The Weekend Challenge

The friends you meet. Even though we will all be staying in touch, it's hard when they become a part of your Thailand family, then leave! Then again, I'm a sap.

This is a bunch of us outside my front stoop; Michelle is the fierce blonde on the right and also my roommate, and our front door is right behind her/us. The tough chick in the turquoise that you don't want to mess with is of course myself. Jamie already left (2nd from the left, front row), which stinks, and now this weekend is Chia-chi's last weekend (not shown). I don't want Chia-chi to leave! The only GOOD news is that he's all set up in a killer section of San Francisco, so I can't wait to visit him!

This weekend is ALSO Laragh's last weekend (not shown), so after Lindsey's fight on Friday I'm sworn to going out with the ladies. Saturday night is Chia-chi's last night, which means more of last Saturday night and that I'm hitting the debaucherous Patong again to dance it up at Tiger. Hopefully we can get Tuk to come out, too!

Lastly, this week is Phuket's famous Vegetarian Festival. This weekend marks the end of it. I'll post on that separately, as it's a major event and I'm told there is nothing else in the world quite like it. As a vegan I'm intrigued by the rituals and practices that go on, and am looking forward to the show. I'm talking people walking on fire, in trances. And piercing their faces with thick sword-like objects, as well as slicing their tongues with razors. I'll be reporting more on this, trust me. Whether you read up on it or watch the videos is up to you!

So, this is a HUGE social weekend - especially since at some point I'd love to squeeze in the beach, and I'm determined to have fun but not to drink or stay out all night, and to stay focused on my goals.

My training is going AWESOME and my body is changing in the 2 short weeks I've been here---others have even commented. This morning I was too tired at 5:30am to get up for my 4.7 km, but I did skip group training and do my walk-run at 7:30am. Then I did a V.I.P. session with Joy (who is one!), who kicked my butt for an hour. Tonight at 4pm I'll do a group session, then I'm doing the 4.7km power-walk with Chia-chi, who is 6'2", and thus very long-legged. I'm pretty sore, but am excited about it. My diet's been excellent and my water intake is higher than ever!

In other news, today my neighbor and good friend Bob woke up kinda sick and has been in bed. Maternal Italian friend that I am, I insisted he let me saute' a cure-all for him. This morning he wouldn't listen, but this afternoon I asked nicely and he allowed me to make him a stir-fry of mushroom soy sauce (for flavor/base), then about 12 - 15 cloves of garlic, 3 white onions, and 3 red chili peppers, minced. His room has an electric wok that they let me borrow, so it was easy. That and he should drink some young coconuts, but this meal should knock out whatever bacteria he came across, for sure!

I almost could nap right now, honestly, so I'm off. It's 1pm and I'm going to down some stir-fry myself, then rest up for this afternoon's training session.

Update

I just didn't make it to this afternoon's session. I napped, which is unheard of, and woke up too groggy right before it. I'm sore, I'm tired, I'm not going to get hurt. I also don't even feel like I can make a fist. I still may do my cardio, we'll see. Either way, I'll be in bed early tonight and will do both tomorrow, including cardio. Life is good!