Bac Si!

Well today I was pretty much all better, but still had disgestive issues to fix. I called in the big guns and went to a clinic. Now I didn't really want to go, but to fix this I can't do it by myself. I'm stubborn at times and rather sink then ask for help. My Dad recommended an international hospital/clinic and oddly enough it was by reunification palace which I've walked past at least twice haha. I went during the day and there was nobody in sight haha. After some coughing and whistling for attention someone finally came out and gave me a chart to fill out. They told me they only have a Vietnamese doctor on site and if that would be okay. What other option do I have if I want help? haha.

I saw the Vietnamese doc (Bac Si = doctor)and he took my blood pressure and temprature which were normal. After trying to talk to each other we got nowhere haha. I wrote a note the night before using an online translator and copied it out. I gave him the note, he read it and left the room. Emergency? A new doctor came in with a much better grasp of english haha. He quized me on my symptoms and I mentioned the note. He looked at the note and said "I have no idea what any of this says" HAHAHAHA! I slaved over that note for an hour, but yea I know translators online aren't perfect. Oh well haha. He then poked me like the Pillsbury Doyboy to see if he can feel anything out of place, or if I was sensitive to it. He said most travellers have the same issue with being in a new country, rushing around and the stress from it plus different foods and the time difference can mess with your stomach. He gave me meds to reduce the amount of stomach acid, to increase the amount of bacteria (the good kind you need to digest stuff) and something to ease the stomach down. I called my medical insurance company beforehand to tell them I'm sick and money might be involved, which they told me if I need any tests done I have to call them back before the test. What if I'm in a car accident and unconcious? Do I still need to call them before I get an X-ray? haha. Anyways the damage today was about $50cdn including the price of the meds and my plan should cover that which is good. Now feeling normal I thought about doing my everyday thing, but I didn't have anything planned and wasn't sure how my body would react, so I headed home.

I googled my meds to figure out what they did before I took them because for all I knew he could have given me horse medication and trotted away with my money. I had a decent dinner but had to hunt what I could have that was healthy and I'd like, so I went with stir-fry chicken which was pretty good. It always takes a minute or two to get your chopstick fingers ready but it's like riding a bike, start doing it and you'll get the hang of it. Eating rice though is a challenge as your dealing with a few hundred grains. I think this is why most asians are thin, because you use so much energy to pinch each little grain that your burning more calories trying to pick it up than eating it. I think this is also where they learn to be patient since it takes you forever to finish eating pinch after pinch. I did have silverware but I wanted to go start to finish and not wuss out by using technology (yes a spoon is technology over a chop stick haha). I had orange juice instead of pop too and I got my bill. I had two glasses of orange juice and because of that, the juice cost more than my stir fry haha, but I think they were hand squeezed or at least pressed from oranges at the bar, whatever though, eating well, even in other countries is expensive!

I had some time so I kinda checked out all the places I haven't been on my street De Tham between Pham Ngu Lao and Bui Vin. Honestly, I think this is the best area to be in the city. On this street you have 6 restaurants and 2 night clubs, foreign exchange service, long distance calling booths, two convience stores, plenty of places to buy hiking stuff, touristy items and things tourists always forget about like locks, alarm clocks, there's a vietnamese airline office, at least 4 more travel agencies that book local tours and by far the best travel agency in Vietnam, The Sinh, formerally Sinh Cafe. They have offices all over the tourist trail in Vietnam, most of the other places are only Saigon based, so if need be I could sit in their office and plan out when I get to Hue, Nha Trang, Hoi An, etc. plus tours for like $8-$10? How can I beat that? Also since they're big business it kinda makes me feel safer. Sure I can find a cheaper price, but what happens if the bus is stuck in a ditch? When I get off the bus will they close the door and drive home? Sure a big business could still do that haha, but I think the odds are less, at least I hope.

I'm going to bed early tonight and getting up early tomorrow, either to get stuff done around here or maybe jump on a bus to the Delta, not sure yet. Any luck I get my debit card tomorrow but my doc wanted me to stick around for 3 days since if my issue isn't fixed by then, he wants to see me. Till then I might do a few postcards, few only because I'm telling everyone how my vacation is on here, but sometimes mail is nice too and might pick up one or two American War items as I'm afraid I might not have time later, as I've spent so much time here. Ultimately I'm afraid that every day I spend here is one day I have to cut out from everywhere else, and I've already drastically cut back my trip.


I'm debating on flying from Saigon to Hue, use Hue as a base (like the 101st Airborne Div) and do the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and Khe Sanh area, do Hue and work myself down to Da Nang, Hoi An and see how much time I have left then. Worst case scenario I can skip Nha Trang as it's only a resort with next to no historical sense to me. Good thing I didn't book any hotels in advanced, as according to my itinary I'm suppose to be in 900km north in Hoi An right now! It sucks that I have to scale back my trip, but none of this stuff I could avoid and I already have plans for my next time here muhahaha. I'll have to do a "Lessons Learned" blog when i get back home haha.