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HURTS and HAS A TEMPERATURE!

Posted in Baja Fishing, Baja Mexico Fishing, Fishing, Jonathan Roldan, La Paz Fishing, Panga Fishing, Salt Water Fishing, Tailhunter International, Uncategorized, Western Outdoor News, tagged baja, charters, first aid, Fishing, fishing report, hospital, injury, Jonathan Roldan, La Paz, mexican, mexico, outfitters, sea of cortez, Tailhunter International, travel, vacation on June 12, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Prevention is always the best medicine but sometimes stuff happens! What to do!

“HURTS and HAS A TEMPERATURE”

Originally Published the Week of June 11, 2012 in Western Outdoor News

You’re on your Mexican vacation and you hit a crisis. You get sick, or worse, injured. Nothing quite brings a trip to a screeching halt like something that might require medical attention. Not just for you, but often for your buddies, family or traveling companions.

You’re obviously far from home. Seemingly no one speaks English. Even for something as simple as a nasty hangover or a Montezuma’s Revenge, it’s not like you can run down to the local Walgreens or other familiar pharmacy.

But wait, actually, if you know what’s wrong, most tourist destinations actually DO have familiar places like Walmart and other large stores that have pharmacies. Small local pharmacies are on every street corner. Believe me, most understand your “Spanglish” explanation of a headache or “the runs.” You are hardly the first person who’s come into the store with those kinds of complaints…especially in someplace for example like Cabo.

Certainly, your first option should be to report to the front desk at your hotel. Not only do most have things like aspirin, ant-acids and other first aid items, but many have doctors on call or, can recommend you to a local doctor, hospital or emergency care facility. Or point you to a pharmacy if you just need some medicinal aid that they don’t have.

Don’t panic. Most things, actually pass quickly. Some of the worst-feeling things, you personally could have prevented or know how to deal with if pointed in the right direction.

Prevention, of course, is the best medicine of all.

Of the thousands of client’s we have hosted here in La Paz, there have fortunately been only a handful of injuries or sickness. I would venture to say that the majority of them started with the line…

“We decided to do some shots of tequila…”

“The guys dared me to do it…”

OK, right. Pilot error. Alcohol is often the culprit in the hands of someone who forgot to take it easy. Either drinking too much…mixing poisons (“I started with tequila and went to rum then to vodka!”) or mixing medications (“I forgot the doctor told me not to drink whiskey with my heart medications!”)

I think almost all the broken bones or tricked knees or head bumps or the busted teeth were the result of someone not being more careful and under the influence.

Or, not drinking enough! Or forgetting that the sun is not always your friend.

Our biggest enemy is people not drinking enough water and getting heat-stroked which can have symptoms that resemble food poisoning, the flu, hangovers, diarrhea, etc. Simple avoidance means drinking enough water (beer and tequila do not count) and trying to minimize exposure to the sun.

In worst case scenarios, heat stroke can easily land you in the hospital or worse. Same for sunburn too. C’mon…common sense. You live in Michigan all year long and you miss sunshine. This is NOT a reason to “go lobster” and burn your back and man-boobs. Keep your shirt on, amigo! Sunburn hurts like the devil and can have long term effects.

But what if you’ve got a problem that can’t be solved with a few pills; more water; abstinence; or a night’s rest?

My first choice, if you are in a tourist area and staying at one of the more tourist-oriented hotels is to contact hotel management. I’d contact the front desk. As mentioned, often, they have a doctor on call or can refer you to a health care facility or provider. Believe me, you are not the first person ever to have a medical problem.

If it’s a traumatic injury, again, get a referral from the hotel; the local tour operator; or someone who knows where to go. Speed can often be of the essence and in the tourist areas and even some of the outlying areas, there are excellent first-responders who can get out to you in an ambulance or emergency vehicle.

The last two times we’ve had a problem here in La Paz, the EMT’s that showed up had been trained in Chicago and Seattle! One of the EMT’s riding along, in fact, was a young man from Denver who was working a few months in Mexico to work on his Spanish at the same time.

If you do end up in a hospital, they might not often accept your insurance, but I have yet to run into a health care facility that did not perk up when you showed them your credit card. They might not accept Blue Cross, but everyone knows VISA!

One caveat, many of the major tourist areas, have upscale hospitals that cater more towards tourists and the middle and upper class locals. That’s where you want to ask to go if you have a choice. Often, they have many English-speaking employees and doctors. And care, is a notch above too. Certainly, it’s great for 99% of the types of injuries that befall tourists and if it’s more serious, can stabilize the situation so you can get home and see your own doctor.

But, again…the best thing is not to get hurt or sick in the first place, especially if it’s something you could have prevented by being more careful or prudent!

That’s our story!

Jonathan

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Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004. Along with his wife, Jill, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico www.tailhunter-international.com. They also run their Tailhunter Restaurant Bar on the famous La Paz malecon waterfront. If you’d like to contact him directly, his e-mail is riplipboy@tailhunter-international.com or drop by the restaurant to say hi!

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Jonathan Roldan’s
Tailhunter International

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“When your life finally flashes before your eyes, you will have only moments to regret all the things in life you never had the courage to try.”

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“FIVE STAR AS IT GETS!”

Posted in Baja, Baja Fishing, Baja Life, Baja Mexico Fishing, Fishing, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, Fishing techniques, fishing tournaments, holidays in mexico, inshore fishing in Baja Mexico, Jonathan Roldan, La Paz Fishing, Living in Mexico, Mexican, Mexico, Mexico life, Panga Fishing, Salt Water Fishing, Sea of Cortez, Tailhunter International, Western Outdoor News, tagged baja, baja life, dorado, Fishing, fishing charters, fishing report, fishing reports, hotels, Jonathan Roldan, La Paz, mexican, mexico, Tailhunter International, travel, tuna, western outdoor news on October 16, 2011| Leave a Comment »

CHOICES...CHOICES...on the Baja road trip!

It may not look fancy, but sometimes the rougher the road, the prettier the "gem" at the end of the trail!

You'll probably never see this on Trip Advisor, but it doesn't mean it's not a great stay! It doesn't say "hot water." It says "running water!" Oh...and the also "weld!"

FIVE STAR AS IT GETS!

Originally Published in Western Outdoor News the Week of Oct. 20, 2011

Don’t get me wrong. I like being pampered as much as the next guy when I go on vacation and stay at a hotel. There’s nothing wrong with room service; a great restaurant; a spa; fluffy robes and a (OK…I admit it)…a mint on my pillow and cookies!

Surely, I’ve stayed in some of the best in Baja…Hotel Cabo San Lucas, The Finesterra, Plaza Las Glorias, Palmas de Cortez, Spa Buenavista among so many great resort properties and enjoyed them all tremendously.

But that’s not usually how I roll. I WISH we could do that all the time, but that’s just not very economical.

But, especially in pre-internet days 15 or 20 years ago. . . In the days before all those sites like Trip Advisor and Yelp and other websites arose to dissect every aspect of every resort from the size of the pool to the softness of the toilet paper and the fragrance of the shampoo; there weren’t many resources to finding a place to lay your head.

There was always the dog-eared dusty copy of dad’s Auto Club guide in the glove box or under the seat and that was about it if you were road-tripping down the Baja.

In those early days when I would routinely drive up and down the often-lonely-always-bumpy Baja several times a year, some of those were the best stays I ever had.

There were three kinds of nights.

Sleep in the car or truck on the side of the road curled up under the steering wheel.

Pull over in the dark. Camp on the side of the road or beach. Never quite sure where you pitched your tent until you woke up the next day.

Or…

Really “splurge” and find some road sign as the sun goes down. Take a chance that “Clean rooms. Cheap Rooms Hot Showers. Comida Rica” (good food) really meant what it said.

Cheap rooms sometimes meant “economical.” Sometimes, it meant exactly what it said…CHEAP! Single light bulb hanging from the ceiling with a pull-chain. Threadbare towels the size of a dishtowel. . Worn mattress on top of a concrete slab and a TV with rabbit ears made of a clothes hangar.

But those were the exception. More often than not, off the road and to the left meant finding a little Baja gem. They still exist. The scenario didn’t differ.

Sun going low. Too many hours driving in the shimmering dessert heat with the Jimmy Buffet cassette tape getting pretty old. Junk food wrappers on the floor. Reading the road signs for miles. Rusty, sun-baked, poorly-lettered or hand-lettered attempts to look attractive nailed onto any fence post, tree, or any vertical piece of wood.

Casa Maria Palapa and Campground 5 km.

El Sol Beach Hotel 3 km.

Hotel Bahia Hernan Cortez 1.5 km.

Perhaps not grammatically correct but lots of credit for effort.

“Hot Chowers and Gude Fud”

I would eventually be forced to make a choice prompted by tired eyes and diminishing light. Down the road and to the left. Often down a dirt or gravel washboard. Sometimes parting a herd of goats or rousting the lazy dog.

And the trees would open and there it would be.

Often on the beach. Often only one or two other cars and a well-used hotel pick up truck in the parking lot and lit by yellow bug lights illuminating concrete walls, terra cotta tiles, and a palapa roof.

Lots of tangled bouganvillia vines climbing the old columns and up the terraces. Maybe an old fountain in the brick courtyard. Maybe not. But the savory smell of grilling corn tortillas and searing meat coming from somewhere. The faint sound of an old mariachi tune off an 8-track or the sound of a TV playing a soccer team carries over the early evening air.

Family owned and happy to see you with big smiles. As you check in, family pictures on the walls. A cheap Baja calendar over the check-in desk. Mama happily checks you in.

Lo siento, Senor! No credit cards, but rooms are $15 U.S. Will that be OK?

It’s a deal. Papa comes in “Bienvenidos, Amigo! (Welcome!) and helps with your luggage to a clean little room . Daughter brings fresh towels again with a shy welcoming smile. This will do. There’s a fuschia-colored flower in a glass on the nightstand. Nice touch.

I follow that wonderful aroma that caught me as I came in. Down to the little 3-table -cafe on the concrete slab overlooking the beach. Pacifico Beer poster on the wall next to a faded picture of a bullfight.

In the soft yellow bug lights, there’s a dry-yellowed dorado taxidermied on the wall and some shark jaws dangling from a decorative old fishing net tacked nearby. The soccer game flickers from an old black and white TV.

The plastic Corona Beer tables match, but the silverware and plates don’t. Grandma in the back frying something good. She sees you and smiles.

There’s no menus. Grandson comes out and tells you what they are serving that night. And treats you like you’re a guest in their home. Which you are!

Tomato salad (from their own garden)

Homemade Rice and beans

Grandmas corn tortillas and green tomatillo salsa

Grilled Lobster tail (proudly caught by their cousin that morning on the reef who doubles as the gardner)

Flan

…for eight dollars.

Is that OK, he asks awkwardly as if he regrets charging a house guest. “Es bueno?”

“Claro” (Of course) I smile back.

He brightens and eagerly heads to the kitchen.

A Baja feast. And of course, ice cold beer. Heaven. Smiling grandson brings the beer.

I lean back in the chair kick off my flip-flops and let my feet rest on the cool concrete. Beer so cold the icy liquid burns the road dust at the back of my throat. Sigh. Slow exhale. Inhale the salty beach air. Ahhhhh… And watch the sun go down on the Sea of Cortez.

It’s as Five Star as any person ever needs.

That’s my story!

Jonathan

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