Personal Business Day in Bangkok

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1 June (Monday) - I got up early to sort through our laundry and set it outside the room to have it washed. Then I had breakfast while Will slept in, and who should show up but my cousin Larry who had taken the night train from Chiang Mai where he and his wife Nancy live. She is also a Facebook friend, and had casually mentioned to him as he got on the train that we might be here. So we had a great day talking to him about his projects. He recently completed his PhD with a disseration on Thai "Face."

By 9 AM I had to head to the hospital for my root canal. Mom decided to tag along; perhaps to see more changes in the many years since she had been here. The endodontist took an X-ray, and then informed me, fortunately before giving any numbing shots, that I needed to see her in three weeks for a follow up visit...any infection would take three weeks to resolve itself. I told her that the only day I could see her was Friday, 12 June (less than 2 weeks). So she cancelled the root canal...I can't say that I argued much, but am resigned to having it done in the States ($540 for copay vs $300 for the full treatment here). Next I saw their orthopedic doctor who confirmed that I had gout, and proceeded to prescribe the colchecine, but at 4 times a day rather than my previous six times, so hopefully my side effects will be less severe. That came to $19 for the doctor visit and the medicine...not bad. Perhaps when Barack nationalizes health care we will get low prices in the U.S...or maybe it will be more cost effective to fly to Thailand to have major stuff done. Theior hospitals here are like five star hotels.

We got back to the guest home just in time for lunch, and had a great discussion on a wide range of issues with the other guests at the table.

After lunch Will and I took a taxi to Carol's favorite traditional Thai massage place, where for 200 baht ($6) we got an hour long massage. I tried to memorize each step so that I could give Linda the same massage when I got home; and I think I know the routine pretty well. It involves starting facing up with a deep massage of the feet (I told her to go slow on my sore foot, but she actually made it feel much better). She sat on one side facing me, and proceeded up my legs leaning forward with fingers, palms, and forearms pressing hard one each muscle. She proceeded in a similar fashion to my arms; pulling on each finger and pressing knuckles in the palms of my hand and then up each arm digging deeply. Then I had to turn over, at which point she climbed onto my back and used her legs to massage my muscles from my upper thigh to my shoulders. It's a good thing she wasn't heavy, but it was still painful. She finished with me sitting up and getting a neck and shoulder massage using her hands and forearms to dig into every muscle. I provide all this detail so that you too can give your husband, wife, or significant other a massage tonight! Let me know if you need me to video this next time! You can thank me later!!

Following the massage, we went next door to get our haircut and scalp massage. I think we have become addicted to massages...and will certainly have more in Railay Beach and when we return to Bangkok.

We walked home, and spent the rest of the afternoon reading email and conducting other computer business. By 4:30 I met with Larry again for an hour, and then he and I together with Mom, Carol, and Will drove over to our house where Linda and I lived from March 1973 to February 1974, before moving to Chiang Mai. Now it is a first class restaurant. We took pictures of every room (see posted), and then had a great Thai dinner.

We returned home at 7 PM so that Will and I could pack our bags for our onward flight to Krabi tomorrow and then from there to Saigon on Saturday. We should be under the Air Asia 15 kg/person weight limit. As I understand it, there is no pier at Railay Beach, so we will have to wade ashore with our bags. We are both wearing shorts and sandles/flip flops; but nevertheless the landing should be interesting. I told Will that he will have to go ashore first and then video me as I try to jump off the boat into the surf, without getting anything wet. Tomorrow nights blog should document our landing.

Anyway, that's it for today.

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