Sick sick sick and crap KTV but caught up with Cheng Cheng

It felt like a barely got a wink of sleep last night as the coughing just grew worse. It seems to happen every time I get here after about 2 weeks. So at 7am I just sat up to slightly ease any pressure on my lungs. Try as I might I couldn't dose off in this position so I looked for some medicine but could only find some kiddies' Calpol, which I took anyway if only to ease my throat. But I needed some real stuff so headed out to the chemist and to get some breakfast.

The woman in the chemist seemed happy to see me and advised three different types of medicine; some miniature bottles of something, the normal black sticky stuff, and some lozenges to ease the throat. That should have been it but when it came time to enter my phone number it was apparently registered to someone else, even though I'd already used it twice here before. Normally, such an exchange would be a delight for me but this morning I just wanted to get my medicine and be out of there. Finally she updated the system and I paid my 97 kuai. I walked back in the direction of the breakfast place but was coughing so much I didn't even go in for fear of being sick.

My cough drugs

I made it home and had a couple more sickly biscuits as I figured I needed the energy. Then opened one of the tiny phials of medicine and took a sip and it was fouler than anything I'd ever taken before, even as a kid. But maybe this meant it was effective, right? The lady had said that the box of 18 phials was enough for 3 days and said something about 2 of them per dose, which I guess made sense, so I downed a second one before washing it down with a capful of the infinitely nicer normal molasses-like stuff.

I was painfully tired so took a single Alprazolam as it was gone 11am now and so needed some sleep, even if not lying down. But annoyingly as I went to the loo my coughing got worse. So much so that indeed I did vomit again but luckily I was in the loo still. At least this time it was definitely down to the physical coughing and not boozing. I hoped the Alprazolam had already been ingested as I didn't want to waste another one. Now I felt hungry again and found the other sausage I'd bought from yesterday and heated it up and wolfed it down, followed by a yoghurt.

Back in bed I could feel I was knackered but coughing kept sleep at the front door. Only eventually after about an hour did I finally succumb and managed a coughless 3 hours I dearly needed.

I've been meaning to get a haircut for over a week now so a bit later I sauntered over to Lao Ma's while chatting to Awl on the phone. I realised my thick coat was actually thicker than most other people's, and that was pushing 17 degrees even at 7.30pm, so I must have been under the weather. I saw her shop was open and the lights were on so walked in and shouted "lao ban zai ma?" (is the boss around?) and out popped a young man who I sort of recognised but more guessed was her son Chen Chen, whom I'd not seen for 20 years! Well he recognised me and shook my hand and then gave me a hug. 

We had a nice chat, and he explained that his mum was at some 喜酒 (literally wedding alcohol) ceremony. As far as I can ascertain, this term is used for a large event where over 100 people get together to eat and drink to celebrate one of three things: a wedding, a baby's 100th day in this world, or the opening of a business. So I knew she wouldn't be back for a while, and left Cheng Cheng (all these years I thought he was Chen Chen) saying if he was about on Saturday I'd see if he was about for a beer.

Me with Cheng Cheng in November 2003

Me with Cheng Cheng 21+ years later

Then, walking back while talking to Awl, I crossed paths with Juan, the alcohol seller I've known for a couple of years now, who asked why I hadn't told her I was coming back...I told her I hadn't really expected to, but mid-conversation Lao Ma called me to say she was back already and I could come for a haircut. So I cut all three conversations and headed back to Lao Ma's, calling Awl to explain what had happened. But before I even got to her salon I heard her shout out my name. We shook hands and had a little hug. Apparently Cheng Cheng had already gone home but Lao Ma hadn't drunk so I trusted her with my head. She just been to her old town to celebrate the opening of a friend's new business so I guess that fits in with one of the three reasons for 喜酒.

We had a nice chat for 10 mins while I got my haircut then I walked back via Guanmart where I picked up some medicine alcohol for the first time this trip. I was in no mood for drinking in my situation but I thought it might be more effective than the medicine I'd bought as I'd send the picture of it to Tan and she'd said it was all useless apart from the sweet stuff to sooth the throat. Yes, I'm literally blaming Tan for making me buy booze.

I'd resolved to stay at home for once and recuperate but a mate I didn't remember had invited me out to sing song at 9pm. I said if I could I'd make it out for a bit later, thus giving no expectations. I tried a sip of the medicine alcohol and recoiled. Not only was it 38% but it tasted worse than the actual medicine. Luckily I'd had the forethought to buy some 0 sugar cola and lemonade and that made it a bit more palatable, if less efficious at killing throat germs. But also it made me think twice about not going out. What's the worse that could happen? A couple of drinks, some smokey clothes? So I said I'd try to make in shortly and I was told to 过来 as per usual.

So I went over to Boss Zhou's place and up to the 3rd floor and it was as bad I as could have hoped...four pissed blokes, one of whom was already asleep, and a sober woman singing. Oh well, I joined in but didn't sing. I stuck to a few beers and they didn't make me drink more than I wanted to, and even though a couple of women joined us a bit later I made sure to leave soon after midnight and wasn't met with too much forcing to stay. Back home, for once I had no inclination to open another beer, and managed to fall asleep before 2am.

Lucky it was written in English...

...wow