My sister Pam spent much of our trip to Thailand talking about something very specific she wanted to do.
We all had things we wanted to do and everyone tried to accommodate everyone else. Pam and I wanted to take a half day Thai cooking course so my other sister and Betty came along. Pink tool belt sister loves jewellery so we spent a few hours looking at jewellery in gold markets and shops. Betty likes to play on her iPad, so we spent any down time watching her creep people on Facebook.
Throughout it all, Pam rattled on about this thing she wanted to do. Which meant we'd all be doing it.
When the day finally came that Pam got to do this thing she'd been hoping for, dreaming about, I thought she might burst with excitement.
The morning of "the event" she was walking on air, talking about how great it was going to be. Counting down the minutes until we got to go. Just look at the glee on her face. She's like a child on Christmas morning.
A child who has been very bad. Bad, bad child.
So what was supposed to be a joyous, lifetime ambition realized was in fact, a horrifying, scream inducing ritual normally reserved for nightmares.
What was it that had Pam crying and screaming for her life?
A fish pedicure.
She hated it. She hated it with all her heart. And so did the man sitting next to us. Well he didn't hate the fish pedicure, so much as the screaming loons sitting all around him.
Pam, Pink tool belt and Betty all had very different reactions to having tiny toothless carp eat dead skin cells off of their feet, but they all had one thing in common. They didn't like it.
Pink tool belt sister laughed until she nearly peed herself.
Betty hated it so much she barely put her feet in the water and when she did she was swishing them around at a rapid pace trying to avoid all contact with fish. She was so swishy in fact, that the owner of the spa had to come over and hold her legs still telling her she was going to kill the fish. Betty didn't care. Betty swished.
Me? It didn't bother me. At all. I was more horrified by the whack job behaviour of my family than by the suckling fish.
We in fact caused such a commotion that no less than 3 people stopped in front of the window we could be seen through and took our picture. They thought we were hilarious.
In fact a girl passing by on a Tuk Tuk nearly tumbled out the back she was laughing and pointing at us with such vigour. Joke's on her. I recognized that Tuk Tuk driver from a day earlier and he was going to overcharge her no matter where it was she was going. Sucker.
This gentleman outside the window made the universal "can I take your picture" sign to which Pam (fed up by the relentless sucking on her toes and gawking), replied with another universal hand sign.
Luckily I don't think the gentleman spoke sign language and took her gesture to mean "one picture".
After 15 minutes we all pulled our feet out, then had them hand dried by the spa owner and were gently nudged towards the door. It was supposed to be a 30 minute treatment but the owner decided 15 minutes was just fine for us for some reason.
So that was Pam's wish list taken care of. I was looking forward to telling her about mine.
Which of course was sushi.
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I have always wanted to do that! How hilarious!
It pays to note the smile you have on your face while laughing at Pam is very much like the lunatic grin you had when heaving the corner cabinet over the fence... ;-) One of your best posts Karen! I love that you got a shot of the gentlemen prepping to take his "one picture"!
I did this in Thailand too! I was also stoked to try it(like your sister) and proceeded to scream, wiggle and swish my feet around. At one point I pulled my feet out so quickly the fish were sticking to my feet like something out of horror movie. The owner was less then pleased and offered a foot massage instead. My husband captured the entire thing on video and posted it on facebook for all to see!
I can hardly type from being doubled over with laughter!! One of your best, Karen. Tell Pam thanks for letting you use the photos. I had no clue as to what the event was going to be.
I had the exact same reaction - but more extreme... LOL
I screamed and yanked my feet out and dried them off and stood outside the door until everyone else was finished.
I too thought I would really like this but, boy, was I mistaken!!!
Reading this made me feel like I do during family functions....run away....run away......
I also guessed what Pam wanted before you told us..maybe because that is something on my bucket list..Pam..the look on your face is priceless but I still want to do it..What an awesome family you ladies are..lol
Did this in Israel at the request of my son. After the initial, "Oh," we had a blast and it was fun being tickled by the fish. Would I do it again? Probably not, as the fishies didn't do the job as well as a more ordinary pedicure.
LIfe experience is good! Bravo to you all for going for it.
I knew, even before you revealed it, what the One Thing was, just by her expression!!! I would LOVE it. Anything to get rid of the elephant skin on my feet!
Wishing is fine. It's the asking and the planning and the doing that gets you in trouble!
Sushi after a fish pedicure is very fitting.
Betty the "Fish Killer"! A new job title next to "Bathing Suit Model" Cheers!
a great story and the pics are priceless.
GREAT storytelling Karen!
You're a master!
Thanks Carole-Ann. :) It was definitely a fun post to write. ~ karen!
too much !! lmao
I have seen fish pedicures here, even groupons for them. It just seem bizarre to me to pay money for that! As a kid, I grew up near a river with minnows. And if you stood still enough you could get a fish pedicure for free!
I can is the humour in your sister's choice of activity being torture for her!
Too funny! How do y'all feel about the Asia toilets? I really tried to be a good sport when I've been in Asia but first tries I had pee running down my legs and had to wash in the small sink, with young Asia girls laughing at me. Poor white woman don't know how to pee! I hope you've hit the midnight markets. Be careful, the freaks come out at night. :)
Hi Maggie - I think we hit every midnight market in Thailand, lol. And actually, we didn't come across anything but Western toilets. Other than no toilet paper in the stalls it was just like peeing in North America. Sorry you had pee running down your leg. Happens to the best of us tho. ~ karen!
What a story, I'm still laughing. I've never heard of this before...would love to try a fish pedicure!
Thanks for the early morning belly laugh! Next time, Pam will have to "be careful what you wish for"! I would have been alternately embarrassed by family behavior and laughing myself speechless!
hahaha! this is absolutely awesome (sorry, Pam...but it is). Gave me a good laugh