Bathroom Break

Note: We're going to get back to the trip to Bandung shortly. I wrote about my experiences this morning, Thursday 9/10, and I thought I would post them. Enjoy!

Hello! We are back from our adventures and today looks like it will be a day of rest--at least for me--which is good, because I'm not feeling so hot. Natalia is at the US Embassy in Jakarta for her Visa interview. We stayed up late last night trying to find the letter with the confirmation number for her meeting. It wasn't on the list of things required, but she thought it might be needed anyway. She has everything else she needs, other than that. I was up trying to help her until about 1 o'clock until I burned out. She had to get up at around 5 o'clock this morning to go to the meeting. So far I haven't heard back, so hopefully they let her in without that document. She needs this to extend her H1B work visa. Worst case scenario, if it doesn't work out today she can reschedule it online for sometime later this month.

Warning: The next two paragraphs talk about bowel movements. Life is not all daisies and sunshine, and I want you to get the full experience of the trip, warts and all, which is why I am writing on this subject. Don't worry, I didn't get as crude with this as I might be capable of. I actually edited myself. What I edited was a list of things that cross your mind when you can't poop. I had fun writing it, but didn't make the crude cutoff. You have to remember that my Mom is going to read this.

Anyway, Natalia had a little sore throat with a cold right when we got to Indonesia, and I somehow caught it. My throat didn't feel that great yesterday, but today it's feeling much better. That's ,not all, though. Before we left Indiana we went to the doctor who prescribed us medicine for "traveler's diarrhea." So we came equipped with the proper medicine to take care of the bacteria that might cause diarrhea, in case we got it. However, the doctor made no mention of the opposite sort of affliction, which I seem to be suffering from. Is there such thing as, "traveler's constipation?" The symptoms are similar to PWCS, or what is known in layman's terms as "Post-White Castle Syndrome."

Partially due to this unfortunate ailment, I wasn't able to sleep very well last night. This morning I decided to stay in bed and maybe catch up on some rest. Midway through the morning I went downstairs to get some water and Berthus and Aldo wanted me to sit down and eat. I didn't have an appetite. I told them, "The plumbing is stopped up." Aldo laughed at this, which I was pleased by because I don't think he had ever heard that expression, and Berthus gave me his trademark "shocked" expression, with which you are always in for a treat. He told me to stand in front of the table, which I did, and as I stood there he peered at my stomach for a second and then leaned back and chuckled. "This is simple," he said, "sit down." So I sat and he immediately held out his pointer finger from across the table, towards my belly. He started moving his finger in a vigorous circular motion. After about 20 seconds of this, he stopped and said, "That's it." He then advised me to drink some hot water which would help. This was about an hour ago. Not to get too graphic, but I just took a little break in the restroom, and I think things are now back in motion.

It's now close to Noon and both my stomach and throat are feeling much better! Also, Natalia just called and her Visa was approved. She'll get her passport back on the 18th, all processed and ready to go. So there you have it. All's well that ends well.