Trip to Taiwan interlude: the joys of traveling

I knew I had it coming: my nose is now running non-stop. Dust allergies aren't terribly fun, especially in a city in surrounded by mountains that fence in the smog. I'm nuking a bowl of peanut soup (花生仁湯) to see if the steam would help some. Luckily one of my gifts to my parents this Christmas is an air purifier, so they're running it as well.

My brother W has got it worse though, I admit. Ever since he stepped off the plane he's had severe gastric distress. I blame the airline food aboard United, because my stomach wasn't terribly happy either, but I did not eat as much as W so my pain was short-lived. I suspect W's also becoming lactose intolerant--it seemed like he was getting better, but he had some pound cake and some flan and now he's suffering for it.