KL

I got into KL around 1:30 this afternoon, feeling a bit woozy from what I thought was a retreating sinus infection. When I stood up I found out it was very much in full force. Luckily Kuala Lumpur is a pleasant city. If I had to compare to somewhere, it'd be Philadelphia, only with a few upgrades--a quality monorail, for instance. It's a bit gritty but it's got lots of character, and compared to Singapore it's cheap-cheap-cheap. There're some sights to see but they'll have to wait while I rest in the lovely Bedz KL.

I went to the pharmacy here and found the medicine counter. The pharmacist's name was Alycia, a good sign, I thought, and she was a middle-aged Chinese woman. I was glad; motherly types usually help me out. I asked her if I could buy an antibiotic. She said no. I wasn't surprised, but I'd figured it was worth a shot because I've heard they sell Valium and some kind of speed over the counter here. I explained to her that my head was in a vice, I couldn't move, my snot would probably kill small animals, etc., did she have any medicine that would help? She pointed to the (extremely lame) decongestant I've been taking. I told her I was taking the stronger 12-hour one. She said to me, and I quote, "Then I think you should not take any more medicine. Your body needs to fight it." Followed by the most patronizing smile I have every received in my life. I'm pretty sure the last time someone gave me that smile I was in the second grade. It said"you silly Americans, always wanting to fix things with drugs." Let me tell you, if I had bought the blowgun they tried to sell me in Java, I would have pulled it out right then. She dishonors my name. But all I could do was smile back pleasantly, borderline patronizingly, and ask if there was a clinic nearby. And quite obviously against her better judgment she gave me a little slip of paper with a map to the clinic, which was lucky for me very nearby, because the pharmacist didn't really understand this, but IT HURT TO WALK.

I was a little nervous before I got to the clinic that it would be a rancid and evil place, and when I got there and saw that it wasn't, I was worried they would charge me an arm and a leg to see the doctor. But they didn't--for the same amount I pay as a co-pay at home, I got a consulation and a week's worth of antibiotic. And so now I'm hanging out in the hostel and sleeping this nasty business off.