Sunburn on Saturday

Sunburn is not as I’d always believed.
I used to think that I had been sunburned. You know, your shoulders get pinkish brown, and your cheeks look like you’re wearing make-up, but you’re not.
Sometimes it’s a bit sore for a few hours.
And it’s warm to the touch.
And it fades beautifully into a tan.

People with pink skin instead of olive skin would complain, my sister Mary used to cry, and I would laugh and say to them “Sunburn is not so bad. You are so whiney. Just wear your swimsuit top until it isn’t sore to touch.”
I have got mine.
The sun has tortured me for mocking its powers.
Or else I accidently slept on top of a hot stove instead of a bed. The feelings are, I suspect, the same.
Remember when, just a few days ago, I said I was sunburned?
I take it back!
I was not crispy bacon. I was pleased with my sunburn because within a day it was a tan. Now several days after the real sunburning I cannot wear clothes, or sleep on my back, and I feel constantly nauseous.
Mostly I try to hide in my room.
I even stayed home today while Travis went to spend the day filming. I am a sick and whiney unhelpful little wife.
In my defense, I cannot (of course) be blamed. Having never used sunblock and also having never been sunburned I may have thought my skin invincible (except to mosquitoes). But because of the pharmacist’s warning, I knew I could maybe possibly potentially somehow get burned.
So I handed Travis the sunblock and said “Not too much on my back. I want to get tan today.”
Clearly the blame is with the pharmacist who should have been clearer and my husband who did not seek to warn me, having quite pink skin himself.
Anyway, are you wondering what I was doing to get sunburned yet?
I was sea kayaking on the Indian Ocean.
Besides the (literally) vomit inducing sea sickness I experienced and the grotesque after effects of horrific sunburn, it was quite a fun experience.
The water was clear and turquoise and we (mostly Travis) paddled out deep by the reef where the waves broke and there was no seaweed (Seaweed could be aptly named Becky’s Bane… so could mosquitoes or sunburn, though.)
And we jumped in and swam about.
Good news, there were no sharks, sea snakes or electric eels. It was really relaxing and neat. The water was warm, super super warm, but not too warm that it wasn’t refreshing to jump in.
Afterwards we went out for chicken curry and sandwiches and gathered with other mzungus at a resort to watch the USA versus England. I might have fallen asleep two minutes into the game, but it probably just angered all the Brits there even more. America doesn’t even care about football and yet WE TIED!
Craziness.
Anyway, that was Saturday.
And I’m still reaping the consequences today.
I might go do some good ol’ sun sickness vomiting now.
Take care and wear sunblock.
Becky