If you haven't read part one yet, spoilers are ahead! https://www.winterbtravel.com/post/water-quest-i
I stood swaying by the side of the road. The dust from passing cars blew in my face and I watched the sun bend the road into waves. Earlier, in the haze of a fever, I had made a tough decision that I'd come to regret. But here it is- my quest for water.
Long before the hospital, my water reserves were running low, and my steadily deteriorating condition made the 2 km walk to the grocery store nearly impossible. I had to make a choice between daily treks to the convenience store and finding a way to drink from the tap. "A water filter will solve all my problems", I thought, "It might suck getting it, but no more walks". So the next day, I set off at a slow but steady waddle. It was probably in the 90s, and with the fever, I felt like a steak getting sous vide. With each step, I regretted my decision even more. All this for a water filter, really?
With some doing, I finally made it to the bus stop and rode for a while before arriving at the universal indicator of America- a Walmart. I had read online that they had several different water filters in stock and was eager to get one and get back to bed. I walked up to an employee and asked if they could point me in the right direction.
"Sorry, no tenemos."
It didn't take my A1 Spanish to know I was screwed. "You guys don't have filters?", I said in disbelief, "but, but the website said...". I left heartbroken and more violently ill than when I decided walking in the sun for 4 hours was a good idea.
My head was pounding, and I could feel my brain tenderizing in the sous vide. Refusing to give up, I looked around on maps until I found another department store a 15-minute walk away. Might as well, right?
Somewhere on the Pacific Coast
This place was giant, and so I was hopeful that somewhere, in some aisle, my water filter would be waiting. I asked around and was eventually led to an assortment of ceramic mugs and bottles. I thought something was lost in translation so I clarified, "Water filters? To make water safe to drink". The guy looked at me confused then his face lit up, "Oh yes yes, my apologies we don't have those". I stood swaying by the side of the road. The dust from passing cars blew in my face and I watched the sun bend the road into waves. My feverish brain was starting to turn to mush.
Well, ONE MORE! I had found just one last store that was focused on selling kitchen appliances and water filters among other things. I got back on the bus and rode another 20 minutes to this shop. Do you want to guess what happened? Yeah, right, no filters.
LA COMER(you didn't have filters)
There's an episode of American Dad where Steve and his friends get a slow cooker and attempt to make the "perfect" roast by letting it cook for a couple of weeks only to get food poisoning. That was my brain right now- a 2-week old slow cooker pot roast. I felt a mixture of nausea, blackingoutin5seconds, and imgonaathrowup- it was no longer a fun "quest".
I sat on the bus as I entered a delirious fever-induced panic where I felt like my hair was suffocating me. My brilliant solution was to cut it all off at the nearest barbería. Now bald and back on the bus, I watched eerily as the cars flashed by. I had failed my quest, and what's worse, I would have to walk to the convenience store to get water when I got back. Truly an ironic situation.
I don't know if it was the journey or the grueling hike uphill to my apartment carrying 20 liters of water, but I had a revelation. AMAZON. Just two 2 days later my Sawyer mini arrived at my apartment in Mexico. Lovely.
From my Snapchat travel vlog
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