I noticed, late Sunday evening, my throat was a bit sore and I was quite tired. I thought...hmmm, I might be getting a cold... and then forgot about it.
Yesterday, Monday, I started my day off as usual - school, then school, then tutoring, then school (yes, school was listed three times as there are three schools in three locations).
I recently became aware that there is a tram stop literally at the door to the cafe where I tutor - just tucked behind a curve in the building. I decided to take the alternate tram.
That is where things went wrong. I shouldn't have tried thinking or deciding, I was already too tired.
I started off by forgetting to get on the metro and trying to take a connecting tram. I got on to the wrong tram (let's count these as mistakes #1 and 2).
I got off a spot where there were a number of trams coming through, knowing I could get to where I need to be in order to get to where I wanted to go. Wenceslas Square, a major tourist area and busy tram exchange.
I was hungry and walked around the corner to where I thought I could get a sandwich - no sandwiches so I got a kelbasa - it cost me 50 crowns... and I paid it, ate 3 bites and tossed it. Normally they cost about 20. I got mustard all over my face, my scarf, hands, and jacket. They don't believe in napkins here. (stupid moves 1, 2, and 3 - paying that much, not eating it, and making a mess).
I cleaned up as best I could and walked back to the tram stop to review the schedules. Upon closer review I realized I could take the #6 tram from where I was - and that would drop me at the door. Yea!
So a couple of trams pulled up, I saw #6, walked to the back carriage and got on. It was crowded, I was tired, I sat up, closed my eyes and listened for my stop.
(this would be tram mistakes 3 and 4 for those counting).
I fell asleep - mistake 5.
I woke up to realize I was not on tram #6 as I thought and needed to be, but rather tram #3 - and I was well outside of Prague proper, surrounded by snow capped mountains, the river, and no buildings. I sat there through another stop, trying to figure out what happened (mistake 6).
I got off and found the tram stop in the opposite direction - waited, got on, and made my way back in to town.
I think I forgot to mention - it's snowing this entire time and I can feel my cold getting worse. And my gloves where totally inadequate, my hat kept slipping off my head, and my chapstick missing. It was freezing and windy. I was standing in it for a very, very long time waiting for a tram to find us out there in the middle of nowhere.
On the right tram to get me back in to town I fell asleep again (as nothing bad happened as a result, this is merely stupid move #4). I got off and found tram #6 which was the tram I had originally been searching for... over an hour earlier. I got on it. And fell asleep, again (and again, merely a stupid move, #5, I woke up in time to get off).
I showed up 30 minutes late for the lesson, exhausted, bedraggled, cold, shivery, hungry - I usually get there 45 minutes early and eat before I teach - and ordered hot chocolate. It was hot, I was freezing - it was covered in whipped cream, and I took a big sip - and burnt my throat. (yes, another stupid move)
I was really, really ready to be in bed, but had 3 more hours to teaching and talking before I could even give sleep some serious consideration.
For books, school, students, locked doors, and life - I ended up running up the stairs to the classroom 4 times last night... that means I run UP almost 30 flights of stairs yesterday... the running down would be another nearly 30, but that's not such a big deal.
And that was last night.
I have fully developed - regained? - the Prague Plague, as it's referred to here. And it BITES!!! Thank goodness for Cold-RX.
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