Don't turn your back on that pesky skeeter! Here I was all concerned about the threat of malaria, when it was malaria's first cousin, Dengue Fever, who turned out to be the real neighborhood prowler.... at least this time anyway.
After 3 days of high fever and body aches, I decided that my "food poinsoning" had definetely morphed into a more serious ailment. So to the hospital I went, and there I stayed for the next 5 boring and depressing days. Overall, the care at the facility was very good, the hospital very clean and comfortable with color television, hot shower, and a mini bar with the worlds worst assortment of artificially flavored sodas. (Neon green? Looked like an antifreeze accident waiting to happen.)
The good news, besides feeling better, is that I came away with a new appreciation for American hospital food. In Thai hospitals, the offered comfort foods like chicken noodle soup, spaghetti or grilled cheese sandwiches are a miserable failure. Naively, I just didn't know spaghetti could be screwed up so badly as to cook down 1/2 cup of sugar in a pile of onions and call it "sauce". I got my taste for Thai food back as I was on the brink of institutional starvation and eventually made it out of Chiang Mai Ram Hospital alive and in much better shape than I showed up. Thank God for travel insurance, who, thus far, has footed the 49,000 Baht bill (roughly $1,500).
The doctor doesn't want me taking malaria pills this week so, again, I'm pretty limited to putzing around Chiang Mai. (God, get me outa here!) This bout of Dengue Fever has definitely set me back a few weeks on my bicycle trip, but it's nothing that a strategically solicited bus can't fix. My Thai visa is running out, and I've gotta leave the country by next Friday. I can't wait to get to Laos to start the next chapter of this strange adventure.
So, once again, I've got no exciting photos or stories to brag about. Just trying to survive this hazardous vacation lifestyle. Hope all is well in the States and thanks so much for the emails!
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