London - hospital visit

Woke up early to get my brother to the hospital. He had fevers and chills the whole night and was feeling rather unwell with headache, and was slightly short of breath. The worrying thing was that he was in a malarial area with high drug resistance and probabaly did not take the right prophylaxis.

Went to the Royal London Hospital Emergency Department which wasn't too busy at that hour. was seen promptly and had a few tests done. He also was given some intravenous antibiotics 'just in case' and iv fluids too. The malarial blood tests took a very long time to come back as they did 3 spaced out ones. Thankfully, as the day wore on he actually felt better.

We ended up staying almost 13 boring hours in the Hospital. But he was discharged and is now improving. Doctor said was probably a non-specific viral infection. Much better than malaria or dengue or scrub typhus or any of the other nasty tropical infections.

Croatia - Dubrovnik

Took the ferry from Split to Dubrovnik via the islands of Hvar and Korcula. Stayed at a 'random' sobe (room for rent) operated by an elderly couple.

The old city of Dubrovnik is something out of medieval Europe. (The next bit is a modification of a postcard to a friend.)

Hot, cloudless powder blue sky (Australia for example is more intense blue), turquoise crystal clear Adriatic waters. Cloistered monasteries with orange trees, domed churches and clock towers, terracotta roofs in different shades of red and orange: all enclosed within a stout stone walls guarded by forts and ramparts.

Was sheltering from the midday sun in a cafe tucked in a crooked narrow alley. No level surfaces here, only steps and inclines. Had a Prsut (prr-shoot) salad and fresh lemonade. Protected by beige parasols from poo of passing Pallid Swifts which use this particular alley as their flyway. As compared to the white bellied Alpine Swifts which prefer to zoom around screaming in the plazas and main street also known as the Stradun.

The Netherlands - Leiden (draft)

Leiden is a canal town (Amsterdam is one) in the Western part of the Netherlands. It is also a university town with the University of Leiden, one of the oldest universities in Europe founded in 1575.

Leiden is also where the first tulip in Europe was grown. It was also the birthplace of Rembrandt 400 years ago this year. Etc, etc

The town itself is criss-crossed by canals where white water-lilies bloom during the summer months.

The day I was there was the first day of the herring season. The Dutch eat their herring raw, covered with onions. The herring is skinned, deboned and the head chopped off. One then may roll it in a bit of chopped onions then lift the fish by its tail, extend one's neck backwards and lowers the herring into one's gaping mouth. (Sorry no photos)

The Netherlands - cycling

Cycling day today. How can I come to the Netherlands and not go cycling? Femmie, a biologist at the University of Leiden, led me by bike to lovely Leiden today.

There are excellent bike tracks all over the Netherlands and the journey from Alphen aan den Rijn to Leiden was picturesque to say the least. Cyling along canals, large and small, pretty farm houses with Freisian cows (those black and white ones) and sheep in the meadows. Colourful blooms in gardens, groves of shady willows and birches. You get the idea.

Having not cycled for over ten years my bike skills were a bit shaky. The ride took us just over an hour (usually takes Femmie about 45 minutes), old ladies on bikes with wicker-baskets overtaking us in the overtaking lane. An additional challege was that I haven't quite mastered the important mounting/dismounting technique. Stops at junctions were a bit harrowing and I had to wave other cyclists ahead while I get the bike going again after stopping. It was sometimes easier to just walk and wheel the bike across traffic junctions. How embarassing.

Perhaps the real damage wasn't to the ego but more physical. The bike that I rode is normally used by Femmie's husband Ken, who like many Dutchmen are six-foot something. And dismounting from a tall bicycle with the wrong technique can be rather damaging to certain parts of the anatomy. The seats can be cruel, especially that hard pointy end.

"No children for you," says Femmie. Ouch.

The Netherlands 1

Took the train from Brussels to Alphen aan den Rijn in the Netherlands yesterday. The train didn't have air conditioning and there were no windows to open. Europe is having a heat wave at the moment and it was hot.

But I arrived anyway to the pretty little town. Surrounded by green fields, canals and the odd windmill. There were a few modern gigantic electircity generating windmills too.

Staying with my friend's young family. The couple, Femmie and Ken, are biologists working for the University of Leiden and birdwatchers too. They have two cute daughters, Sophie and Virpi. Ken is away in Siberia looking for the breeding grounds of the Spoon-billed Sandpipers, one of the most endangedred shorebirds in the world.

Went out on a fruit-fly field survey wth Femmie and the two girls today. Beautiful day apart from the flat tyre we had. But we managed to get the tyre changed and got home without getting lost or any tyres falling off.

Going birdwatching with Ken's father tomorrow.

PS. Those wooden things with holes are 'nest boxes' for non-stinging parasitic wasps. My friends are biologists. They do these sort of things...

My brother's travel - Laos

Hello my favourite family,

Having a great time. In Laos right now, leaving for Vietnam either tomorrow or the day after.

Staying at an old colonial mansion converted into a backpacker guest house, in the border town of Savannakhet by the Mekong river. Stayed next to a waterfall in the last 2 days, in a simple little hut. Apparently its in one of the most malarial areas though, haha.

Take care everybody!

Love, thiyachai

Brussels

Had a relaxing period in Brussels. Stayed with my aunt and her husband. My aunt's a chef in a Thai restaurant there. And of course I had beautiful meals everyday. Yum yum.

Also had more typical Belgian food. Which often comes with frites (Belgian fries) and Stoemp (mashed potates with some other veg mixed in). Had some Belgian sausage thing (I've forgotten the name) and a Fish Stew which was slightly spicy. Also bought microwavable instant meals from the supermarket of Chicken Waterzooi and Chicon a la Creme (endives). I've tried the Moules (mussels) on another occassion. But one of my favourite Belgian food are the warm waffles freshly made by the sidewalk.

An amazing coincidence was bumping into a friend of mine from Melbourne, Marcus, and his wife, walking the streets of Brussels. He's working in Cambridge at the moment and was on holidays. Small world.

Rubber Ducky

There was some charity event in Dublin that involved thowing thousands of bright yellow rubber ducks into the Liffey River which runs though Dublin. I too caught a Duck thrown onto the shore by people in boats.

I'll try to show you 'my'Duck as he (I've decided it's a he) travels around when I up upload my pictures. I don't think it's an original idea but hey so what.

www.childrenslifeline.ie
World Record Duck Race Ireland 2006
Not sure what it's about myself as I haven't looked it up yet

A Little Duck, by Michael Leunig

With a bit of luck
A duck
Will come into your life.

When you are at the peak
Of your great powers,
And your achievement towers
Like a smoking chimney stack,
There'll be a quack
And right there at your feet
A little duck will stand;
She will take you by the hand
And lead you

Like a child with no defence;
She will lead you
Into wisdom, joy and innocence.
The little duck.

I wish you luck.

Colorado

Went to Denver, Colorado to visit Bill, a friend of mine, who is a professor at the University of Colorado. He works as a melanoma (a bad kind of skin cancer) doctor and also as a lab scientist. His wife Jill and their 2 boys, David and Sam, greeted me when I arrived as he was away doing a cancer clinic in a rural area. Sam who is 2 and a half years old greeted me with a powerful spray of their garden hose. It was a hot day anyway.

David (or Davy) and Sam (Sammy) are extremely intelligent. David, who is 4 years old, knows the gastrointestinal connections of esophagus to stomach to small then large intestines! And corrected me that ´that´is not a ´shoulder blade´but is properly called a scapula. Helps of course that his parents are doctors but he knows lots of other non-medical stuff too. Sammy knows words like binoculars and stethoscope. And is able to repeat long complex senteces to which he adds ´too´to the end. ´I want a chicken naked burito without black beans and a raspberry ice cream too´ Something like that.

When Bill got back to Denver we went to his ancestral ranch near Boulder in the foothills of what´s known as the Flatirons, which is part of the Rockies I think. It was a blazing hot day when we went. Bill suggested I go for a little hike and take along plenty of water. It was a beautiful walk with nobody else around but a few birds and lots of wild flowers and the mountains. One sees why they are called the Rockies. But wild spring flowers and hot day meant hayfever for me.

Says Bill, ´Too hot for any wild animals. Some rattlesnakes maybe. You´ll know when they´re there. If they bite you, your arm will just get a bit necrotic. You won´t die. Don´t worry about it.´

My brother´s travels - Cambodia

My brother´s travel emails:

Hello everyone,

Having a great time in Cambodia. In Phnom Penh (pronounced Pnum-Pinh). Saw the torture chambers of the Khmer Rouge in Phnom Penh today - quite depressing. Going to the Killing Fields tomorrow, just visited an orphanage today. Rode on the local transport - "Lemuir Moto" a cart for up to 30 people pulled by a little motorbike in front.

I will be flying out of Hanoi to Haadyai (via Bangkok) on the 16th of June. Can someone please call Ma and let her know? I'm arriving in Haadyai at about 8.30pm. Deciding between getting a van back or crashing somewhere for the night. I'm going to be in Laos next week, and going to make my way up to Vietnam. Will keep you posted if there is internet connection.

Che, what is the schpeel on the London thingy? I'll probably just want to rest, falling a little bit sick now already. If there is sufficient room to crash, I wouldn't mind staying in London for about 5 days or so.

Love, youngest son/ lil bro

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hello everyone,

I'm having an unbelievable time in Cambodia. Visited Phnom Penh Killing Fields, stayed with a random stranger in Udong (her mom cooked the BEST Khmer food), almost got kidnapped (ha ha, long story, will tell you later, but we're fine), visited the Kampong Chhnang airport, spending 2nd day in Angkor Wat now.

I'm flying via AirAsia arriving at 8.30pm, on the 16th. Confirmed. Paid already. If Mak Ee can meet me there it would be awesome. If not I can easily either go to Pattani or tuktuk to Tua Kim's. Can you also ask Ma if she wants to book the train ticket to KL maybe on the 20th?

I'd love to spend more time with the family, so if possible I would like to stay with everyone in London. Unless its too cramped for Ma and Mama, in that case I can call in a favour and crash at a friend's place or something. Hope everyone is having as great a time as I am. Miss you!!

Love, youngest son/ lil bro

Montreal Smoked Meat

My brother's favourite part must be the smoked meat that Montreal is famous for. We went to two different places in two days! Ben's and Schwartz's (also known as Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen). Meat, meat and more is all I can say.

Also had an interesting Ben's Onion Soup which had a nice crusty cheesy rim on the mug it was cooked in. Just scrape it with your spoon. A bit like the cheese crust you get when you have a toasted cheese sandwich. Also had a very pink Ben's special soft drink cocktail. Tasted somewhat like Strawberry Fanta.

Those fried potato cake things were from Ben's. I think it had a sour cream and apple sauce dip. Can't remember what they were called. Oily Blintzes or something. Someone please tell me.

Albany, NY - dinner

For an early dinner we went to a branch of Weathervane, a New England seafood place. Clam chowder, lobster rolls and Steamers which are clams steamed in a bucket with butter and broth dipping sauce. Hmm. Prepared me for the yet to be expected limo ride back to NYC.

Salt Lake City

Dear Phoebe,

Thank you very much for having me in Salt Lake City. I had a very good time.

It was really fun rolling down the mountain in late Spring snow. Your boyfriend Steve was also a lot of laughs. A bit diversion from usual travel stuff patching him up a bit. His house renovating skills though are impressive.

It was also good gossiping about the various people we've known from a long time ago and hearing your perpective on the Mormon Church.

I have also spent more time birdwatching with you than almost any other non-birder apart from my long suffering family.

Hope to meet up again sometime. For more Mexican food. (I got more at Denver Airport! The black beans didn't give me as much gas as I thought for the long flight to London - you didn't really want to know that did you?).

And I'll tell Cameron and Rich (esp Knotty) to 'get his butt up there' soon as he's travelled around so much already. For the Best Snow in the World TM.

Keep in touch.

Smathi