Robyn, Kayla and I have been back in Australia for about 2 weeks now. We're happy to be 'home.' Things are settling in nicely for now. I'm regularly bike riding to work everyday. Robyn has some days slotted in for get-togethers with other moms in the neighborhood. On Fridays, all the fellows and their families get together for dinner to drink and talk and have fun. The houses are rotated weekly so as not to be overly burdensome to one family. This Friday it's at our place for Mexican night!!
Work is going well. The cases are interesting and the patients are nice. So far the outcomes have been great and the patients thankful for their operation. Once I get a little bit more of an experience, I'll write a blog comparing and contrasting the differences in the American and Australian medical system. Yesterday I operated on call and fixed to patients bad fractures. It was rewarding work.
Looking back on all our recent travels, I'm glad we did it, but am also glad to be done for now. Travelling, like anything else you enjoy, is great in short bursts. Too much of it and it wears on you. We plan to stay in Brisbane for a while, taking day trips on the weekends to the beach or national parks to see the country. The craziness with the flooding and then my registration/visa issues worked out well to allow us to see this part of the world, but now it's time to study and live locally.
Thanks for reading,
Speak to you soon,
David
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Thailand Wrap-up, Now Back in Australia
After Chiang Mai, we went to Bangkok. We had a very nice time there. We met Chark and Gem, friends of Robyn's neighbors. We saw the 'Ancient City,' which is a miniature version of Thailand in the shape of Thailand. It preserves the architecture from years ago. It really is something else.
The next day we went to the palace and Wat Pho. The emerald Buddha was something else. It had on it's 'winter outfit.' The palace grounds were well done with amazing Thai architecture. Wat Pho held some amazing Buddhas and was great to experience.
Chark took me to see Muey Thai fighting. We sat front row right behind the judges. There were 3 knockouts out of 7 fights. It was great. They also held an exhibition of all the 'big' moves. It was great to see. I got some video of it. I want to thank my great wife, Robyn, for taking care of Kayla so I could go to see the fights.
We then went to the flower market, the floating market and around the city in general. We went to see some jewelers and gem stores.
Then on to Phuket. I went diving on one day. The diving was at Shark's Island and Anemone Reef. It was nice, but not the great diving that the guide book recommended. There were better dives in Hawaii and the Galapagos. Robyn opted for a spa day. She had a day of pampering. We bought some more souvenirs and had great last few days. Kayla played in the pool. She likes the water.
Kayla's really moving now. She's learning to crawl. She gets up on all fours and is launching forward. She is really mobile. She also started sleeping through the night it Thailand. We were really excited. She's now not sleeping all the way through in Australia, but we think once she gets used to the new time zone, she should be OK.
Overall, we really enjoyed Thailand. The only disappointing thing we talked about was the taxi cab drivers in Bangkok and Phuket. In Chiang Mai, we had Percy and he was fantastic. However when we got to Bangkok and Phuket, we could not arrange for reasonable rates for the taxis. When we were at the palace we tried to get a taxi back to our hotel. They said no. The traffic at the hour was too much and they would only take us for what equalled 3 times the meter rate. Another day, all the taxis we got in flat out refused to take us to the hotel. The hotel was in the middle of the city, not anywhere far. It was crazy. We even got in a few cabs and the just puled over and told us to get out; they were not going to drive into the city traffic. It was maddening. In Phuket, the drivers from the hotels wanted 3 times the meter rates to drive into town. Again we were amazed at the price disparity. In the town everything was amazingly cheap. We paid more for a drive into the city than we did for 5 hours of massage. I just feel that while most Thais are nice and polite, the cabbies really ruin the feel of the culture. If you manage to put this one thing aside, Thailand was a great trip.
Speak to you soon,
David
The next day we went to the palace and Wat Pho. The emerald Buddha was something else. It had on it's 'winter outfit.' The palace grounds were well done with amazing Thai architecture. Wat Pho held some amazing Buddhas and was great to experience.
Chark took me to see Muey Thai fighting. We sat front row right behind the judges. There were 3 knockouts out of 7 fights. It was great. They also held an exhibition of all the 'big' moves. It was great to see. I got some video of it. I want to thank my great wife, Robyn, for taking care of Kayla so I could go to see the fights.
We then went to the flower market, the floating market and around the city in general. We went to see some jewelers and gem stores.
Then on to Phuket. I went diving on one day. The diving was at Shark's Island and Anemone Reef. It was nice, but not the great diving that the guide book recommended. There were better dives in Hawaii and the Galapagos. Robyn opted for a spa day. She had a day of pampering. We bought some more souvenirs and had great last few days. Kayla played in the pool. She likes the water.
Kayla's really moving now. She's learning to crawl. She gets up on all fours and is launching forward. She is really mobile. She also started sleeping through the night it Thailand. We were really excited. She's now not sleeping all the way through in Australia, but we think once she gets used to the new time zone, she should be OK.
Overall, we really enjoyed Thailand. The only disappointing thing we talked about was the taxi cab drivers in Bangkok and Phuket. In Chiang Mai, we had Percy and he was fantastic. However when we got to Bangkok and Phuket, we could not arrange for reasonable rates for the taxis. When we were at the palace we tried to get a taxi back to our hotel. They said no. The traffic at the hour was too much and they would only take us for what equalled 3 times the meter rate. Another day, all the taxis we got in flat out refused to take us to the hotel. The hotel was in the middle of the city, not anywhere far. It was crazy. We even got in a few cabs and the just puled over and told us to get out; they were not going to drive into the city traffic. It was maddening. In Phuket, the drivers from the hotels wanted 3 times the meter rates to drive into town. Again we were amazed at the price disparity. In the town everything was amazingly cheap. We paid more for a drive into the city than we did for 5 hours of massage. I just feel that while most Thais are nice and polite, the cabbies really ruin the feel of the culture. If you manage to put this one thing aside, Thailand was a great trip.
Speak to you soon,
David
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Finished Chiang Mai, Now in Bangkok
We have left Chiang Mai for Bangkok. We had a really great time overall. After my last post, we went to play with tigers. (pictures to be posted on Facebook.) we played with tigers ranging from 3 months to 2 years old. They were so much fun. Kayla even got to play a bit. Robyn didn't want her to initially, but it worked out in the end. We took 300 pics alone with the tigers. Don't worry, they won't all be up on Facebook. After that we spent the rest of the day at the craft factories to see how all the souvenirs are made. The silk and umbrella factories were especially interesting. We bought some things and really had a great day.
The next day, I toured some more wats and the rest of the city while Robyn and Kayla took the day off and relaxed. The next day we played with elephants and rode one to the hill tribe people. We've seen the long neck tribe and a few others.
I remember as a kid, going to Ripley's Believe It or Not and seeing the display about the Long Neck tribe. I can't believe that I've actually been to their village. Every now and then, Robyn and I stop and reflect on how great our travels are. This was one of those moments.
Our time in Chiang Mai was great in no small part to our fantastic tour guide/driver. His name is Thanitsak. He was reasonable priced and took very good care of us. He reserved an elephant for us, while other tour groups had to forgo the elephant ride because their driver did not reserve an elephant. He took us to great local places to eat. Really an overall great experience. If you are ever in Chiang Mai, call use him at 08 1952 4895, or e-mail at Thanitsak_72@yahoo.com. He also goes by the name Percy, as it is easier for Americans to remember. Let him know I recommended him.
Now an update about my little love, Kayla. She is growing up so fast. She likes playing with the animals, tigers and elephants make her smile. Me too. She is almost crawling. She gets up on all 4s and falls forward. She likes to push herself backwards. She's really getting around. Kayla also likes to wiggle and balance when we hold her. She's getting to be a real handful.
We have started her on small amounts of real food. She loves to eat and try new flavors. She enthusiastically eats her whole plate of banana or porridge. She sucks on carrots and cucumbers. She likes exploring her world.
Well that's it for now,
Speak to you soon,
David
The next day, I toured some more wats and the rest of the city while Robyn and Kayla took the day off and relaxed. The next day we played with elephants and rode one to the hill tribe people. We've seen the long neck tribe and a few others.
I remember as a kid, going to Ripley's Believe It or Not and seeing the display about the Long Neck tribe. I can't believe that I've actually been to their village. Every now and then, Robyn and I stop and reflect on how great our travels are. This was one of those moments.
Our time in Chiang Mai was great in no small part to our fantastic tour guide/driver. His name is Thanitsak. He was reasonable priced and took very good care of us. He reserved an elephant for us, while other tour groups had to forgo the elephant ride because their driver did not reserve an elephant. He took us to great local places to eat. Really an overall great experience. If you are ever in Chiang Mai, call use him at 08 1952 4895, or e-mail at Thanitsak_72@yahoo.com. He also goes by the name Percy, as it is easier for Americans to remember. Let him know I recommended him.
Now an update about my little love, Kayla. She is growing up so fast. She likes playing with the animals, tigers and elephants make her smile. Me too. She is almost crawling. She gets up on all 4s and falls forward. She likes to push herself backwards. She's really getting around. Kayla also likes to wiggle and balance when we hold her. She's getting to be a real handful.
We have started her on small amounts of real food. She loves to eat and try new flavors. She enthusiastically eats her whole plate of banana or porridge. She sucks on carrots and cucumbers. She likes exploring her world.
Well that's it for now,
Speak to you soon,
David
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Our trip halfway through Chiang Mai
Thailand has been really great so far. We are currently in Chiang Mai. It is in the northern part of the country.
We've been to the Sunday night market. What an experience that was. People selling any kind of souvenir you can think of. They also had food stalls, but all the food was Thai. Pad Thai and Pad Se Ew for a dollar for a large plate. Many different kinds of meat on sticks and/or deep fried. The desserts were also interesting. A banana rolled up in a pancake. (I got one of those.) waffles, ice cream (but not the usual American variety, 'ancient' ice cream instead.) We had a blast walking around. They had dragons made out of rope that were really nice. People were carving soap into flowers; they were really amazing. Chopstick sets and hand made decorations, lanterns... It was all there. We really enjoyed seeing it all. The bargaining was also fun!
Then yesterday, we went to the local palace and a few wats (or temples.) We got a private guide and car driver for the day. He was amazingly cheap but knowledgeable. He used to be a Buddhist monk trainee. We started off with an authentic Thai breakfast. Robyn had a rice soup and I had a rice porridge. Then on to the Doi Suthep temple. We really enjoyed all the history and images. I had Kayla in a backpack carrier and every 2 feet someone stopped us to talk or play with Kayla. They would just walk up and start to play with her hair or feet. They meant no harm, it was just a different culture. A few people asked to pose for a picture next to her. We got a blessing from a Buddhist monk, basically to agree to just be good people and for some good luck. After that on to the palace, which was beautiful. On the top, I had this waffle that had coconut baked right in. This waffle was AMAZING!!! I loved it. Next we went to the Jade Factory and picked up a few pieces for Robyn and the house. From there, we went around the city, seeing different wats and learning about Buddha and his history. They have a temple where you can spend as much time as you want with the monks discussing anything, so I think I'll do that on Sat morning or late Friday. I also got a fish foot treatment, where you put your feet into a fish tank and they clean away all the dead skin cells. It was weird, but nice.
Today, we went for a cooking class. Robyn took the class, while I took care of Kayla. She made 6 courses, that were all Thai. We started off in the market, buying provisions, then back where we had a taste of local fruit and vegetables, like dragon fruit! They gave us a nice cookbook with recipes and pictures of all the spices and vegetables so we could get them back home. From there, for each course you got to chose from 3 options and make it. Robyn really had a great time, as did I. At the end, I got an hour course in Thai fruit decorating. It was really nice. We are now back in the hotel, planning Wed which will probably include Tiger petting and craft shops. Thurs is looking like elephant trek day and Friday may include some more of the city or shopping. We'll see.
Still working on my work visa, we'll see how that goes.
Speak to you soon,
David
We've been to the Sunday night market. What an experience that was. People selling any kind of souvenir you can think of. They also had food stalls, but all the food was Thai. Pad Thai and Pad Se Ew for a dollar for a large plate. Many different kinds of meat on sticks and/or deep fried. The desserts were also interesting. A banana rolled up in a pancake. (I got one of those.) waffles, ice cream (but not the usual American variety, 'ancient' ice cream instead.) We had a blast walking around. They had dragons made out of rope that were really nice. People were carving soap into flowers; they were really amazing. Chopstick sets and hand made decorations, lanterns... It was all there. We really enjoyed seeing it all. The bargaining was also fun!
Then yesterday, we went to the local palace and a few wats (or temples.) We got a private guide and car driver for the day. He was amazingly cheap but knowledgeable. He used to be a Buddhist monk trainee. We started off with an authentic Thai breakfast. Robyn had a rice soup and I had a rice porridge. Then on to the Doi Suthep temple. We really enjoyed all the history and images. I had Kayla in a backpack carrier and every 2 feet someone stopped us to talk or play with Kayla. They would just walk up and start to play with her hair or feet. They meant no harm, it was just a different culture. A few people asked to pose for a picture next to her. We got a blessing from a Buddhist monk, basically to agree to just be good people and for some good luck. After that on to the palace, which was beautiful. On the top, I had this waffle that had coconut baked right in. This waffle was AMAZING!!! I loved it. Next we went to the Jade Factory and picked up a few pieces for Robyn and the house. From there, we went around the city, seeing different wats and learning about Buddha and his history. They have a temple where you can spend as much time as you want with the monks discussing anything, so I think I'll do that on Sat morning or late Friday. I also got a fish foot treatment, where you put your feet into a fish tank and they clean away all the dead skin cells. It was weird, but nice.
Today, we went for a cooking class. Robyn took the class, while I took care of Kayla. She made 6 courses, that were all Thai. We started off in the market, buying provisions, then back where we had a taste of local fruit and vegetables, like dragon fruit! They gave us a nice cookbook with recipes and pictures of all the spices and vegetables so we could get them back home. From there, for each course you got to chose from 3 options and make it. Robyn really had a great time, as did I. At the end, I got an hour course in Thai fruit decorating. It was really nice. We are now back in the hotel, planning Wed which will probably include Tiger petting and craft shops. Thurs is looking like elephant trek day and Friday may include some more of the city or shopping. We'll see.
Still working on my work visa, we'll see how that goes.
Speak to you soon,
David
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