Afternoon in Thailand

I spent Lao National Day...in Thailand. The protests in Bangkok are hardly affecting life (from what I could tell) up north in Udonthani, the major shopping destination for Vientiane locals 40 minutes across the border. But it wasn't no holiday trip.

Vieng and the embassy car picked me up around 11am for a trip to Aek Udon International Hospital, a snazzy private hospital, to get my...um, stomach problems...checked out. Sure, I had my Cipro and Flagyl, but I could potentially have lots of stuff since I've been everywhere these last two weeks -- from stomping around remote mountainsides to doggy-paddling up waterfalls to sharing my table with a certainly worm-ridden newborn kitten.

Here are I am looking pretty chipper (although 1 kilo lighter) getting my blood pressure taken. After taking my history, the Thai doctor diagnosed me with a simple bacterial GI infection and prescribed for me:

• Levofloxacin (antibiotic) [sorry, Cipro]
• Hyoscine (for abdominal pain)
• Motilium-M (for distension, aka bloating)
• Smecta powder (like glue)
• Imodium
• Oral rehydration salts (orange flavor, yummier than the stuff from CDC)

All for 31 USD. Expensive by Lao standards, but the Lao who make more money will come here for health care because of better service. Here we are picking up freshcut coconut water at roadside stands and in the market to ease the tummy.

The King of Thailand says, "Now y'all come back now!"