16::Ujung Pandang, Sulawesi
2.5.97 Wednesday
Jim and I ended our stay in "paradise" on a sour note. Yesterday afternoon he went out on his own and came back a little tipsy. I got really irritated and couldn’t let it go.
We went to a presentation of the Kecak Monkey dance. I thought it was the best and most dramatic of the dances we've seen so far. Jim was testy because he couldn't see well around the folks in front of us.
The hotel was having a big banquet and dance exhibition that we had planned to go to after the dance but I lost interest. However, there were really no other reasonable options for dinner. I was in a funk, which in turn, irritated the hell out of Jim. We sulked through the dinner and dance, then he exploded at me back in the hotel room. We argued and cried. Everything blown way out of proportion. We didn’t even clear the air before falling asleep, which is unusual for us. Jim woke up still feeling bad. To top it off, he didn’t notice one of the damn ants (children of the night, daughters of Durga) sitting on his water glass and it stung his lip. So much for paradise.
We flew to Sulawesi this morning, to the city of Ujung Pandang, where we met Yunus, the guide I found via the Lonely Planet web site and who we contacted by fax from Jakarta. We agreed on a trip itinerary, then beat it to the bank before closing to get a credit card advance so we could pay in cash.
Jim and I made a sightseeing walk, strolled through an old colonial fort, found antique shops and made a few small purchases.
Trouble! On the way back from walk, J told me he suddenly was suffering from a hernia. We managed to get back to the hotel. At this point I’m thinking to hell with this trip, we’re going home. Jim lay on the bed struggling to get his insides to slip back into place. I made him apply ice.
I tried to talk to the front desk about getting a doctor. They were polite but didn't know quite what I was talking about. Our phrasebook had no word for hernia. In desperation I called Yunus (who speaks great English!). He left his family's evening dinner and rushed over with his brother. He called the doctor. By the time the doctor arrived the hernia had finally retreated. After a few phone calls, we went out with the doctor to a local pharmacy to buy a truss. Expensive Australian import – over $100! All is well. The trip will proceed.
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