Saturday, December 7, 2013

Shots, pills, currency

Picked up the malaria pills (one a day for the next 2 months), diarrhea antibiotics (yikes……enough for 3 bouts) and then received 3 shots.  Shots were free, but pills were $244.00.  Tetanus, hepatitis A&B, typhoid and doubtlessly a few more bacteria, microbes, or whatever the hell you call them now will be immunity supporting travel partners.   
Received a half hour lecture on street food, (yes),  wild places (yes, on the agenda), the importance of drinking bottled water and considerable cautions about mosquitoes….the daytime ones and the nighttime ones, the big ones and the little ones, the urban ones and the hinterland ones.  
Really?
Picked up crisp, clean travel cash after reading that even the smallest cut, tear or stain would render US currency useless or reduce its value.   After the Oaxaca trip in October where $1.00 = approx 12 pesos, I still think about conversion premiums.  There is always a premium for currency conversion.  In Laos $1.00 = 8,000 kip.  $100.00 = over 80,000 kip.  Will need to have a wad of money – tens of thousands of kips…….for even a tuktuk ride…..
Per the phone carrier:  Free texting and $0.20 a minute for cell calls from Thailand, Cambodia and Viet Nam.  $4.19 a min from Laos.  T
I told my best friend Jerry that I would gladly call him from any where…..and often do…….and will……..from anywhere but Laos. 
The same message is affectionately presented to all followers of this blog.  

Do not call me.  
Send an email to:    fishbike53@yahoo.com.  
But do please keep in touch.  
The internet is ubiquitous. 
Fishbike53walkabout
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