I FRIGGIN HOPE NOT!!

adrimm says on Jun 5, 2006, 21:42:

You won't get sick But you may feel out of shape going up stairs the first few days. I went to Zipaquira my second day there and actually felt the walk up the hill. Puffing, slightly fatigued legs etc.)

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Rubiazo says on Jun 5, 2006, 21:44:

First 4 or 5 days take it slow and cut out the drink and smoke a little bit. Alcohol makes it worse.

Also, bee pollen is good for altitude sickness. I found that out in Northern BC crossing the mountains to get to Bella Coola! :P

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adrimm says on Jun 5, 2006, 21:48:

Agree Rubz Alcohol isn't so good.. (2 beers first night there just about sent me to bed). I'd forgotten about that.

What do you do with the pollen?

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Rubiazo says on Jun 5, 2006, 21:53:

Drink it! :P It's like some sort of a suspension of it they sell! You can also buy it mixed with honey, which is weird but nice.

Or you could just chew a coca leaf. That's what the Chibcha used to do!

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jordanxxx says on Jun 5, 2006, 22:08:

Thanks for the ideas.

Coca leaves eh, haha. Sounds good ;-)

I'll lay off the beer for a few days.. or atleast few hours.

:) Still worried lil bit because she has other friends who visited from states and were sick for 3 days. head spins.. but i have a stronger mind. But I guess it can result in Death :S:S:S:S

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altitude_sickness
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altitude_sickness
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altitude_sickness

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Aji1 says on Jun 6, 2006, 05:47:

Slow Down I can not say about not drinking personally. Almost every time my wife and I go back to Bogota I end up killing a bottle of Aguardiente with my brother in law the night we arrive. It has not hurt me yet (that I remember je je). We both felt the altitude for the first time last year when we were there visiting my wife’s family. Keep your activity level low for the first week and you won't feel like a 10 pound weight is sitting on your chest all the time. My four year old was not phased at all. He ran around like a wild man with his cousins while mommy and daddy were wheezing through our tamales y hugo. The better shape you are in the less it will affect you in my opinion. It should be nothing more than an inconvenience. Have fun!!

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Lambie says on Jun 6, 2006, 09:39:

I was just there and totally forgot about altitude sickness... needless to say, it didn't affect me and I was still able to partake in the same vices as you (+ cigs) and go hiking all around without any physical impediments... the only thing that I did notice was I couldn't sleep for long but that probably had more to do with excitement than altitude. If you're fit and resilient, I can't imagine you'll even notice anything different (other than the smog... and the smell of sulphur when your plane lands in Bogota - I made this observation to the guy sitting beside me and the lady in front of me turned around and in all seriousness said that indicates that the 'devil is close by' - Colombian folklore/superstition I guess, lol!).

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lost says on Jun 6, 2006, 09:59:

i remember a berminghammer there was a guy from birmingham one day, got really sick, he insisted it was due to "altitude sickness" although it was probably HIV.

poor bastard.

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kernow62 says on Jun 6, 2006, 16:14:

No problems for me either and I live in Florida, perhaps 10 feet above sea level. I don't smoke and drink and I ride a bike a lot so my cardio is pretty good. Didn't notice anything except a bit puffed at Zipa, but that is quite a climb anyway.

I did have stomach problems after visiting the coast, next time I will take probiotics on a regular basis to avoid this hopefully.

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adrimm says on Jun 6, 2006, 18:55:

Alcohol I was also very dehydrated when arriving - probably bad combo with the elevation for effects of drinks.

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Rubiazo says on Jun 6, 2006, 23:03:

I ride the bike a lot too But I'm still fat, that might have something to do with it.
God built me to crush people and small animals to death, not to climb big hills :P

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lpdiver says on Jun 7, 2006, 07:29:

I believe the Altitude affected me. I had fairly severe headaches for the first three days. I don't smoke but was probably dehydrated and drank beer regularly.

I thought the wrong head was going to explode for a few days there.

Had no problems at Montserrat or Zipa...

T

"cook some rice!"

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jordanxxx says on Jun 11, 2006, 02:00:

thanks for all the comments guys!

Im so excited to arrive, I used to live in a pretty polluted city
with 2 oil refineries and puilp paper mill so

im not worry about pollution.

Im young and half decently fit, so i shouldnt have any issues.

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