Friday, August 8, 2008

SOME IMPRESSIONS OF SINGAPORE

ME BY THE POOL OF THE HOTEL

AT A NEARBY SHOPPING CENTRE
A GROUP WAS PERFORMING
THAT'S HOW THEY LIVE
BUSY GEYLANG ROAD
POOL OF THE HOTEL

MY LUNCH
BAMI GORENG
THE FOOD COURT.
SHOPS EVERYWHERE



MALAYSIAN VILLAGE

First day in Singapore, here some pictures of my area.
I am in Geylang, the Eurasianand Malaysian area, reminds me of Vietnam. There are lots of eating places where you can have Bami goreng and nasi goreng for $3- a full plate and 13 sticks of BBQ sate with sauce for $4-, which is what I had for lunch yesterday, very yummy and not too hot.
I am well , a little bit elevated BP and a sore throat but I have taken heaps of vit C.
Enjoy the pictures.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

ARRIVED IN SINGAPORE

FINALLY TRYING DRAGON FRUIT IN SINGAPORE. TASTE IS BLAND BUT NICE
GOING BACK ON THE PLANE
THE EYE DOCTOR AND ME
IN ECONOMY CLASS
IN BUSINESS CLASS
ARRIVING IN DUBAI
HI DEAR FRIENDS,

I arrived in Singapore yesterday at 5 pm, but my whole clock is up the shoot, I have no idea really what time it is.
We arrived in Dubai at 12 midnight, but the German time was 9.30 pm. The flight was great.
I sat next to a doctor, an eye specialist, or eye doctor from Pakistan. He had just been to a conference for doctors in Munich.
In Dubai I had 3 hours to wait for the next flight and the doctor( Jan) had 4 hours so we had a drink together to pass the boring time.( he paid for me a hot chocolate)
I did some emails from there as there is free wireless internet on the airport.
My next flight left at 3.30 pm. It was a boeing 777-300. I sat in seat 9H so almost behind business class.
While we were waiting for the plane to leave the staff started to spray through the whole plane. I asked what it was for, they said" insectiside". I couldn't believe it.
Everyone started to cough and my chest started to feel very tight.
Once the plane was flying high, I couldn't breath very well. I complained to the staff about it how they didn't give any warnings except a few minutes before they started spraying.
Then I got an asthma attack and I coughed so much I nearly vomited.
I sat next to a doctor ( again) a lady from Shri-Lanka, who practises in the USA, who called for the stewardesses to come, who then put me on oxygen. She then took me to business class and left me there on oxygen. She stayed with me.
That really helped. This one stewardess stayed with me and took my blood pressure ( and I also did with mine) and it was high, 198/110.
I was on oxygen on and off till I felt better and the asthma had settled..( I also took my own ventolin first which triggered the cough attack, but the spray was the culpritt.)
The stewardess apologised for that but she said all planes coming into Colombo have to, by law, be sprayed for insects.
She tells me that as soon as we land in Colomobo, Shri-Lanka, she will call for a doctor to check me further.
As soon as we land he comes in with a nurse( an old fashioned nurse with a white cap)
He listnens to my lungs and says that the asthma attack has settled, which I say, "yes I know, because I had ventolin and oxygen". Then he checks my blood pressure and it was still an alarming 200/110. He tells me I have the choice to come to hospital here or stay at my own risk to go on to Singapore.
I tell him I would get more higher blood pressure if I stay in Colombo in a foreign hospital and miss my hostel stay and my suitcase etc. from the stress of that.
I decide to stay onboard and the stewardesses agreeing with me. The stewardess also tells me that Emirates is responsible for this and that they pay the doctors bill.
They kept me in business class( nice lazyboy chair) and I had a nice Scottish stewardess sitting next to me keeping an eye on me, and having the oxygen bottle next to me in case I needed it.
By this time I was also very tired from missing a night sleep.
I try to sleep and managed that for one hour.
I had no more attack of asthma and needed no more oxygen, which was good.
I arrived in Singapore at 5 pm local time, found a blue( good one) taxi straight away and he was very friendly and took me to the Betel Box hostel on 200 Joo Chiat Road.
Although the room is OK, air conditioned, the bathroom outside is always occupied with shower and toilet as one room, and not air conditioned, it was not suitable for me.
Also the reception is upstairs, again, not good for me with my conditioned.
I walked the street last night, looking for some food, and found this hotel, much better equipped and a better room,yes a bit more to pay, but in my case it is important. It is 33 C and humid.
Bye the way, I arrived in a Thunderstorm, and pouring rain!!!!The taxi driver gave me an umbrella and took me right to the door of the hostel, he really was good!!!
So now I am moving to this other hotel down this road, hotel 81, a small chain, it has also a swimming pool. That's also good.
Please don't get too worried about me now, but this is how it is. I am sure I will get home safely.
Just keep on praying you guys.
Thanks heaps. See you soon.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

MUNICH, BACK TO WHERE I STARTED


THE DOUBLE DECKER TOUR I DID IN MAY



NICE CHEESES

THE FRAUENKIRCHE
THE RATHAUS( COUNCIL BUILDING)
ELFI AND ME


My last day in Munich was spent with an old chum, Elfi, whom I met in the Astor, ( German cruise ship) and who I was lost with in China, on the island of Hainan.
She had read my blog and wanted to see me. She had been away during the time I was in Stuttgart, but now had caught up on my blog, and so she took the train from Heilbron to Munchen, to meet me on the only possible day, and that was Tuesday the 5th of August.
Today I am flying out to Singapore.
We had a good day talking and catching up.
So I will just put some photos of today.
Next time I write will be from Singapore.
My last day in Europe was nice. Elfi paid for all the lunches, dinners and morning teas. Nice of her aye?

Monday, August 4, 2008

FAREWELL AND BACK TO MUNICH


COLOGNE AIRPORT
WAITING FOR THIS PLANE TO LAND FIRST
NEAR MUNICH NOW
GETTING READY TO LAND
FAREWELL DINNER AT A LOCAL RESTAURANT

COZY ATMOSPHERE

RON MAKING A LAST MIN PHONECALL

RON BY THE WINDOW

ME NEXT TO HIM

WE'VE COME FULL CIRCLE, BACK TO MUNICH WHERE I STARTED ON THE 26TH OF MAY.

Great farewell dinner last night and today I went together with Ronald to Nice airport.
he had called for a taxt who took us to the airport.
We sat next to each other in the plane and both had to get out in Cologne.
In Cologne, Ron had to catch a train, and I had to check in again, ( yes with suitcase but was no big deal) and caught a second flight to Munich.
In Munich I stored my suitcase in a safekeeping place for 5 euro and I will collect it on Wednesday 12 noon. I have an other bag with me with few clothes and my backpack with my laptop.
I caught the train to downtown Munich and found the hostel within 5 minutes.
Elfi is going to meet me tomorrow . Elfi is the lady who I had met ont he Astor cruise ship and who was with me when we both got lost on China, Hainan island.

So tomorrow more, now just a few pictures of the farewell dinner and the flights.
Cheers for now, going to bed now, good hostel with free internet.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

LAC DE SAINT-CASSIEN and SAINT CEZAIRE

ONE OF THOSE CUTE VILLAGES IS SAINT CEZAIRE
THIS IS THE ROUTE AND AREA

ME BY THE VILLAGE WATER FOUNTAIN
CANNES AIRPORT
LEFT BUILDING IS RONALD AND GEKE'S APPARTMENT BLOCK
COMING BACK INTO MANDELIEU
VIEW FROM RONALD AND GEKE'S BALCONY
VIEW FROM SAINT CEZAIRE


MY FUTURE HOUSE( HEHE)



OLD ROMAN BATH HOUSE

BALCONY FROM SAINT CEZAIRE


VIEW FROM SAINT CEZAIRE

ARTISTS SELLING THEIR PAINTINGS.
RONALD'S DOG, TESS







SAINT CEZAIRE AT THE TOP





TESS
LAKE SAINT CASSIEN



I'm just going to put pictures on now, later more story. We are going out for dinner tonight as it is my last night here in the South of France.
Tomorrow Ronald and I are flying together ( in the same plane) to Cologne, and he gets off and I change plane to Munich.
So I have a full day in Munich before going on the plane to Singapore.
Anyway today was the hottest day yet, with high humidity( not so much in the mountains where we went. )
We swam in the lake and the water was lovely, almost warm.
There were lots of people.
The other villages names I will write later. No time now.
Bye for now. I'll write again in Munich.
PS the pool water was 30 C from the hot day. It was 33 C today.