Phew—finally recovering from a dreadful bout of the “welcome back to India G-I tract of doom” meltdown. Thank God for allopathic drugs. It’s sundown in Delhi on the day of Holi, the spring color festival—actually, a good day to be hunkered down inside away from the “freed from the fetters of decorum” crowds. The only…
Jodhpur, Rajasthan, Friday the 13th No freaking wonder I got respiratory/chest problems upon arrival in Delhi: this little TV news screen capture says it all. The air pollution index (however they measure that) is off the charts in Delhi! Blasting past “unhealthy,” cruising easily beyond “alert” and well into “warning” en route to “emergency” levels—yikes!
Delhi, Hindustan 2:21 p.m. It’s hard to write now, because the tears are still filling up my eyes and rolling down my cheeks. One of the many things left unwritten in recent days has been Sara’s, and to a lesser extent my own, adoption of a sick and tiny little puppy in Mazar-e-Sharif and subsequent adventure…
Jaipur Rajasthan 2:36 p.m. Time Between Calling for Doctor and His Arrival at my Bedside: 30 minutes Total Cost of 5-day Course of Medicines to Combat Illness (including Antibiotics, Fever-Reducing Medicines, and Antihistamines): $2.50 Total Cost of Doctor’s 30 minute Housecall: $10 Overall Feeling of Satisfaction and Superiority Knowing That the US Health Care System is the ‘Best in…
Jaipur Rajasthan 5p.m. I have just today finished reading Rory Stewart’s fascinating book The Places in Between, about his highly dubious undertaking of following the Emperor Babur’s epic trek from Herat near the border of Iran across central Afghanistan’s high mountains into Kabul, alone and in mid-winter, just a few months after the USA’s invasion of…
Jaipur, Rajasthan 10:37 p.m Ouch. Days like this are hard, especially on the road. Yesterday afternoon’s woozy aches and slight tickle in the throat became today’s total crash and burn. I never even thought about leaving my room today. Sampling various medicines that I’m now especially happy made the journey with me from the States, I…