Today’s massage was brutal. I asked for a “strong massage” (after yesterday’s rather slight masseuse). It made me think of someone going into an Indian restaurant and asking, with an assured swagger, for their food “spicy”. You can see the chef rubbing their hands and thinking “right… I’ll show them spicy”.
I realise now that I should have tempered my request based on the size of the masseuse. She was brutal. “You want strong? I’ll give you strong.” This photo was before she rolled me over and walked on my back:
With her full weight on my upper back, she dug in her toes, bent her knees and then thrust sharply downwards. Fire crackers this was not – more like a firing squad, as my vertebrae realigned. Or broke. At the time, I wasn’t quite sure which.
Lesson: be careful what you wish for.
A quick lunch and we were off back to the airport. Such an easy flight – ate dinner, fell asleep and woke up to breakfast.
Rudy was spreading his happiness again, joking with the stewards in his inimitable way:
He just seems to attract people – they warm to his smiles and laughter. Like this random Aussie guy who proceeded to stand and talk to Rudy like an old friend whilst scratching himself and explaining how he was sure to get laid in Sydney… or if not, Hong Kong… or if not, definitely, in Bangkok:
After his stomach, he gave his bum a good old scratch, too. I’ll spare you a photo 😉
(Update: he returned to let Rudy know he was “going for a number two.” What a charmer.)
And just to leave you with a nicer mental image, here are oxygen masks being delivered by Cupid:
