"Gimme some of the hard stuff, Ed."

I have just recovered from what I believe to be my first ever hangover.
Now, I have concluded that the hangover was produced by many factors. Some of these being:
- ear piercing trauma recovery
- exhaustion from staying up too late and waking early to clean the flat for inspection
- being too warm (summer's acomin'!)
- general dehydration

All these factors are enough to make anyone feel disgusting, but I suppose the real cause of the hangover was the fact that I'd consumed too much alcohol for my poor body to process.
I know that heat is actually really dangerous when you've been drinking. It only increases dehydration, thus intensifying the damage of the alcohol, inhibiting liver processing. I was way too warm on the ride back from Oamaru - in a little car with the heater running (to avoid engine overheating), wearing jeans and a turtleneck. I didn't want to drink too much water at that time because I knew we'd have to stop at least three times before reaching Dunedin. That explains why I felt continually more crappy as the evening endured.
It was an absolutely putrid feeling. But I've discovered Bailey's Irish Cream and Kahlua. Mixed with a bit of milk. Mmmmm. Probably wasn't the best idea after a long day that included two glasses of wine. However, I'll wager it was the Absinthe that put me over the edge...
Really, it's no wonder that stuff is illegal on my hometurf.
My 5mLs was more than enough. I am such a lightweight.