Putting the Lau back in Palau

OH MAH GAWD!

I have found paradise and it is called Palau.

I mean, aside from Fred the cockroach and everything, life here is AMAZING!

I've officially been here for six days and in that time I managed to:
- meet the entire state government including the governor, the minister of public sanitation and animal control offered me a betel nut, but I refused
- got a state ranger-guided trip to the rock islands (where I want to live now) where I snorkelled and swam and hiked to my heart's content
- swam in a lake so full of jellyfish that I was scared I'd inhale one
- made it into the local newspaper and was quoted as saying "Veterinary intern Lau encourages people to bring their animals into the shelter to remove the uterus from their dogs and cats so they cannot reproduce anymore" (I guess the word "spay" was way beyond the poor journalist lady I talked to)
-went scuba diving twice and saw not one, but TWO manta rays, tons of sharks, lots of adorable sea turtles, almost got eaten by a huge spotted eagle ray (my guide yanked me down just in time and told me later they don't eat people but I know what I saw and that thing was a foot away from me and opened its mouth really big), giant lobsters, cuttlefish, octopus, NUDIBRANCHS!!!!, sponges, coral, poisonous jellyfish, poisonous sea stars, a lovely moray eel, some not-so-friendly barracudas, and the list goes on and on and on

AND on top of all this, I managed to save a kitten, rescue a little white tern (which ended up dying anyway), spayed a dog, neutered three island cats (all with the inbred kinky tails that seem characcteristic to cats on this island), treated a dog for mange AND watched the Simpson's movie (illegally German bootlegged version) in a private screening at the local TV station complete with popcorn machine and corn nuts.

What can I say? I love it here.

Today, I am going sea kayaking. Haven't been sea kayaking in about three years but I'm looking forward to it immensely. My arms are still sore from the snorkelling I was doing but I'll suck it up and go kayaking cus damn it, it's gorgeous here!

there's tons more that I've seen and done but I'm scared this blog won't blog again. James, thanks for the bloggery advice. If this doesn't work, I'll try sending it to Jo.

In the meantime, I'm still on my quest to taste some coconut crab (they didn't have any more left at the restaurant I ate at last night). Food here is AWESOME and I've been told that everyone who comes here gains at least 20 pounds. I'm well on my way there. Good thing I bike to work on a rusty mountain bike uphill everyday.

AH! My ride to the dock comes in ten minutes. I guess I should go finish my papaya and weird banana breakfast. Mmmmmmmm . . .

This is intern Lau signing off in Koror, Palau. And remember to take out those uteruses and testicles lest your animals should breed inappropriately.

PS: e-mail me your addresses if you want a post card people!
PPS: Jo , have fun in the land of och aye. Say hi to Langly for me you lucky duck. Your comedy crush sounds aromatic and lovely. Jaws would be proud.
PPPS: Gabe, sorry I can't e-mail you. E-mail is costing me a million dollars and I spent all my money on scuba diving. Priorities, haha. I took some lovely pics of some sponges. My foot is getting better and the salt water and sunshine seem to be doing it good. If it falls off, I'll tell you. You'll still love me right?