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Published: March 10th 2014
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Chao Praya river
Outside the Ibis riverside hotel in Bangkok where I stayed. Busy river with lots of barges and ferries. Gosh! I know I've been a bit slack on the blog front but have had bit going on.
My three month visa was up on the first of March so I had to leave the country or so I thought. Some people say it's not necessary, others assume you still have to. I assumed I had to so had a little holiday in Bangkok. Not sure if it was the area I stayed in....on the Chao Praya river near the Krung Thon Buri BTS or if it's happening all over Bangkok, but prices seem to be rising at a staggering rate eg to buy peeled and chopped fruit at the end of last year in the Sukhumvit area, you would be charged 10 baht per piece. Now it is 20 baht per piece. Plus I noticed more overweight Thais this time.....must be the proliferation of fast food outlets. Damn shame. Anyway the weather was perfect, caught up with a friend of mine and generally fluffed around.
Then disaster struck.....all my shampoo, conditioner, non chemical sunscreen, tubes of herbal toothpaste etc we're confiscated at Don Mueng airport in Bangkok. Had bought them in Bangkok as very hard to
Techno bathroom
Light and fan come on automagically when you enter! get some things in Hoi An and was worried that my suitcase would be over its 20kg allowance (it was only 17kg) so put them in my backpack after checking that I could take them into Vietnam. Vietnam was fine....just forgot to check to see if I could take them out of Bangkok. They were all over the allowable 100 ml. Still can't see how toothpaste is a liquid....it's a f#*ing paste you morons! I know it's just stuff but it's stuff I need to keep this body clean and healthy.
Next stop was Ho Chi Min city to get my eyes done (LASIK). Had an appointment Friday after I landed for tests at Cao Thang Eye Hospital. I have been wanting to get this done for a while now and this was my opportunity. I had been quoted via email $1200 US for the operation. During the tests, they found the very early stages of cataracts (which can take years to grow) so I then had to have more tests the next day and see a completely different surgeon who pronounced that lens replacement would be more suitable for me. Originally, I was booked
Tough life!
Having a beer on the river. in for LASIK surgery on the Saturday and was flying back to Hoi An on Monday after my checkup. To have the lens replacement done would require a change of flights and 2 more days in Ho Chi Min all of which I complied with. They would do one eye on Monday, check up and second eye on Tuesday and check up on Wednesday before I flew out. I also asked for a new price on the latter and was told 33,000,000VND and assumed this was for 2 eyes as I was quoted previously.
This is where things get lost in translation. It is 33,000,000VND (about $1700AUS) for each eye. The day didn't start well when I got a phone call from the hospital at 8am to ask where I was. I was told to be there at 9am. Had more tests....again! Blood pressure etc which the nurse commented both times how healthy I was! Drops put in my eye and then they asked that I pay for the surgery. Didn't realize that you pay before surgery and only had a credit card with a minimal amount on it. Then we had the discussion about
Baby tortoises
For eating, not pets! These were at some very interesting markets upriver! the price as I wasn't told that it would be 33,000,000VND per eye and this is where things came unstuck. As I was bemoaning the new price (and this is because a foreign doctor is operating on a foreigner....a Vietnamese doctor is cheaper) and saying that I would have to go back to the hotel to get another credit card (I wish they had told me I'd have to pay before surgery) which I'm sure they didn't believe, the temperamental French doctor comes out, shakes my hand and leaves. Apparently my surgery has been cancelled! No apology...nothing! i know all this is happening for a reason. Maybe he was hungover or something! Anyway, at the moment, I am not a happy camper, to put it mildly! I need time to lick my wounds, so to speak and work out where to go from here.....or as another friend just said.....onwards and upwards! Onwards to a bar, I think and upwards on Wednesday out of here on a jet plane.
And the good news is....my eyes aren't sore and scratchy (OK, maybe a little) and I'm $3,400 better off than I would've been tomorrow!
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Georgina
non-member comment
Oh Sue so disappointed for you - know you've wanted this for such a long time
Think a solution would be (just a suggestion) when next visa expires in 3months leave Vietnam go back to Bangkok where you know the reputation of that 'foreigners hospital' It does good work and you get good results so book in for LASIK - if I am financial and mobile I will meet you there and get some work done too. Love ya - George