my body hates me

The veins in the tops of my feet have been virtually sucked dry. There are 25 mosquito bites on my left leg (most concentrated on my ankles and feet) and 23 on my right leg. The veins on the tops of my feet are bulging and itchy and my tummy is rumbling in a most precarious way. It's a travel day --which worries me-- because I have no clean, comfortable, western toilet stocked with plush t.p. to call my own when the inevitable explosion occurs. There is sweat running down my face and neck and into my cleavage, collecting under my boobs which is uncomfortable and gross. I am flying from Bangkok to Jakarta tonight, and am not really looking forward to it. I want to just be in Bali and be over it. Indonesia is a bit unstable, and according to David (perhaps my new boss-to-be) everyone there is quite shady and will try to take advantage of me as soon as I step off the plane. I decided that instead of show up in an unknown place at midnight with nowhere to stay, I would simply suck it up and stay at the airport hotel and bum around until my flight to Bali, tomorrow at 4pm. It is sure to be a long night.

Jen left on Monday after an amazing and raucous couple days in downtown Bangkok. We stayed at the new Dream Bangkok-a swank hotel geared towards young, crazy partiers. Our room looked straight out of some music video or something. There was recessed blue lighting under the beds and in the walls, a huge flatscreen tv, an ipod hookup so we could blast music and even a chandelier! The beds were big and white and cushy and I doubt I ever wasn't wrapped up one of the big amazing terrycloth robes...even when I was jumping wildly from bed to bed.

We even splurged and went out to a nice meal at a really adorable veg place called Tamarind Cafe. We had sesame covered fresh falafel balls with three different mediterranean dips that were to die for. We also had a potato gratin, a fantastic mushroom pasta and this creamy tofu dish with the tofu fried, thai-style served with a fresh tomato sauce. We also had two bottles of white wine (which were both affordable and delicious) I think they were a Sauvignon Blanc of some sort and Brooke fell down the stairs after we finished the first one and had gone outside on the roof deck to smoke a cig before our decadent chocolate cake arrived (with the 2nd bottle) for dessert. Luckily, she is a pro at falling, because she kept her wine glass in the air and managed to land on her knees and one wrist to save the glass! A girl after my own heart: never allow a drop of wine to go un-sipped!

Now I am off to buy some more books before I go to Indo. I have much more to write about Laos and Cambodia, but that is going to have to wait, I'm afraid. I'll wave to you from the top of a volcano!