drugs drugs drugs, which are good? which are bad?

Hello everybody!!! Jacquie here reporting from the port town of Trat, Thailand, awaiting my overnight bus ride to Bangkok... and upon arrival, I'll be heading straight for the BKK International Airport to begin the long journey back home. I was supposed to have been in Bangkok last night and getting my body art done just of Kao San Road today... but as usual, the plan came subject to change and I ended up getting the work done on Koh Chang... BUT, before I share that crazy story, I'll tell you about my last few days on the island with Leigh and her canadian friend Rhea.

So, it turned out that Leigh's sickness - brought on by the wonderful thai massage - was acute tonselitis (not sure of the spelling) and so she got some meds which made her feel 100 times better very quickly... I was a bit worried about her since she looked like Death. But ya. We took it easy, got to know each other very well and I was so sad to leave her today. What a beautiful soul she is. We rented a moto and drove off along the ocean road to the wondrous waterfall everyone recommended checking out. It was way too expensive considering the waterfall wasn't all that wondrous afterall, but gorgeous - and the water was actually COLD and so very refreshing. On our way back, we passed some elephants and so we pulled a U-ie and went to visit them! haha YAY! There were 2: a 16 year old mama and her 2 year old girl. They were huge and well-treated and very well-fed compared to the ones we visited in Ban Lang, Cambodia. They were part of a program to preserve these amazing beasts and I can't quite describe exactly how AMAZING this experience was. Leigh had never seen an elephant, let alone a baby one, let alone touched one! They were so affectinate and I was hugging and kissing the baby and hugging the mom's trunk and face, scratching behind their velvet ears, feeding them... the mom was exploring me with her curious trunk - man they look strange! - and tickling me and the baby kept hed bunting me to touch her and such. Leigh was lifted up with mama's trunk and I got a sweet picture of that... HOW COOL??? We spent about a 1/2 hour there playing with them and loving them. It brought tears to my eyes and Leigh's. Beautiful, just beautiful. I can't explain the afinity and connection I have to elephants, but I definitly felt it's strength that day. Afterwards, we motoed back to Lonely Beach and soaked up the rest of the day's sun. Leigh's friend Rhea met us that early evening and we chatted at our hut - we movedto a bigger one to allow for the 3 of us enough room, though it was still quite squishy, especially since I had passed out and spread eagled it on the bed... heehee :-) - and then indulged in a sunset/evening swim in the ocean... gorgeous. Oh man! There's this swing set up over the water right outside our hut, hanging from 2 ginormous trees, that I swung on and holy cow that was fun! and exhilerating!! Imagine swinging so high side to side, then round and round (standing up of course)! It was awesome! I felt like a surfer! heehee

So it was February 14th when Rhea arrived and there was a big Love party at the Treehouse lodge. We went. Had a couple drinks and then walked down the beach to check out the other parties, had a strong drink at each one, watched some fire dansing and fire "poy", gave out roses to the pretty ladies who had none and whom we found "deserving"... then continued our hopping and ended up back at the Treehouse Lodge. What began with 2 dudes playing some fucking AWESOME bongo beats turned into about 10 of them and didgeridoo and I was just in love and awe with the sound... the atmosphere... just BEING there, ya know? We were so friggen waster and by the time we got back to our hut, it was 4am and I was to wake up at 8:30am to for my tatoo... dun dun dunnnnnn...

THE TRADITIONAL THAI BAMBOO TATTOO

Wow. I decided if I wanted local art, the island would be the perfect place to do it. I described my idea to the artist (something to cover up my wee not-so-pink elephant with a larger mor intricate elephant) and what he came up with is absolutely breathtaking and the most beautiful piece of artwork I have ever seen. It's quite large but the detailing - the tassles, the head caps, the skin, the eyes, the shadowing, the lotus leaf - is so fine and... well... I'll just have to post a picture as soon as I can to show all those whom I won't see right away. This kind of work would never have been accomplished through the use of a regular machine. Done with bamboo, needling the design in just like they would have done pre-machine, except in the traditional thai manner. I had an audience, a few stayed with me the entire time - thanks Alex and the Kiwi named Babba (I think) - and Leigh and Rhea were there a fair bit as well, holding my hands through the excrutiating pain. It was. I took some drugs to get me through it: diazapam, codine, T3s, ibuprophen, ganja, some shots of sansung rum, and a whole lot of nicotene. It had to be done. I was there for 10 hours yesturday and then another 5-6 hours this morning and I still have to return next year to finish it off completely... though what it is now looks amazing. I can't wait to show you all!!!! It was the neatest experience - even through the pain - having it done right on the beach like that... I had to focus on something and so I focused on the beauty that surrounded me: the beach, the wonderful people who were there for the whole thing, Leigh and Rhea, the artist was a gem. ~sigh~ How wonderful. At times I had to belt out some Ani songs, some Can Con. (ie. Bryan Adams) when I wasn't swearing in french and english of course! haha I think I would have rathered give birth! NOT! haha Ya. I'm happy. The outcome is perfect and not as painful had a machine been used. You'll see what I mean soon enough!

Parting was such sweet sorrow...

Leigh will be coming to Canada some time in late April, early May and I am gonna try and set up some meetings for her with some big wigs in the building trades in Alberta to see about funding FCF. So I'll see her again soon enough... but it was still so sad to leave her cuz we grew so close and I love that woman. I plan on getting an around-the-world ticket next time and dropping in on her in Melbourn, Australia since she'll be there during the time I'm thinking about returning. That's so cool cuz I've ALWAYS wanted to go to Australia and she has some wicked friends I'm intrigued to meet, not to mention the fact that she's local and so I'll be experiencing the country from a local's perspective which is very cool. I can't wait!! I'm not even gone yet and I'm thinking about my next trip! Ain't that the way it is... And Rhea is from Vancouver and so we'll be (hopefullly) meeting up for coffee or something before I leave back for Edmonton. She's a good shit too. Really beautiful people I've met out here in the wide world. I am so in love with this life!!!

Well, I'm off for the bus ride!! Next time I write I'll be in the other hemisphere!! CRAZINESS!!! Thank-you for all your comments... throughout... I've kept them close to my heart where ever I've gone. I can't wait to see you all again and re-introduce myself... :-)