I wanted to set the scene in my last post about how my first tattoo came about so I can explain how the second one happened. It involved a Buddhist monk, a sandwich and my little sister.
I knew that I wanted another tattoo, something to remember this journey I was on by. But nothing had given me enough inspiration to get forever inked on my body. Whilst I was by myself in Koh Lanta I walked into a tattoo shop just to discuss some ideas with the owner.
I wanted something beautiful and feminine, something to show the strength and freedom I have and also mixed in with love and peace. Now I usually hate it when people get all deep and meaningful about their body art. It’s kind of like when people talk about their new born baby all over facebook when you don’t have children. “Ooh lovely little Jonny has just done a poo in his nappy, how thrilling, please update with photos so I can like this post”
I had met this young guy, about 19, a few days earlier who had his whole chest and back tattooed and I was sat listening to him explain in minute detail what every part meant and how it could be interpreted to also mean this etc for about 30minutes, I kid you not. So I won’t bore you with the details of what mine means but all you need to know is that I love it.
So back to the tatto shop, we debated a few ideas before they said to come back the following day when they would have created a design for me. The next day after a few more amends it was perfect. I was about to climb into the chair when I realised it was 9pm and I hadn’t eaten dinner, not a good idea to be starving before going under the needle.
There was a restaurant next door that I went to with a friend of the tattooist, a thai guy called Don, who was also hungry. Over dinner he started telling me about his life.
He was 40 and split his time between Bangkok and Koh Lanta. He was a Buddhist monk until 8 years ago when he disrobed as he wanted to have a family. He told me all about his faith and the experiences he went through, such as silent isolated meditation for weeks at a time alone in the jungle. He then got married and had a baby girl and got a job working for Interpol based in Bangkok. When the tsunami hit he worked with the thai police to help identify over 2000 bodies that had started rotting in the blistering sun and humid weather. “I will never forget the smell of death during that time” he said. He was also interested quantum physics and tried to explain the ‘double-slit’ experiment to me, when they first discovered that particles of matter also had wavelengths. It was a very broad conversation!
We headed back to the tattoo shop but as we had been talking for so long it was now nearly 11pm and they were closing. I went early the next day to get this finally sorted! I wanted it along my right side, at the bottom of my ribs and over my hip. It started off not too bad but progressively got more and more painful. You can see from the photo it is so intricate with lots of small lines that the same area was constantly being inked.
After 5 hours, yup five hours on my own, I couldn’t take anymore. It hurt so much and I was feeling faint. The owner said if I didn’t get it done today I would have to come back in three days which I didn’t want to do but I also was running out of time today as they had another appointment at 6pm. I hadn’t eaten since 9am so they ran to get me a sandwich that I wolfed down. There was no way I was leaving this shop with a half finished tattoo. I can be very stubborn and when this guy was telling me my time was running out something in my head clicked, right I’m ready lets power through this last hour to finish the job.
Don sat with me the whole time holding my hand and told me he was giving me his Buddhist strength to help me. I don’t mind admitting that I was crying at the end it was getting so painful, then the tattooist stopped and smiled and we were finished! Now I was crying with relief that I had pushed through and found this strength from somewhere. I looked at Don who was rubbing his hand I had gripped so tightly, he looked as exhausted as I felt.
Two minutes after it was finished feeling elated but exhausted!
The next day I called my mum to tell her the news. I knew she wouldn’t be happy but I told her it’s my body, I love it and I’m happy so that’s all that matters. She then told me about what my 13year old sister, who is severely autistic, had said in school. Before I left the UK I went to visit her and tried to explain I was going away. She understood that I was getting on an aeroplane to go somewhere and that I would be up in the sky with the birdies. Apparently every time she sees a plane go past she points and says ‘that’s Katy, flying with the birds’ as she thinks I live in the sky, well now I guess I always will be flying with the birds and every time I look at my tattoo I will think of her which is worth any amount of pain.
