Sick

SE Asia travelers all say the same thing:  eventually, you are going to get sick

Yesterday was my lost day.

I left Vientiane on the express bus, 20 KM to the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge.  Through Laos passport control and then back on the bus.

Switch to the left side of the road and then cross one of only two bridges on the Mekong, over a kilometer long.  Through Thai

passport control and back on the bus.  Two hours to go 25 km. 

I found my guesthouse, the E-san, the coolest old teak house you can imagine.  I had been feeling a little punky but figured I just needed to eat.

I took a Tuk-tuk to the train station to book my overnight sleeper to Bangkok.  Good thing, because Thursday is already booked up so I had to settle

for Friday.  Oh well, three days in Isan, the most laid back area of laid back Thailand.

Back at the guesthouse I was definately feeling like crap so I took a nap.  I started feeling feverish but I didn't want to think about it.  I had the hardest time

waking up but I decided to go sit by the Mekong for a smoke and then go find some dinner.  I walked the 100 meters to the river and had a cigar and tried to

read.  I couldn't concentrate and felt all sorts of weird.  I gave up and headed back to the guesthouse.

I was in bed again at 7 PM.  I started havaing semi-dellusional fever dreams and was burning up.  I thought I had malaria and dengue rolled into one.  Actually,

when I was semi-concious, I was scared.

I woke up about midnight and I could feelthat the fever had broken.  There was no doubt.  And the intestinal issues all pointed to food issues. 

This morning I had a little toast at the guesthouse and have been doing little orbits, never straying too far from the wonder of a clean guesthouse toilet.

Upon reflection, the ice at the bus station in Vientiane was probably a real bad plan.  I should have given that some more thought.

So, I am on the mend and in Nong Kai, one of the coolest towns in Thailand.  Today I will be taking it real easy.  Tomorrow I will be renting a bicycle to see some of

the crazy sights including the Sculpture Garden, one of the weirdest sights in Thailand and the lifes work of a man who was a charismatic mystic/religious figure.

Anyway, be well, and if you are having a drink at the bus station in Vientiance, nix on the ice my friends.