la provincia del oro

When we stopped for gas and bathrooms, the girls were miserable. Retching in the bus' bathroom, stomach cramps, and nausea combined with bad seat partners and our rocky departure was mixing poorly for our journey home.
I was glad I felt fine. We were not far away, and when we pulled into the familiar Cuencan station there were abbreviated farewells.
The house was in disarray. Sonita and her cousin were baptised this Easter, and Sonya hosted the celebration. It had rained all weekend and as a result ants migrated into the house in droves. Previously my room had been inundated, but the kitchen was the target this time, and again acrid spray fumes lingered in the heavy, though cool, humid air. While the Florida girls went for bed, J3 and I were hungry and made quick plates from what remained of the left-overs.
Rosalita hadn't gotten to my laundry, and I started the wash immediately. Half way through the first cycle, as I packed for the week's surgery trip and to move out of 1-55, my stomach began to flip, and I started to realize what the others may have been experiencing. Normally I believe myself to possess one of those legendary steel stomachs, but I've experienced a rare gastroenteritis, and this is it.
I was making trips to the john every twenty minutes and wondered when it would end. I was exhausted, and despite my preparations for the morning, sleep seemed unlikely. I didn't want to think about being without a bathroom in the middle of the mountains.
There was little sleep to be had by morning. J3 was up but dragging around due to some bathroom issues early this morning and wasn't sure she would make it. We grabbed a cab to the office and met up with the crew. She explained her problem to Dr. R who gave her directions to meet us later on.
I helped haul baggage and supplies to our trucks and felt satisfied that I hadn't eaten and could minimize my difficulties.
The scenery was amazing, weaving our way past Area de Salud #3 and over a dirt pass-way high above Cuenca to descend down to sea level on the shore of Provincia del Oro.