"Runs" to the hills!

Over a month with no updates, you say the CanuckEngineer's been slacking, I say he's been Snacking.

You see, part of the reason for this lull in blogativity was that the CanuckEngineer had been travelling. I was in India for slightly over two weeks, where I'd gone to attend the wedding of one of my closest cousins.

It was a fantastic trip, not the least of which was the immaculately conducted wedding. Some of the bonuses of the trip included touring the various sites & sounds of New Delhi & gorging on some of the best tasting food I've ever had in my life. When I wasn't marvelling at how an entire city can run with such precision under what would look to the untrained eye as pure chaos and anarchy, I was hanging out with my cousins who were no longer as little as I remembered them... and when I wasn't busy with them, I was indulging myself in the 2nd Deadly Sin - Gluttony.

But it wasn't all fun and mowing down the chow! The first week in there I took ill. Not sick as much as got the stomach bug, and to describe my predicament as "the runs" is a slight to marathoners around the world. The travel bug often causes people to not be able to hold any food.... I couldn't hold water!!! After 2 days of visiting the restroom, every hour on the hour, I was probably threatening the holder of the record for visiting the most number of bathrooms in New Delhi in a 48 hour span.

As proud I was of my latest achievement, I was still miserable, especially since I was missing all the great wedding food thanks to my predicament. I happened to visit one of my folks's friends' folks, who I affectionately call Uncle & Aunty, who lived close to the place of the wedding. I spent the first 40 minutes explaining why I couldn't have any of their thoughtfully provided salty mixes, thanks to my digestive system that now resembled the sewage systems in Hiroshima shortly after Little Boy in '45.

"Uncle" then made me an offer I couldn't refuse..."You can either continue to suffer in this way, or pop a couple of pills that I prescribe and get some relief". well, if he's prescribing pills, he's probably a doctor.. Would his degree be recognized in the States?...As I pondered these thoughts, put forth in front of me were two strips of pills and a glass of water. I'd heard a lot about narcotics in India, but I doubted that they'd use this family as peddlers. Even so, I was going to risk it, if the reward was relief from the spasms my stomach was going through. Besides, that might give me some blog material. Unfortunately, they were legit pills. Darnit!

I'm not trying to be pretentious, but after this incident, I'm pretty sure I can relate to childbirth. what with the water breaking and the contractions, I'm a bonafide midwife already!

anyways, I popped those pills, and hoped for the best. obviously it wasn't going to be an instantaneous cure, so I promptly christened their restroom as well. and then began the "thank you & Good bye" process, during which I gladly visited their other bathroom as well, and then finally took off to get dressed for the Reception in the evening.

Maybe it was the low expectations, maybe I was just delusional, but I was stunned when by the time of the Reception, my stomach stopped hurting, and I didn't even get a chance to visit the coveted restrooms at this resort that was hosting the reception. thankfully, I could now enjoy what was left of the Wedding in India experience.

The next day, I called up my folks.."Dad, you wouldn't believe Uncle's skills. He provided me these pills and voila, I was kicking it in no time."

My dad paused.."Uncle, as in Rosy's dad?"

"What a doctor, Dad.. Knows his stuff!".

I overheard a chuckle..and a smile... as I heard my Dad say.."Uncle!.. He's a vet!"