Walked

The

new slippers purchased in January did cover an awesome number of kilometres. They are new, but worn out. There is hardly any profile left.

Thongs put me in a holiday mood.

These thongs have traveled thousands of kilometres through the desert. That is easy to do, just stay aboard on the Australian interstate trains. They have climbed rocks in Kakadu. My over heated walk in Adelaide was on those thongs. The past couple of days they took me around Kings Garden in Perth. And the bus trip from Kuala Lumpur to Taiping is twice the fun wearing thongs.

Rained in Taiping

Taiping offers me a cool arrival. It got some rain during the day, there are bits of water everywhere. The afternoon is over, the evening has started to fall. It must be around 25 degrees, a fine temperature for a walk, even with a big backpack.

A few hundred meters away from the bus station my left foot slips. Thongs are nice, but these worn out ones have no grip left. My legs react fast and I manage to stay on my feet. There is a distant pain in my left foot, but I'll worry about that later.

My left foot glides back and forth in my thong. The whole slipper is covered with blood. Damn, the hotel is another 20 minute walk. It is going to be a long and slippery path.

Upon arrival in the hotel my left toe has a very deep wound. That toe is a mess, the wound is deep and full of dirt. It is awkward, but it does not seem serious enough to go and trouble a doctor with it. With a bit of water and purchased Dettol I try to clean the wound. It is not a great success, I can't reach the wound very well. I enter the night as pain in that foot grows.

The morning

The foot is now full of pain, spread out beyond the toe. Obviously a larger area has now been infected. Enough for my own amateurism, about time for a professional treatment by a doctor. Now here in Malaysia a visit to a doctor is not so hard as it is in the Netherlands.

I have trouble walking. This foot won't make it all the way till town. One of the housekeeping ladies lends me a bike. Do I know how to ride it? Well, yes, it is our national means of transport in the Netherlands.

I head downhill towards town. It is a smooth path, but I would have appreciated a set of working brakes. The journey to the doctor is without any accidents.

Klinik Ra'yat

close to Taiping bus station

97 Jalan Ranggong Wayang
34000 Taiping

The Punjabi doctor grumbles as he clears the wound, disinfects the lot, gives me a tetanus injection and prescribes a dozen pills a day, starting with a double doses to beat the serious infection. It will take about 10 days before this wound will have healed.

The doctor reprimands me firmly.

How did I manage to get this wound?
Why haven't I cleaned it yet?
Why do I walk on thongs with this wound?
Don't I know that shoes are much better for keeping the dirt out?

The doctor is fully right, I know. The holiday is near the end. The slippers have walked their way and will soon reach the end of their path.

Till next nut,
Nut