On the road to Attapeu January 4
I saw about five to six men this morning sitting in the shade of a telephone pole. They were all in a line, their knees drawn up to their chest, facing away from the pole. It looked very odd.
The motorcycle stunt show had come to Sekong this week. Next week they go to Attapeu. last night after dinner I went to the carnival outside the stunt show. Many of the same people were there - the balloon darts stands, the woman with the rocket ship roulette wheel for children. I had thought they were all local Salavane people, but I guess they tour with the show. Somehow, knowing that makes it a little less magical.
I met a local school teacher, about my age, who spoke some english, and seemed to have a prediliction for touching me on the ass as much as possible. Not being one for making a scene, I finally feigned sleepiness, and retreated to my hotel room for the night.
I woke up at 4 o’clock the next morning with an unbearable sore thrat, and bloody mucus. I took some panadol, and went back to sleep. This morning I was able to get rid of a lot of the mucus, and almost immediately my throat felt better. Stupidly, I decided to continue on to Attapeu today instead of resting for a day in Sekong, simply because there is exactly nothing to do (besides the motorcycle stunt show) in Sekong. Fortunately, so far it’s a fairly flat and often downhill ride, on a well sealed road.