Hi Zorba,
My husband says my face in this picture says it all:
I'm getting a lotus with vines on my lower back...and yes, the tattoo artist is wearing a shrimp costume!
I got it on Frenchmen St. in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, and like you, partly to commemmorate my upcoming 40th birthday.
And Azeeza, like you, my right side hurt like heck (I'd describe it as a steam burn), but my left was barely even uncomfortable. My tattoo artist said that it's very common for one side to absorb all the pain for the other. Interesting!