Steve's Cycling Blog

Still sick in Samarkand (rest day two)

I was so hopeful when I went to bed last night that all was going to be well, but frequent trips to the loo and the now familiar nausea were still with me when I woke this morning. Again I’ve forced down some breakfast just so there’s some chance of some calories going in.

Luke’s now given me a different antibiotic to take, as well as a massive dose of another drug in case what I’ve got is Giardia – let’s hope one of those actually has a positive impact on things!

I spent the morning relaxing in the cool of the hotel and getting caught up posting blog posts. Both lots of medication had to be taken ‘after a meal’ (which is medical jargon for – it’s going to make you feel even worse) and Luke advised that I only take them one at a time, so I took the antibiotic after breakfast and headed out about 1300 to get some lunch and take the second drug.

Again my plan had been to do some sightseeing this afternoon and though lunch itself (a banana and some yogurt) seemed to sit better than yesterday the medication really did make me feel pretty terrible, so my visit to the Registan was pretty short and I came back to the hotel and had a nap for a couple of hours while the worst of the medication effects passed.

Since then I’ve mostly been doing blogs and emails, and now need to go and find my laundry, pack my bags and get myself as physically prepared for tomorrow as possible in the hope that I sleep soundly and wake feeling refreshed in the morning – the constant rumbling and grumbling fro below ins’t making me terribly hopeful, but something’s got to work!

I guess I’ll just have to come back to Samarkand another day and take a look at the rest of the sights then. I’m too tired now to caption all the photos – they’re all from the various buildings at the Registan (which is a collection of three former Islamic Universities and one of the most impressive of the sites in Samarkand which was conveniently close enough to the hotel that I could make it there in my current state).

Thankfully our ‘week’ is only two days at about 130km tomorrow and 140km the day after, and it’s pretty much flat, so there’s a chance I’ll be able to ride it if I can manage to keep some food in me – let’s all hope for that 🙂

2 thoughts on “Still sick in Samarkand (rest day two)

  1. Cliff

    We were in Samarkand and Bukhara 3 months ago. A pity that you were not really able to explore these wonderful cities more. It was just pleasantly hot in May. I also had a tummy upset in Samarkand, but not as bad as yours. Hopefully you will get over it completely soon so you can enjoy Ashgabat.