The English Countryside

Last Sunday, a couple of colleagues and I went on an all-day walk in the country. We followed one of the walks in the Country Walks book published by Time Out, which I fully intend to purchase so for anyone visiting me, I highly suggest we go on one of these walks so you can experience the amazing beauty of the English countryside.

We caught an early train from Victoria Station that took 45 minutes to take us to Borough Green. It drizzled rain almost all day, but I still had a great time. I'm SO glad we did this. It was just what I needed - fresh air, nature, and some good exercise. And I kind of like the rain anyway.

In England, they have ancestral paths that cut through people's property, and the people who own the property aren't allowed to prevent this. Our walk went along some of these ancestral paths. Some properties were very welcoming - we used their handy wood step to climb over their short fence and then it was just open field. And others were less welcoming, with fences on either side of the narrow path.

We walked through apple orchards with ripe apples falling off the trees, through wide open fields with flocks of sheep calmly grazing, past horses wearing rain-aprons, and down streets with storybook houses and beautiful English style "wild" gardens.




And past this mansion owned by a super-rich Arab, the book says.


I think he owns this "modest" garden too. It's crazy how rich some of the people in England are, but at the same time, it's great to be able to see this beauty and walk through it. You haven't really seen England if you haven't been to the idyllic English countryside, I say.


We walked around all day, only stopping for some lunch (and to try and dry off a little) before taking a train back from Seven Oaks. What an amazing day!

Flying Nuns

On Friday the office held a Talent Night to raise funds for charity and somehow I got coerced into performing, and I'm really glad I did! I sang a duet called Sisters, from an old film called White Christmas. It's supposed to be about two siblings, but we decided to camp it up as two nuns (hey it is almost Halloween after all). A colleague made us those ridiculously huge nun hats (are they called wimpoles?) that just made everyone crack up. The audience really seemed to enjoy it (the bar in the back of the room helped).

28th Birthday

Last night, my mom took me out to this fancy French restaurant called Mirabelle, just a 5 minute walk from my place. Dinner was delicious! I got to try Duck à l'orange and soufflé for the first time. I think I'm getting seriously addicted to fine dining, which isn't a very sustainable habit in expensive London unfortunately. Fine dining is wonderful because:

• It's mostly food you can't make yourself.


• You can order appetiser, entrée and dessert and just feel pleasantly full, instead of how it is in Canada. I end up taking half my main course home in a doggy bag and not having room for anything else!


• The subtle flavours of the food are greatly enhanced by a glass of wine.


• And it's delicious!

In my pyjamas this morning, I said goodbye to my mom as she left to fly to Australia for 5 weeks on business. Then I prepared for my birthday, determined not to sleep it away.

Since I haven't made many new friends in London yet, I decided to spend the day on my own, doing things just for me. I took a nice walk to Leicester Square to inquire how to get last-minute tickets to Macbeth this evening.

Then I walked back, stopping at the Virgin Megastores to plan how to use the 50 pound (if anyone knows how to insert the UK pound symbol, let me know) gift certificate my dad sent me online.

After having some sushi at this little restaurant in an alley that I always walk by, I arrived back in my neighbourhood for my one-hour massage appointment, which my back sorely needed (pun intended) at this cute little Japanese massage place by my flat. It was great! I've tried different massage styles and swedish is far superior to the rest if you actually have knots in your back.

Then I grabbed a self-help book Lara gave me for my bday and went across to Green Park to sit under a tree amongst the Autumn leaves. (It's funny, the leaves are shaped similarly to maple leaves here, but they all turn the same yellow-brown colour.) I worked through a bit of the book, journalling as I got to the activities. It was great breathing in the cool fresh air and sitting in the park, even on a cloudy day.

When it got too cold, I eventually made my way back to the theatre district and lined up outside of the sold-out theatre to see if I could get any "return" tickets. Even though I was an hour and a half early, the line was still substantial, so it looked bleak. But I stood my ground, listening to a BBC improv comedy show about the news on my iPod (I love those improv shows! They have a few on TV as well.)

I was lucky enough to get a ticket, and in the second row too! (Full price though, but that's what I wanted. Hey, what's the point of seeing Patrick Stewart in Macbeth if you're all the way in the back, right?) It was off a scalper, but I verified the authenticity of the ticket with the usher first and the price was the face value of the ticket, so I went for it.

As I sat down in the theatre wondering how on earth the scalper was making any money from this deal, the lady next to me asked me how I got the ticket. It turns out that she had an extra ticket because her friend was sick. She was planning on just keeping the ticket, when the scalper came along to ask if she had a spare. He bought it off her for 30 pounds (and I paid 50!). She had no idea that there was a "returns" line (sorry, queue) outside nor that you could just return the ticket at the box office (maybe with some nominal fee). So even though scalping isn't that ethical, it seems like everyone won in this case except maybe the box office (if the charge a return fee). Hm... I think next time though I'll try to refrain from buying a scalped ticket... And I didn't jump the "returns" queue either because I was the next in line who was willing to pay for the expensive seat.

The show was great and Patrick Stewart lived up to his reputation. The play was done with 40s(?) era costumes/settings which made an interesting effect. The whole thing makes me want to buy the book and study it. No, seriously. I waited outside the stage door and managed to get some not-so-great photos of him signing autographs. But I didn't bug him for one because it seems inconsiderate to bug someone for something like that when they just want to go home after a gruelling performance. And what would I do with an autograph anyway?

I turned 28 today - yay! Thanks for all the birthday wishes everyone. It's always nice to know people are thinking of you even when you're far away. :)

I walked home and am now writing this inaugural post to my London blog. I should go to bed soon because I'm going for a walk in the country tomorrow with some colleagues! I'm really looking forward to it, even if the forecast is rain...

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Don't worry, this is nothing too serious. Just thought I'd write a little account, in case anyone's interested in the topic.

~~
A couple of months ago, I notice that my wrists are aching almost everyday. Sometimes my palm or my forearm is sore, sometimes it's a slight numb sensation or my hands feel weaker than normal. My mind automatically thinks of carpal tunnel (CTS), or Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI).

But I must be too young for that. I haven't been using computers for that long..., have I?. I do the math - been addicted to email since I was 17. That's 10 years. And I type pretty fast.

I ask my staff doctor about it and he refers me to websites on the topic. Although I've already set up my workstation ergonomically, I read through that part of it anyway and make a few minor adjustments. I learn some new stretches and do them whenever I remember. I try to take more breaks too, but I get so caught up in work...



Hm... this funky mouse looks interesting.
And I'll download the trial version of this software, too.




I've heard of this keyboard alternative to QWERTY, but I thought you had to buy a whole new keyboard. Silly me! Of course you can just change the settings on your Windows!

The more I look at the Perific mouse, the more I want it. So many cool ways to use it!

I try the RSIGuard software trial version on my home computer. This autoclick feature is great! I personalise the settings more and more to take advantage of all the subtle features. Hotkeys I can program to automatically type commonly-used text, a breaktimer with stretching videos, ...

Since I don't want to slow down my typing speed at work, I decide to learn the Dvorak keyboard at home first. Hey, this is easier than I thought it would be! And I'm somehow managing to retain both keyboard layouts, although it always takes me a few seconds Monday mornings to reaqcuaint myself.

After the trial period is up, I purchase the software. Money well spent. I want it on my office computer now, and I gotta get me that mouse. I'd better get myself officially diagnosed so that my employers can pay for them.

At my first appointment, the orthorpaedician explains what causes CTS. The nerves going into my hand all run through a tunnel in my wrists. When I type or click my mouse, they rub against each other and the tunnel, and get inflamed and irritated causing pain, numbness, and weakness.

He sends me for a nerve conduction test, which involves one electrode being stuck to my upper forearm and one to the fleshy part of my palm under my thumb. The technician sends a small current through and I see my thumb jerk. He runs more currents through at small increments of voltage. As the voltage in the bursts of current increases, the current feels more uncomfortable. It's an odd feeling to have someone else making your muscles move. Then the technician warns me that he's going to do a rapid series of ten bursts. I brace myself. Not really that painful, but I'm definitely glad that's over! The results show that my nerves conduct absolutely normally. Alright! No permanent damage! Yet anyway.

Okay now what? There's another test that will diagnose early CTS. The doctor explains that he can inject some cortisone, an anti-inflammatory into my wrist. If itmakes the pain go away, then we know it's Carpal Tunnel. Yikes!! Sounds painful!

He says he'll research what else can be done and recommends I get a wrist brace. Already tried that. It didn't help with the CTS and it made it impossible to use a pen to sign my name to my numerous refusal letters each day.

(Gotta go to bed. To be continued with a description of the needle. Would it be as bad as I feared?...)

I'm movin' to London, baby!!

On Thursday, I finally got my PCF (Posting Confirmation Form) which means that my posting to London has received its final approval from the Higher Ups! Woohoo!!! Now I can buy my plane ticket, get my new dip passport, etc etc.

On a slightly unrelated note, on Thursday night I sprained my ankle pretty badly coming down the stairs in my house. I somehow thought the second last step was the last, stepped down and heard a loud snap as I fell. It hurt SO bad and all I could think about as I fought against the pain was, "Oh no! What if this somehow screws up my posting to London!!" which isn't the most logical concern to have at that moment but I guess that's what intense pain does to ya.

It just shows how unbelievably lucky I feel to have gotten this posting that I'm subconsciously afraid that it's too good to be true. I guess I won't fully believe it until I've landed in London in August. For now, I'll just enjoy the anticipation. :D

P.S. I thought for sure the ankle had to be broken but a later x-ray revealed otherwise, to my great relief. By the way, here's a great website that I am referring to in my recovery. It gives a useful plan on how to rehabilitate an ankle sprain.

Kerala Trip: Last stop, Trivandrum

We were having such a good time in Varkala that we decided to go to Trivandrum just for our last night before I caught an early flight back to Delhi. We took a quick train there that was super-cheap. We only had to buy tickets for it 30 minutes in advance. It was much more convenient than the bus option which only has a couple of direct buses in the morning, or you have to change buses.



We stayed in a cheap hotel that I definitely do NOT recommend. Avoid Hotel Ganesh, even though it was recommended by my version of the Lonely Planet (although hopefully not in the newer version). It was a complete hole. Because we were there on a festival day (i.e. a holiday), then the rooms weren't cleaned because the cleaning staff was off. But even if they had been cleaned, it would have been a total hole. Even the hotel manager knew it because he told me to pick the price I wanted to pay for the room! I said 200Rs and we settled on 250Rs with tax, but it was too much to pay. I asked for clean sheets and instead of making the bed with them, he just lay them on top of the bed and pillow (i.e. he didn't even give a clean pillowcase). The room stank of smoke, the toilet was gross, and the walls were filthy. Yuck! I didn't sleep very well that night because I was afraid of getting bed bugs.

Anyway, that's all I have to say about Trivandrum. I was happy to get up early the next morning and catch my autorickshaw to the airport to get the heck out of there.

Kerala Trip: Varkala Beach

After the romantic backwaters of Allepey, we spoiled ourselves by heading to Varkala Beach for about 3 days. We stayed at this great inexpensive hotel on the cliff of this deserted beach. A deserted beach is definitely the way to go if you don't want to be stared at by sleazy locals. Although one of the employees who claimed to be a "lifeguard" for the Ayurvedic Spa Resort Hotel next door was still an unwelcome staring presence. Although this is a beautiful beach, there are strong winds and a crazy undertow so we just had fun playing in the shallow part of the water, rather than actually going swimming. To give you an idea of the undertow, I would stand in the shallow water, wait for a big wave to come and as the wave was going out again, it would pull all the sand out from beneath my feet nearly knocking me off balance!

The sound of the waves lapping against the shore, the cool refreshing salty sea air blowing against the cliff and swaying the palm trees at the top... My whole body just felt so incredibly relaxed the whole time I was there.

And the air was actually clean! Plus, there were no horns!! Kerala is the only place in India where I've experienced either of these two things. Not that all of Kerala is like this of course, it is still India, but the backwaters and Varkala Beach did have these luxuries.

People doing yoga on the touristy beach that was a 20 minute walk down the coast. The touristy beach had a bunch of shops and restaurants but was less peaceful.

Did I mention the sand was a beautiful white sand perfect for building sand castles or other designs in?

Sandy & Art referred us to this hotel and it was perfect. Cheap, very clean, on a cliff of a deserted beach, and conveniently next to an ayurvedic spa resort hotel with a delicious relaxing restaurant and internet café next door. So we got to take advantage of their facilities without paying the high room rates. If you go there, try the coconut rice - it was so delicious that I had it every night!

K.R. House
(South Cliff)
Perumkulam Road, Near Mini Industrial Estate
Mob:9349741998
Ramachandran_krhouse@yahoo.co.in
Run by Mr. Ramachandran (an honest, no nonsense man)

Kerala Trip: The backwaters of Allepey

We took a bus back to Cochin so that we could transfer to a bus to Allepey arriving pretty late.

We stayed at this guest house that was recommended by my friends, Sandy & Art. It had large rooms, was clean and convenient. We just stayed there overnight so that we could rent the houseboat the next day. Sandy & Art really enjoyed the authentic Keralan breakfast they served there, but we discovered too late that you have to ask for this the night before. It's a very informal meal that the cook makes for the hotel staff, so it's not really intended for the guests. But if you go there, I suggest you make a special request because I regretted not getting it.

KTC Guest House
West of KSRTC Bus Station (only 200m away)
Allepey (also known as Alappuzha)
Phone: 0477-2254275
Mobile: 0-9846315553
www.ktchouseboat.com
ktchouse@yahoo.co.in
300Rs/room/night was the deal we got.
They arranged a houseboat for us - they originally wanted 5000Rs for it, but we bargained them down to 4100Rs. Sandy and Art got it for 3000Rs but it may have been during a slower season. The 4100Rs included everything except the beer (i.e. mineral water, food, staff, etc). And we gave a tip at the end because the boat guys were so good.

The only thing to see in Allepey is the backwaters of Kerala which are well worth it. You can take a day trip on a small boat like a canoe but with a canopy and someone to paddle you around or you can rent a houseboat.

This is an example of the common "canoes" that the locals who live in the backwaters use to get around. We saw a few vendors of fruits and vegetables going from house to house on these canoes.

This is the one-bedroom houseboat that we rented for 22 hours. It came with a staff of three - one man at the front of the boat to pole the boat along and another at the back, as well as an excellent cook. The boat had a small kitchen in the back, a bathroom with running water (well at least until the water runs out) and a small dining area.

This was our view from little dining table that we sat at. The whole backwaters experience was amazingly beautiful and calm. The air was actually clean (which is the first time I've experienced that in India) and there were no car horns! (Although right after I said that on the trip, we heard one boat horn from one of the monster-sized boats - but it was only once!)

Here's me trying to pole the boat along. It's harder than it looks and that pole is a lot longer than it looks! It's buoyant too, so if you're not careful, it can jump right up out of your hands.

Here's our dining table where we served delicious Keralan meals, full of fragrant coconut curries and coconut rice! The Keralan food was a lot lighter and healthier than the North Indian food I'm accustomed to (which is what we have in Canada).

Since there was only one bedroom, then I volunteered to sleep out in the open under this mosquito net. Funnily enough, I didn't actually see any mosquitoes on the water, but we did have the mosquito coil going all the time and used bug spray. I'm not on anti-malarial pills, so I was extra careful.

Me!

The boat on the left is in the process of being built. The boats are made partly of bamboo and coir, which is fibre from coconut shells.

Here's one of the bigger houseboats. They can get up to 8 bedrooms, I hear, which sounds pretty monstrous! I definitely recommend staying on a small one. I also recommend getting one that is poled rather than one that has a yucky polluting noisy motor that majorly disturbs the peace and tranquility of the backwaters. Surprisingly, we saw one of these big boats with two men poling it with really long poles - looked difficult!

In the evening, the ship was tied to a coconut tree to dock us for the night. We got out of the boat and took a stroll along this path which is the only pathway connecting various homes along this stretch of land. We passed by people doing their daily activities, like hanging their laundry, tending to their garden, their chickens and goats, we even passed by little shops including one that provided long-distance phone services to all of India for one rupee!

We talked to one family who were very friendly.
Pamela: What do you do for a living?
The Keralan Man: Government Service.
Pamela and Brian: Oh, grammar studies! That sounds interesting!
Me whispering: Um... he said government service. He's a public servant.

Then the Keralan man introduced us to his mother, who was this old lady smaller than me who didn't have all her teeth, but was very smiley anyway!

Here's a cashew nut tree! Isn't that cool?

Kerala Trip: The hill station of Munnar

After two nights in Cochin, we took a bus to Munnar, a hill station surrounded by Tata tea estates and various spice plantations.

Cottages nestled amongst the tea plantation.

This was the view from our homestay. See the ladies picking the tea leaves? According to the host at our homestay, women are better for this work picking "two leaves and a bud" which he repeated over and over again. What a character!

A soccer game that we stumbled onto with a very ratty soccer ball and the players in barefeet. Brian decided to join into the fun.

Pamela and her boyfriend, Brian


Don't the tea shrubs make a picturesque tapestry for the hill? If grown in the wild, then the tea shrubs would become tea trees, but they are pruned to keep the short and producing good tea leaves.

In Munnar, we stayed at a homestay hosted by Joseph Iype - he also runs a Tourist Information Service in town which is the place to get tourist advice according to the Lonely Planet (a mention which he is very proud of). The homestay is right in the middle of the tea plantations, instead of in the ugly little town of Munnar. The view is beautiful! Joseph is quite the character and always has tea and biscuits ready in his living room. Just beware that he can treat you like a kid sometimes (like many people in India do) and he seems to get a little grumpy at night.

Zina Cottage
(most autorickshaw drivers know where it is)
600Rs/night for a double, 900Rs/night for a triple.

Kerala Trip: First stop, Cochin

Last week I finally got to visit what is supposed to be the best state in India - Kerala. And after seeing it, I can see why it's everyone's favourite. It was absolutely beautiful, plus I got to hang out with my sister which made it even better!


A Chinese fishing net. Anyone know why they hang them up like this or how they use them.


Look, a blue church!


There's an area called Jewtown with a small synagogue in it. The synagogue was unusual with a surprisingly large number of lanterns inside, but we couldn't take pictures. There actually used to be a small Jewish kingdom in Kerala but now most of the Jewish population has migrated back to Israel.


One of the Kathakali dancers applying his make-up before the show. They started a full hour before the show using all natural dyes mixed with coconut oil. The white extensions are just paper applied with paste.


Kathakali dance - This is the death scene finale where the hero on the left has finally defeated the monster on the right.


My sister, Pamela! She and her boyfriend, Brian, are teaching English in Taiwan and decided to spend 3 weeks of their vacation in India.

If anyone is going to Cochin, I would recommend this hotel to stay at:
Henri's Anchorage
1/926 C, (Rids Dale Branch Rd.)
K.L. Bernard Master Rd 50 yards from Village Office
Near Santa Cruz Ground
Fort Cochin
Phone: 0484-2215397
Mobile: 9846823002
henris_anchorage@hotmail.com
500-600Rs/night
It was very clean and new. The owner, Henri, is very friendly and used to sail boats, hence the name. It is just a short walk from the main tourist area.