R&R

I took it easy today. I started at the pool and only left because they don’t serve food there. I wandered out to a restaurant I had read about in one of the guide books. The restaurant supports local schools and orphanages, so I felt like I should eat as much as possible. i ordered one of the more expensive menu items: a hot pot with pork and caramelized onions. It put me out about 110,000 dong (just under $5), but I was willing to splurge for a cause.

I walked down to the beach after lunch. I dropped my bag, tossed my clothes on top, and ran into the water. The waves were much bigger up close. I ducked under several and swan out to get away from the surf. I floated around a long time before deciding to head in. I am a strong swimmer and very confident in my ability to manage in the water, but big waves do command respect. I remember when I was 12. I thought it might be fun to body surf in the huge waves on Copacabana beach. I underestimated the strength of the water, and a wave pulled me under and tumbled me mercilessly. It was one of the few times in my life that I thought I might die; I swallowed a bunch of water and couldn’t get to the surface for air. After what seemed like an eternity, Poseidon spit me onto the beach, where I gasped for air. I tell you this story because it was one of the few times I learned my lesson; I don’t mess with big waves. Actually, I don’t mess with big waves on purpose. Today was a different story. As I was coming back into the beach, I mistimed my exit and got caught up in a big, crashing wave. I certainly popped up faster than when I was 12, but I hadn’t avoided a thorough nasal irrigation and a lump of sand in my shorts. I couldn’t go back in the water to empty out a butt full of sand, so I pretended that my suit wasn’t hanging down around my knees and proudly walked out of the water. As soon as I got to my towel, I swung it around my body and discreetly emptied my load. At the same time, I realized my nose was dripping; water was was still emptying out of my nasal passages. Maybe this is where they got the idea for Neti-pot.

I sat in the sun for quite a while before eventually returning to the hotel. After showering, I finished all my arrangements to get to the airport tomorrow. When I was done, I was going to round out the day with a massage for $5, but I’ll wait till Kim gets here. She’ll need a massage after sitting on the plane for 20+ hours.Read more