Runny tummy

"Aloha, welcome aboard Hawaiian airlines flight 456", the intercom announced tranquilly as I searched for seat 33G. Hawaiian music played softly in the background. The plane smells of tropical flowers. I'm on my way to Hawaii from the Philippines. Something in my mind has been triggered and I remember the immense joy I felt while living in the serene islands of the Pacific. Magically, I'm able to vividly recall my life in Hawaii. It was such a good time in my life. As the plane lifts off the ground in Manila, I'm acutely aware that I've now left foreign land and the next time I step foot on the ground, I will be in my mother land once again. America! It's been 222 days since I've been in America. I wonder when I'll be on international land again. During my last week in the Philippines, I find myself researching my next trip on the internet: South America, along with Antarctica. I'm blatantly honest with myself; it's hopeless, I'll always be a travel addict. 

Fiji

The plane emits a calming buzz as we fly over the Pacific. The lights are dimmed and I drift off to sleep, dreaming of the aloha state. Only a 10 hour flight separates me from my beautiful islands. 
I'll spend the next month gallivanting around the Hawaiian isles. Oahu, Kauai, The Big Island and finally Maui, where I will settle. I need this time to sort some things in my head, to take in everything I've experienced on my trip. 
My international escapade has come to an end. I begin to reflect back on the last amazing 7.5 months of my life. One thing that comes to mind is how thankful I am that my body didn't give up on me after abusing it so harshly with all the unbalanced meals, pollution and restless nights. I realize an intense detox is needed when I arrive in Hawaii. I feel like I've aged 10 years. I fully understand why people in third world countries look older than their chronological age. 

With cute Fijian kiddos

One question I'm asked, being a traveler, is : "do you get sick a lot when you travel?" By "sick", I assume they mean stomach problems. In case you're wondering, on this trip, I did get sick one time, in Nepal. I don't think anyone can escape Nepal without an episode of peeing out of their butt hole, at least once. Considering my less than standard living conditions, I think that's pretty impressive. 
This wasn't always the story with my belly. I couldn't even go to Europe without my stomach giving me problems. I've come a long ways since then. 
These days, very rarely do I have problems with my belly. I've been exposed to so many bugs from traveling, I've developed a stomach of steel. Just another perk to being a travel addict. If you have a touchy stomach, perhaps you should try traveling a little more?
Travelers diarrhea? Nope. Delhi belly? Not this girl. Doesn't pertain to me. I even drank the water in India and didn't get sick. I'm a super mutant. 

Fiji~ Yasawa islands

Here's an example of how my weak stomach used to pester me:
When I was in Fiji, I had almost made it through my one month vacation without any type of stomach issues arising. One ill-fated day, this all changed. Who knows what type of scary island bug I acquired, but it seriously messed me up. 
I remember sitting in my room one day, curled over, holding my cramping stomach and grimacing. There was more gurgling going on in there than a New Zealand hot spring. It felt like a naughty little gremlin was building a house in my intestines. One of the Fijian ladies came in to clean the room. The Fijian people are some of the nicest people in the world. She saw me in my state of agony and came right over to me. She said, in her thick accent, "What's the matter honey? Runny tummy?" I burst out laughing at her choice of words and shook my head yes. 
From then on, I adopted the term she used for the Hershey squirts. It sounded more pleasant than "diarrhea". She was a large, plump lady, looking very similar to Aunt Jemima. I remember how comforting and motherly she was, and I found myself wishing I had my mom there to help me fight off this evil stomach monster. 
I don't care how old you are, when you're feeling so sick that you think you're going to die and you're in a country half way around the world, all you want is your mommy. Don't deny it. No one's going to judge you :)


P.s.  Nurses have absolutely no qualms about discussing bowel movements. 

Fiji