July 20th

Finally I had enough strength to go to a pharmacy and talk to a doctor.

In Mali, the medical system seems to be like in the US, a total scam focused on generating cash only.

So the doctor didn't even look at me. I told him my symptoms and he told me to buy some medicine.

It was funny at one point, because he recommended I buy some specific brands. When I saw the prices I asked if they had generic brands instead. The said yes and gave them to me.,the price was a third of the one before. The doctor's reaction was "are you a fan of generic medicine?". I told him that I wasn't bit that I was a fan of not paying three times the price for a medicine when I can buy the exact same thing three times cheaper. In other words I do t like to be screwed.

So I went back home, made myself a little banana sandwich, (reminded me of our days riding trains in India with Angelina), and took my medicine.

I spent the whole day laying down again and reading my book.

In the afternoon, I met up, in front of the mission, with Abdullah, a young local who runs an association here to help kids, orphans, street kids and so on. They haven't really done much concrete yet, but I could feel the motivation and passion was there. So we chatted for a while, exchanging ideas.

I told him to gather as much info as possible to define a specific cause they want to work on and a specific problematic with figures to support it. Then, when they have more data gathered after door to door surveys, I will work with them on a few ideas to help the identified issues when I am back in Bamako.

Later in the evening, Dogon took me to get some food to go, and I went back home to eat and rest. I was beat.

I am really hoping I will sleep at last as I haven't slept for two days now. But I am having doubts. Seems I still have some fever.

Gosh, fevers in Africa are beyond those of any other part of the world.

I hope my cough stops as it is most definitely the cause of this fever, as well as the one on Indar I believe. Incredible! Such fever for a cough.