“My dear doctor, I’m surprised to hear you say that I am coughing very badly, because I have been practicing all night.”
― John Philpot Curran
“It's either the flu or love... The symptoms are the same.”
― Charles M. Schulz
If you've been following, then you know that I've been eating everything too slow or dumb to get out of my way. That includes family-style and local favorite places all over SE Asia. With extra-fastidious (obsessive compulsive) hand-washing and also sterilization of utensils (with anti-bacterial wipes), I've stayed healthier than ever before. Six weeks into the trip, I was fine. That's a new record, considering.
That streak ended after a few dozen rounds of "Taiwanese night market snack roulette", where I tempted fate a few (dozen) too many times. It's more fun than it sounds! There is no danger eating at Taiwan night markets, as long as you're eating well-cooked food. But it is fairly impossible to avoid coughing crowds and slightly unclean food and eating situations. I haven't posted the pics yet, but trust me, it was worth it!
The bug I got is basically a flu. I had my flu shot early this year, so it is not a super-strong flu at all. It's more of a respiratory bug. After a couple days of rest, a couple hours of walking per day, and some truly ridiculously spicy food, I'm feeling much better thanks! I can tell it will be with me for a while, but as long as I can clear my nose and taste the amazing food, I'm not going to resort to antibiotics or anything dumb like that.
Now to get some extra rest for mountain tea houses tomorrow...