Hee, hee. All of us here at the Laem Son beach resort (I am with a spectacular group of people, by the way) are all bruised and battered, tired and sick, and all suffering from various ailments. I still have a crazy cough from some bronchial illness I got my first day here on the island. Pam and Stephen (the Canadian Vanilla Ice) are suffereing from respitory/congestion AND stomach issues and Pam hasn't been able to leave our bungalo in two days because she can't venture too far away from the toilet (she even missed the New Year's party!). Elaine, a really beautiful Scottish girl who teaches English in Bangkok with her boyfriend, Neil, has a cold. I think Michael (the witty British guy) is okay... he's an insomniac that can go all night with no sleep. Craig (a very cool, calm and collected Canadian... big brother to Stephen) is fine except for some cuts on his feet from stepping on coral and a bad burn on his leg from the exhaust of a motor bike. Some very drunk (and very large) Australian guy was dancing on the beach the night of New Year's Eve and freakin' ran me over and fell on top of me. I was okay except my left foot (he landed on it) which is actually very swollen and just today I noticed a huge bruise over its entirety! I don't think it is broken... even though it hurts to walk on it, it doesn't hurt THAT bad. It's more of an annoyance. I was complaining about not having any battle wounds so I got what was coming to me.
OUCH!
An ant just bit my bum! They are all over the bungalo; on the floor, the walls, and unfortunately, my bed. This is definitely a third world environment. No air conditioning, no hot water for a decent shower. You have to pour a bucket of water down the toilet in order to flush. Maybe more than one bucket depending on what you did in there. Our bodies are trying to adjust to the heat, the new food, and the new bacteria. It sounds like a wretchedly bad time, eh?
In all reality, we are on a paradise beach with gorgeous sunsets... and all we have to do every day is decide whether we want eggs or cereal for breakfast and whether we want to read our book in the hammock or in bed. I can live with the ants.
By the way.... Pam and I are leaving the island on January 4. Our initial January 1 ferry was cancelled due to "rough seas." While it is all very nice and relaxing here, I am counting the days until we can leave! I had a great holiday and I am ready to move on!