started their vaccinations later than Canada and the USA, so those are recent vaccinations which may be offering decent protection from Omicron. I don't really know. It's been hard to find good information, but from what I can tell, nothing has changed.
I am a little relieved to have the Covid thing over with. I have had three vaccine shots and can’t imagine what it might have been like otherwise.
Anyhow, it was a pretty boring stay in Buenos Aires and I don’t have any good photos to share other than food. I found a great little restaurant a few blocks from my hotel that seemed popular among the locals. A big steak was only about $5. Platters of fries with cheese sauce and fried eggs are also a pretty popular dish. There are lots of gelato shops – and they tend to serve it in rather ridiculous ways. And of course, pizza. Every pizza place has a basic “muzzerella” pizza, sometimes simply referred to as a “muzza”. It’s got lots of mozzarella cheese and one unpitted green olive on each slice. I love them.
I'm in Cordoba now and will post more soon!
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