Continuing to Update Blog Notes

Wow! I had just typed an entirely new entry and hit a wrong button that closed down the computer! Now I must type it again.

Tuesday, Aug. 30, Bangkok

I am sitting by the pool watching two Indian children play. The boy (about 12-13 years old) pushed his siter into the water. Then she asked him to pull her out, and she pulled him into the pool instead!

I can't do much this morning, since I have to wait until after 2 p.m. to clean and treat my finger. I'll just stay unkempt and in the neighborhood.

I forgot to take my mephloquine yesterday, so I took it today. It's my horrible tasting anti-malarial medicine. I take it once a week starting two weeks before being in an area with malaria and continuing for four weeks after leaving. I'm supposed to take it until I leave India (which means I must continue it through late January). It tastes so bad because it is quinine-based. Yuck! It's impossible to get it down without having a bitter taste everywhere it touches the mouth and the tongue.

I walked to the river (about 1 mile or 2 km away). I wanted to explore some of the back streets along the way and then to see the river traffic. I returned via another back street. Both streets were interesting because of the large number of older buildings along them--Chinese-style buildings with shops on the ground floor and living quarters above, and some freestanding Euro-tropical buildings (what would be called "colonial" architecture in the countries that were ruled by European powers). Among the latter, several were in poor condition, a dad state to observe but an opportunity maybe for someone to buy them cheaply and renovate them. Almost all of the Chinese buildings were functional while apparently lacking much in upkeep over several years.

I spent all afternoon in my hotel room watching movies and reading. Finally, I abhted at 6 p.m. and changed the dressing on my finger. I was surprised by how much smaller the hold looked than it did when the doctor finished yesterday. And it is such a nice, perfect round looking shape. I feared that I might have problems handling my luggage this Saturday when I head to Myanmar, but now I can tell it will be fine. There is only pain if I put pressure directly on the small wound.

I went to the corner street stall where I often eat when I am here. I had a noodle soup with slices of pork. It was delicious with crispy fresh vegetables in it. Then I returned to the room again.

By the way, I stopped at a department store when walking and found Pepsi Max in their food halls. I bought two bottles and brought them to the hotel. It's nice to have a cool cola when I return to the room now.

Gauze 12 baht
Cola and Snacks 86
Dinner 25
Total: 123 baht = $3.01