I´m afraid this entry isn´t going to be filled with interesting anecdotes so I apologise! I´ve had a terrible week so I won´t go into a huge amount of detail, just give you the basics! Turns out I contracted some kind of amoeba either in Mexico or Belize and I have been very sick with it since the day I arrived in Guatemala. I bought some medicine from the chemist but after the 5th day of being sick I went to see a doctor. I was so relieved when he turned out to be better than the majority of doctors I´ve seen in England! He was very thorough, reassuring and I had confidence in what he was advising me. He told me I had a parasite and probably some secondary infection due to my weakened immune system. He gave me an antiparasitic drug, a course of antibiotics and an intensive rehydration treatment... I felt well enough to travel the next day so I made my way with Karl to San Marcos la Laguna on the beautiful lake Atitlan so that we could be reunited with Chris and Paul, who had carried on ahead of us... So now I´m a great deal better than I was but still a fraction of my usual self. I´m very weak and it has at times got the better of me psychologically. It´s quite frightening being so sick in a strange place... especially when it´s an alien illness that you´re not used to. I´ve been lucky though. I´ve got people looking out for me. The town I´m in now is a real haven as well. It´s like the holistic centre of this area and you can´t move for natural therapists and hippy types! I´ve been to see a great lady who has given me a herbal antiparasitic which I´ve been assured by a number of people works better than anything else. I´ve stocked up as I doubt this´ll be the last evil beasty I ingest! I´ve also been given some great dietry advice... not sure I´m going to go with the drink my own wee tip though no matter how well it works!!! So with a bit of luck the combination of medical and hippy tlc should sort me out in time for spanish school next week... fingers crossed. This is also the most beautiful and tranquil place so I will spend a couple of days relaxing as much as I can in order to beat the feeling of wanting to come home!!!

So that´s enough from me misery guts! Phew! Lots of love xxx