Ever since we started traveling to Buenos Aires in 2013, there's always been one constant and that's the Hotel Mundial in Avenida de Mayo 1298. It's a two-star hotel, so you really can't expect much. But it had become like a home away from home whenever we went to B.A. And then something happened on our latest trip that guaranteed we will never set foot in that hotel again.
It started out as nothing more than a seemingly harmless skin discoloration in my arm. But the following day, my arm started itching. Again, I didn't think much of it. It was hot and sunny, and I wasn't used to being outdoor so much. So I just threw some rubbing alcohol and the itching went away.
Then on our last day, I saw what appeared to be mosquito bites forming on one of my arms. Again, that didn't raise any alarms because it's summertime and there are mosquitoes everywhere. So we packed our bags and checked out of room 410 to head to the bus terminal.
But by the time I was home, those mosquito bites had multiplied and they weren't just in one arm but in both arms. They had also spread to my stomach, my back and my legs. I started panicking. I thought I'd contracted measles, but that was impossible because I was vaccinated as a child. I was never around anyone that looked infected either. Then I thought it was a heat rash, but they kept multiplying. So, I wondered if they were stress bumps. Things had been pretty crappy in our lives lately, so it wasn't out of the question.
Then I got tired of guessing, so I went to the pharmacist and later consulted a close friend in the medical field. And they both told me that it seemed to be an allergic reaction to bed bug bites. The pharmacist asked me if I had stayed at a hotel recently and then it hit me. I had gotten bit by bed bugs while I was at Hotel Mundial.
Two weeks (and a thorough cleansing of our clothes and home) later, the bites are barely noticeable except for a slight skin discoloration. But I think I'm going to have to spend a little extra for a more expensive hotel next time. So, if anyone can recommend a nice hotel in La CABA, I'd appreciate it very much.
