Thank you for your kind words regarding my tattoo, Darcy and Curtis. As per Curtis's request, I'll post an image of my new ink, about 3 days after I got it (all the nasty old skin had peeled off by this time, you can see some of the remnants on my back surrounding the piece).

Can you count the faces?

Today, I got away from the backpackers' haven of Khao San Road and headed to Lumpini Park for the better part of the morning. It's a great place, Bangkok's answer to Central Park, but cleaner. The best part is they have a few outdoor gyms that anyone can use for free. I mean complete ones with all sorts of equipment, weights, pull-up bars, etc. I wish we had this back in America, maybe people wouldn't be so out of shape if they had free facilities right there in the park!

Reptilian residents of Lumpini Park

One view of Bangkok's skyline, seen through the trees.

Ah, a great place to work out, fresh (hot) air, great scenery, lots of smiles...

So, I'm torn right now and need some advice. My Italian friend Stefano and I discussed an epic trip for next year. The plan was to meet in Thailand, fly to Ho Chi Minh City and travel the length of Vietnam, then explore the eastern region part of China up to Beijing. There we would hop aboard the trans-Mongolian railway and explore Mongolia, travel through Siberia and into Mother Russia, with Moscow and St. Petersburg and lots of vodka-drinking as highlights. From there we would go through Eastern Europe and eventually end up in Stefano's hometown on the East coast of Italy. I would live with him in his camper on the beach and get job working as a doorman, bar-back, or lifeguard, or whatever...In order to fund such a trip, I would need a healthy amount of dough, which means I would need to work my tail off all summer, fall, and the better part of winter.

My other option is to return to school and finish my biology degree (I am two quarters or 6 months away from that) and teach English overseas, most likely Japan, making trips to different regions of the Eastern hemisphere from there.

Any ideas? I think I already know what I am going to do, but I am curious to see what some of you think. Please comment or e-mail me (gary.yetter@gmail.com) if you have time or any intererest. Thanks for your support!

"In prosperity our friends know us; in adversity we know our friends."
John Churton Collins