My small indulgence for today was to get a massage. I didn’t go for the full body massage, but instead I chose the head, neck, hands and foot massage which comes with a medicinal foot soak that has been used by the Red Dao tribe since Jesus was a baby. I had a difficult time relaxing because tomorrow is the border cross into China and I was nervous about it. I have heard that the border patrol confiscates Lonely Planet guidebooks at this particular border, and I didn’t want to give mine up, but I had spent the last 12 hours copying down as much useful information as possible about the Yunnan Province. I was also worried that the border patrol was going to ask for grease money. It’s tough to enjoy a message when you have all of this running through your head.
When I first checked into my hotel they had no power. I thought that this was just a temporary thing, but in the 36 hours that I have been here, the power has been on for about 12 of them. It’s going on all over the neighborhood because the restaurants are out as well. It’s not that I am suffering from the heat or cold, but it would be nice to be able to turn on the television or use the internet. The hotel makes no apologies and offers no incentives for staying with them again. I know that it’s not their fault, but how about a free drink or snack? Not a chance, but they did start work on retiling a bathroom on the floor just above mine. I’ve had to listen to it all afternoon. You know, I am not going to sweat the border procedure tomorrow. If it means moving on out of Vietnam, I’ll let them take the doggone book.
