Broads Abroad: So Wrong, Yet So Right

Something about this doesn't feel right...

Mary: "Dude, I'm really disappointed in us," Dana said today, as we walked down the street.

Immediately, as is my nature, I assumed that I'd done something wrong, and was trying to decide whether to be apologetic or defensive, when Dana interrupted my thoughts.

"I can't believe we haven't gotten more massages, she said, shaking her head and grabbing my hand to cross the street, weaving through several dozen motorbikes.

Oh, well that was alright then. We'd each only had one, both from a man named Mr. Wong, who bent and stretched us with aerobic Thai massages that were somehow amazingly relaxing and painful. Such is the magic of Mr. Wong.

But we now wanted a Vietnamese massage. So, we went to the Saigon massage school for the blind.

It was an incredibly awkward, surreal experience. I paid 40,000 dong (2
dollars), and was told to go behind a curtain in a room, where I stood
for a few minutes listening to people talk in Vietnamese outside and
wondering if I shoutld take my clothes off. Finally, I yelled, "should
I take off my clothes?" and someone said "yes, clothes off!"

Then my masseuse came in, her eyes white and fumbling to feel where I
was. It felt sort of wrong, somehow, to get massaged by her, but I
guess everyone needs and deserves a profession. I tipped her after,
and got a picture with her, but it's an incredibly awkward picture, so
not going up on the blog :) The massage was weird - it was a mix of
fluttery, feathery, wrist-flicks and judo chops.

Dana: Yeah, I'd have to agree...the massage experience was like nothing I've even done before. Lonely Planet suggested that we go to the Vietnamese Traditional School of Massage to get a hassle-free cheap massage...so we did. I had a hysterical time trying to communicate with Hung (the girl who massaged me), but we were both laughing...I kept encouraging her by saying "very good" with much enthusiasm and even ended up giving her a hand massage in the end to show her my appreciation...she squealed with delight. I really needed a massage after my many failed attempts to fall asleep on bus rides, stiff beds, rock-hard pillows and a bed in a closet with springs bulging from the mattress and water dripping on my forehead from the a/c. Tonight we board a bus for 7-hours and head to Dalat (it's a sitting up bus, guess they don't offer a sleeper for the route we're going, damn). My body will be craving a Jess, Trisha or Mama Goose massage tomorrow for sure! Send love to you ladies and your amazing hands!

Speaking of sending love...I must say I left my heart in Koh Phangan. I truly miss the fantastic experience I had over the past month. I didn't think I'd say it, but I miss doing 4 hours of yoga a day and even miss the brown rice (ha-only kinda). I definitely miss swimming in the tropical blue waters, motor-bike cruzin, jumping off the water tour, music meditations, sun salutations, heart hugs, giggling during class (Carl you always got me going), and I miss my island family. I better be seeing you guys sometime in the near future!!