Aug 132012
 

Time is flying by ever so quickly and quite sadly….

The good news is that I submitted the first chapter of my dissertation a day ahead of schedule. It was probably the longest academic piece of writing I have ever done and to think that it’s only part of the entire project at 47 pages in totality. I’m not saying it’s up to scratch for quality, but at least it’s the first milestone achieved in this long doctoral journey…

With that said, I’ll let the pictures do the rest of the talking on the other activities of our summer holiday:

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29-Jul-2012 17:42, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.625 sec, ISO 400
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29-Jul-2012 17:42, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.625 sec, ISO 400
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29-Jul-2012 17:43, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.25 sec, ISO 400
 
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29-Jul-2012 17:49, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.25 sec, ISO 400
View from our hotel room at Lae Lay Suites
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View from our hotel room at Lae Lay Suites30-Jul-2012 04:11, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 160
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30-Jul-2012 04:12, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 5.1, 10.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 250
 
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30-Jul-2012 04:12, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 500
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30-Jul-2012 04:13, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 640
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30-Jul-2012 04:15, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 100
 
Elephants!
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Elephants!01-Aug-2012 01:09, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 5.5, 12.26mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 500
Lunch at Black Canyon cafe - the blueberry delight was delightful!
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Lunch at Black Canyon cafe - the blueberry delight was delightful!01-Aug-2012 01:52, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 800
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01-Aug-2012 01:53, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.167 sec, ISO 100
 
The focal point of this picture is the man in the back with no shirt on...inside the mall...
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The focal point of this picture is the man in the back with no shirt on...inside the mall...01-Aug-2012 02:18, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 4.8, 7.73mm, 0.025 sec, ISO 800
A cute baby elephant!
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A cute baby elephant!02-Aug-2012 05:20, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 5.0, 9.39mm, 0.5 sec, ISO 100
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02-Aug-2012 05:20, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 5.0, 9.39mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 1250
 
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02-Aug-2012 05:21, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 5.0, 9.39mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 1250
Healing up after nearly three weeks...fascinated by the spots of pigmentation coming in...
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Healing up after nearly three weeks...fascinated by the spots of pigmentation coming in...03-Aug-2012 00:56, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 800
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03-Aug-2012 00:56, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 800
 
Jul 282012
 

We’re back in Phuket and relieved after our trip to Hong Kong.

It’s been a long time since we’ve been around fast-paced and pushy people. Plus, we happened to stay in Little India/Pakistan land, which just reminded us of what we don’t like in Abu Dhabi, so that was rather unfortunate.

Therefore, we’re more than happy to be back where things are a bit more relaxed. Also, our new digs are more spacious and pretty nice overall.

My posts will now resume the mundane… πŸ˜‰

First dinner back in Phuket near Karon beach
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First dinner back in Phuket near Karon beach27-Jul-2012 15:33, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 1600
Someone is enjoying his food!
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Someone is enjoying his food!27-Jul-2012 15:34, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.02 sec, ISO 1600
Our new digs - the living room
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Our new digs - the living room27-Jul-2012 16:34, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.02 sec, ISO 160
 
Our new digs - bedroom to left, bathroom straight and kitchen to right
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Our new digs - bedroom to left, bathroom straight and kitchen to right27-Jul-2012 16:34, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 200
Our new digs - the kitchen area
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Our new digs - the kitchen area27-Jul-2012 16:34, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 100
Our new digs - the kitchen area
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Our new digs - the kitchen area27-Jul-2012 16:35, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 100
 
Our new digs - the bedroom with balcony
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Our new digs - the bedroom with balcony27-Jul-2012 16:35, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 200
Our new digs - the bedroom with a mock desk/dresser/etc.
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Our new digs - the bedroom with a mock desk/dresser/etc.27-Jul-2012 16:35, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.013 sec, ISO 250
Our new digs - the bathroom (sink/toilet)
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Our new digs - the bathroom (sink/toilet)27-Jul-2012 16:36, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 100
 
Our new digs - the shower and shelves...
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Our new digs - the shower and shelves...27-Jul-2012 16:37, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 100
 
Jul 272012
 

After our fun in Macau, we realized that the weather probably wasn’t going to get much better for us and my leg wasn’t going to miraculously be great for wandering the city on our own. So, we decided to book the Big Bus Tour – Premium – since they were offering discounted prices and it gave us two days as we had until late-ish on Thursday to spend before needing to be at the airport.

If you’re a tour kind-of-person, this is such a great way to see the city and get some information too. We did this in Madrid when I went with my mom and aunt a few years ago and it was really great. In some cities, like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, it’s not worth the price, but for only USD38.75 per person for two days, a night tour, round-trip ferry crossing, peak tram and viewing terrace entrance and a ride on the Sampan boats (we didn’t have time to do that) – it was totally worth it!

So, I’ll let the photos do the talking –

Clock tower by Star Ferry terminal
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Clock tower by Star Ferry terminal25-Jul-2012 23:17, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 400
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25-Jul-2012 23:35, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 800
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25-Jul-2012 23:35, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 4.8, 17.22mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 800
 
The Peninsula hotel
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The Peninsula hotel25-Jul-2012 23:42, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 800
Day 1 of Big Bus Tour
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Day 1 of Big Bus Tour25-Jul-2012 23:51, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 800
Double-decker buses!
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Double-decker buses!25-Jul-2012 23:51, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.01 sec, ISO 800
 
Kowloon
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Kowloon25-Jul-2012 23:59, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 5.4, 11.43mm, 0.013 sec, ISO 800
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25-Jul-2012 23:59, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 800
Even Froggy made the trip - he's been my traveling companion for years and years!
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Even Froggy made the trip - he's been my traveling companion for years and years!26-Jul-2012 00:08, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.025 sec, ISO 800
 
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26-Jul-2012 00:12, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 5.1, 10.0mm, 0.025 sec, ISO 800
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26-Jul-2012 00:18, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 500
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26-Jul-2012 00:18, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 4.4, 6.07mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 800
 
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26-Jul-2012 00:19, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 5.7, 13.09mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 800
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26-Jul-2012 00:19, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 4.2, 5.72mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 640
Our hotel was located in this conglomerate called a 'mansion'
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Our hotel was located in this conglomerate called a 'mansion'26-Jul-2012 01:18, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 5.4, 11.43mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 800
 
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26-Jul-2012 01:19, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 800
View of Hong Kong island from the Kowloon side
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View of Hong Kong island from the Kowloon side26-Jul-2012 03:23, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 4.5, 6.45mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 800
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26-Jul-2012 03:24, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 4.7, 7.28mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 800
 

 

Jul 252012
 

Leg update: Β It’s healing and I’m walking almost normally, but it will still be a bit longer before it’s totally back to normal….

After spending the majority of two days in the hotel room, and realizing that we are going to have to get out despite Typhoon Vicente plowing through and my leg being what it is. So, we organized to go on an afternoon tour of Macau. The plan was to catch the noon ferry and arrive in time to pay for the tour at 1:45pm.

Well, we arrived in time catch the noon ferry, except that tickets were sold out on the TurboJet and CotaiJet didn’t have anything either until 3pm. So, when a seemingly crazy Chinese woman offered tickets for the 12:15 ferry for the same price, we went with the flow and followed her to the entrance ensuring that the tickets she was selling were legit. They were.

Once we got through immigration and to the berth, the ferry was further delayed until 12:30. It’s an hour ride to Macau and so our timing for the tour was already cutting it close. The ride was pretty uneventful until the last 10 minutes when the waves kicked up and people all around starting puking into the bags…. Thankfully, we finally arrived, but were much delayed.

By the time we got through Macau immigration it was 2:10pm and the tour had gone on without us….

One of the nice things about Macau is that most of the casinos have free shuttle buses to their hotels. Since the Venetian is a big attraction, we decided to take the shuttle bus there and then think about what to do afterwards. Through the drive, we got to see the city a bit as the Venetian is located on Taipa island, which is connected to Macau via a nice long bridge. So, we spent a couple of hours there walking around, which was fun.

It had mostly stopped raining when we were ready to head back, but R didn’t feel inclined to head into the main square to see St. Andrew’s church remains and the old area. I had seen it when I visited before, but thought he might want to see it. Since he wasn’t into it, we just headed back to Macau and took the ferry back to Kowloon. Thankfully, that trip was totally uneventful and I was able to take a wee nap. πŸ˜‰

My ankle held up pretty well and so we stopped for some dinner, which I didn’t take a picture of (Surprise!) and then we turned in early back at the hotel.

Here are some pics (videos still not working…):

China Ferry Terminal in Kowloon heading to Macau
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China Ferry Terminal in Kowloon heading to Macau24-Jul-2012 21:16, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.1 sec, ISO 100
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24-Jul-2012 21:18, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 80
Another ferry heading to Macau with a view of Western Kowloon in the background
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Another ferry heading to Macau with a view of Western Kowloon in the background24-Jul-2012 21:21, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 80
 
Arriving at Macau with a view of the Sands hotel and casino
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Arriving at Macau with a view of the Sands hotel and casino24-Jul-2012 22:52, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 5.1, 10.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 160
Taking the free shuttle bus from the Macau Terminal to the Venetian Hotel
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Taking the free shuttle bus from the Macau Terminal to the Venetian Hotel24-Jul-2012 23:30, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 4.6, 6.83mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 800
Macau - through the rain
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Macau - through the rain24-Jul-2012 23:35, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 200
 
Macau
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Macau24-Jul-2012 23:36, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 320
Macau (Wynn hotel and casino in the middle)
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Macau (Wynn hotel and casino in the middle)24-Jul-2012 23:38, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 500
Macau
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Macau24-Jul-2012 23:40, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 400
 
Macau - Galaxy hotel and casino (would be pretty in nicer weather...)
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Macau - Galaxy hotel and casino (would be pretty in nicer weather...)24-Jul-2012 23:47, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 5.4, 11.43mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 800
Arriving at the Venetian
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Arriving at the Venetian24-Jul-2012 23:49, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 800
Inside the Venetian on the 3rd floor where all the shops and such are located
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Inside the Venetian on the 3rd floor where all the shops and such are located25-Jul-2012 00:09, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.025 sec, ISO 800
 
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25-Jul-2012 00:09, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 800
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25-Jul-2012 00:18, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 5.0, 9.39mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 1250
Getting a little treat...
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Getting a little treat...25-Jul-2012 00:29, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.013 sec, ISO 800
 
The Venetian hotel lobby
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The Venetian hotel lobby25-Jul-2012 01:06, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.025 sec, ISO 800
Heading back to the ferry terminal
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Heading back to the ferry terminal25-Jul-2012 01:30, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 500
Outside the Venetian
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Outside the Venetian25-Jul-2012 01:31, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 250
 
Jul 232012
 

Well… I’d like to post some pics, but I literally haven’t left the hotel room since we arrived – over 24 hours now, I think.

I’m beyond cabin fever stage and into the acceptance that I could probably survive in a jail cell if I had to and didn’t have to worry about surviving the craziness of other jailers. Happy thoughts, right? πŸ˜‰

Mostly, I’ve been convalescing my leg. It was pretty sore and swollen from our trip in and R thought it best to rest up. We had talked about going out to the Night Market, but by the time the hour came to go, he recommended just chilling in the room. So, he went out twice to get food for us and I stayed in doing some work and writing – not all bad.

My injuries are healing and the hospital bandages are off. I’m now doing my own treatments, which was a bit traumatic the first go, but was easier last night. The swelling has gone down since I haven’t been on it much and it seems to stem from the bruising around my ankle, which gets agitated when I walk. The good news is that it does feel better as I write and I was able to walk the four steps to the bathroom with very little pain, which is better than yesterday when I was hopping the four steps instead. πŸ˜€

Sadly, it is raining now as a typhoon passes through. We’re hoping it will pass by quickly so that we can get ourselves out of the room for a bit. We’ll keep our fingers crossed, but with our luck on this trip so far we’re more cynically optimistic than anything else.

Hope for more interesting posts!!!!

-T πŸ˜€

Jul 222012
 

We’ve arrived safely in Hong Kong.

Phuket Airport is nice and small, so it’s very easy to get through immigration and all that fun stuff.

Our flight on Thai Air Asia was smooth and easy. We usually pay for the seats with more legroom since R is a big man and needs the space. Luckily, no one sat in-between us, so we had three seats for the two of us, which made it nice for me to be able to rest my leg up for the flight.

It’s only 3.5 hours to Hong Kong, so I napped off and on while vowing to appreciate more when my leg is healed up.

We decided to taxi it to our hotel as I wasn’t feeling up to the fun of hauling all our luggage on the train on the cheap route where two changes were required and the cost for the easier route was only about 2USD cheaper than the taxi. We arrived without incident and felt pretty good until we got out of the taxi.

We had arrived in Little India/Pakistan of Hong Kong. Who knew that there was even such an area or population? We felt as if we were back in crazy Abu Dhabi again!!! With R almost getting into a fight and me envisioning a trip to either the police or hospital, we then realized we were staying in a weird conglomerate building of various guesthouses all entitled with the name of Chung King Mansion.

It’s an experience…I’ll write more about the elevators and room-size later, but in any case we’ve arrived and slept through the night, so it’s looking to be a better day at least. πŸ™‚

-T πŸ˜€

Jul 192012
 

Okay, so…most people who know me know that I’m not the most adept on two-wheels. I have balance problems and control issues (literally and figuratively), so these alone are bad characteristics when behind the controls of a motorized two-wheeled machine.

We had just had a lovely dinner a little north of Patong and decided to check out the Kamala beach area to see what kind of place it was. It was almost dead and not a place we would want to return to in the daylight. The bars on the main street were mostly empty except for the occasional old white expat and his Thai friend. Or, sometimes just Thais hoping for a customer to stop by for a drink or massage or something.

This was the only/most crowded bar in Kamala.
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This was the only/most crowded bar in Kamala.16-Jul-2012 06:22, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 800
 

The only attraction in Kamala is Phuket Fanta Sea. It’s their attempt at an amusement park like Disney Sea or something like that. I imagine in the high season it is a draw for the Asians and the Arabs. However, we did a drive-by…(again no video… :*( )

Too bad this is so dark, but it was a great display of a tribute to the King and Queen....
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Too bad this is so dark, but it was a great display of a tribute to the King and Queen....16-Jul-2012 06:20, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 4.5, 6.45mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 800
Don't miss your chance to see Phuket's FantaSea!
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Don't miss your chance to see Phuket's FantaSea!16-Jul-2012 06:20, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 4.5, 6.45mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 800
 

Everything was going grand. A few nights before, R had gotten me to try out driving the scooter and it went reasonably well. I did warn him that it might not be a good idea due to my track record on a bicycle, but it seemed okay. So, we decided to give it another go. Things seemed great and then we took a big turn, the front began to wobble, and panic set in….The next thing I know, we’re on the ground and I’m in pain….

It’s a long story (writing it up for later), but I was put into an ambulance and rushed to Patong Hospital. Thankfully, there were no broken bones and nothing majorly injured – just some pretty torn off skin…

So, we’re alive and well. It could have been so much worse and the timing is okay as we don’t leave until Saturday (the 21st) for Hong Kong and I should be able to walk normally again by then. Luckily, R got away with just a few minor injuries….

And then.... we survived me attempting to drive the scooter...
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And then.... we survived me attempting to drive the scooter...16-Jul-2012 08:29, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 800
He got a nice bulbous bump
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He got a nice bulbous bump16-Jul-2012 08:30, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 800
...with a little scratch (and soreness later... :*( )
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...with a little scratch (and soreness later... :*( )16-Jul-2012 08:30, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 800
 
The morning after...oozing....
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The morning after...oozing....16-Jul-2012 22:57, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 800
Went in to get the dressing redone....This was the worst of it before they cleaned it again...
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Went in to get the dressing redone....This was the worst of it before they cleaned it again...17-Jul-2012 00:06, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 5.3, 10.73mm, 0.01 sec, ISO 800
My poor knee...how many times has it been battered?
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My poor knee...how many times has it been battered?17-Jul-2012 00:06, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 4.1, 5.4mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 800
 
After return visit to get dressing changed
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After return visit to get dressing changed16-Jul-2012 14:26, Apple iPhone 4S, 2.4, 4.28mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 160
This was like the stretcher they took me to the hospital on.
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This was like the stretcher they took me to the hospital on.16-Jul-2012 14:26, Apple iPhone 4S, 2.4, 4.28mm, 0.025 sec, ISO 64
This is the ER waiting area for Thais - with beds outside and all!
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This is the ER waiting area for Thais - with beds outside and all!16-Jul-2012 14:27, Apple iPhone 4S, 2.4, 4.28mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 80
 

The scooter needed a few touch-ups, but overall nothing too bad.

Time to fix up the scooter...
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Time to fix up the scooter...17-Jul-2012 01:00, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 800
Seems like it will be okay with a few touch-ups....
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Seems like it will be okay with a few touch-ups....17-Jul-2012 01:00, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 800
 

The moral of this story is – Never let Tara drive a two-wheeled machine…EVER! πŸ˜›

We’re just thankful it wasn’t worse. πŸ™‚

-T πŸ˜€

Jul 182012
 

The days blur together and I rarely know what day or date it is, which is how vacation should be, right? πŸ˜‰

So, sometime last week, when the weather broke (thankfully!), we went exploring the island a bit. A Thai lady recommended that we see Karon beach and others had mentioned it before. Also, one of R’s former colleagues had raved about it all the time, so we wanted to see what the fuss was about. Plus, when we were in Bali, we didn’t explore much until late in the holiday and found out that the ‘pretty’ people were staying in a whole other section of the island. We didn’t want that to happen to us again. πŸ˜‰

When we first drove through Karon, we didn’t think too much of it as it’s a quiet little town. However, when we saw the beach and sand, we realized it really was much nicer than Patong. We continued on down through Kata beach, which is literally about a minute away and scooted through that town, which was also quiet, but seemed to have a lot of good restaurants and was more family-friendly. There were also more younger people and one might even say they are ‘prettier’ than the ones we see in Patong.

After a stop for lunch, we discussed and thought that perhaps we just might think about staying there for the second half of our Phuket summer. So, we started looking around at hotels and different places….

Here’re some pics:

Off to explore the island a bit...
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Off to explore the island a bit...12-Jul-2012 00:40, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 100
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12-Jul-2012 01:18, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 4.6, 6.83mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 80
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12-Jul-2012 01:22, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 4.6, 6.83mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 100
 
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12-Jul-2012 01:22, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 5.7, 13.09mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 100
Karon beach
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Karon beach12-Jul-2012 00:50, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 11.0, 5.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 160
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12-Jul-2012 00:51, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 11.0, 5.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 160
 
Look at the clean sand!
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Look at the clean sand!12-Jul-2012 00:51, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 11.0, 5.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 160
In front of Kata beach resort, which isn't far from Karon beach
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In front of Kata beach resort, which isn't far from Karon beach12-Jul-2012 01:08, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 4.6, 6.83mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 125
 

For some reason the videos that I took, which are more interesting are not appearing to be uploaded…Will check it out and add later if I can.

-T πŸ˜€

Jul 172012
 

I think I’ve sort of forgotten what pics I have posted and which ones I haven’t. So, there may be some repeats. For now, I’ll just put up the pics that aren’t related to anything in particular (mostly food and driving scenes!) to catch up. I’ll cover the ‘themes’ next!

The pool at B-lay Tong
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The pool at B-lay Tong02-Jul-2012 09:47, Apple iPhone 4S, 2.4, 4.28mm, ISO 64
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02-Jul-2012 09:48, Apple iPhone 4S, 2.4, 4.28mm, ISO 64
The English teachers in us enjoyed the menu boo-boos
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The English teachers in us enjoyed the menu boo-boos16-Jul-2012 05:08, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 800
 
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16-Jul-2012 05:09, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 1250
Missed the sunset, but it's still a nice view!
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Missed the sunset, but it's still a nice view!16-Jul-2012 05:14, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.769 sec, ISO 100
View of Patong
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View of Patong16-Jul-2012 05:14, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.625 sec, ISO 100
 
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16-Jul-2012 05:17, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.1 sec, ISO 800
Mmmm... fried crab
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Mmmm... fried crab16-Jul-2012 05:23, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 11.0, 5.0mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 100
Dinner! Chicken cashew nut, prawns and curry, pork egg over steamed rice and plain steamed rice.
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Dinner! Chicken cashew nut, prawns and curry, pork egg over steamed rice and plain steamed rice.16-Jul-2012 05:29, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.5 sec, ISO 100
 
Don't miss your chance to see Phuket's FantaSea!
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Don't miss your chance to see Phuket's FantaSea!16-Jul-2012 06:20, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 4.5, 6.45mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 800
Too bad this is so dark, but it was a great display of a tribute to the King and Queen....
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Too bad this is so dark, but it was a great display of a tribute to the King and Queen....16-Jul-2012 06:20, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 4.5, 6.45mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 800
This was the only/most crowded bar in Kamala.
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This was the only/most crowded bar in Kamala.16-Jul-2012 06:22, OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. TG-610 , 3.9, 5.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 800
 

-T πŸ˜€

Jul 162012
 

I’m a little behind in sharing what we’ve been up to other than our daily studying, swimming and overall enjoying of vacation.

So, I’ll try to catch up a bit.

Last week, we caught a break in the rainy weather and decided to head over to Phuket Town, which is quite close in terms of distance. It was about 5km away and took just about 20 minutes to get there by scooter. We were on our way to the Bangkok-Phuket Hospital for R to get some dermatological things taken care of.

Just as we were talking about leaving, the rain returned and so we decided to get our teeth cleaned in hopes of the rain stopping before we headed back to Patong.

Dentist visit at Bangkok-Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town
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Dentist visit at Bangkok-Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town09-Jul-2012 13:13, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.1 sec, ISO 200
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09-Jul-2012 13:14, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 4.2, 18.9mm, 0.077 sec, ISO 400
 

It was a cleaning experience like none I had ever had before. Normally, I have no fears or issues with going to the dentist. They always tell me how nice my teeth are, but the lady who cleaned my teeth – old-school style – was not gentle and caused newly experienced pain. When I went to spit there was so much blood that it freaked me out. I asked her why it was so bloody and she explained that I had a lot of plaque and gingivitis. When I explained this had never happened before, she retorted by saying that most dentists don’t clean thoroughly and just scratch the surface, but it’s better to get in deep. I partially believed her and partially wanted to just not like her for the poor experience. πŸ˜‰ In any case, my teeth were cleaned and though traumatized, hopefully, are a bit healthier….

Despite a slight break in the rain, it started to pick up again, so we made a pit stop at the Tesco Lotus supermarket, which seemed to be a larger mall-like center, which we didn’t get to check out saying we’d go back another time.

That was the excitement for our day. Below are some random pics:

Very cute orange rain jacket
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Very cute orange rain jacket09-Jul-2012 14:07, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 200
this truck was loaded with people and they unloaded here
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this truck was loaded with people and they unloaded here09-Jul-2012 15:16, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 4.2, 18.9mm, 0.02 sec, ISO 200
Even in Patong, we can't escape the Arabs!
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Even in Patong, we can't escape the Arabs!09-Jul-2012 15:16, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 4.2, 26.4mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 200
 
Juxtaposition of covered woman checking out the VW Bug drinking bus
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Juxtaposition of covered woman checking out the VW Bug drinking bus09-Jul-2012 15:32, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.8, 12.6mm, 0.077 sec, ISO 200
Yummy, bird's nest drinks!
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Yummy, bird's nest drinks!09-Jul-2012 19:03, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.025 sec, ISO 100
 
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