After spending a week in Amsterdam by myself, I prepared the apartment for Robb’s visit. The Anne Frank Room (i.e. the hidden little upstairs bedroom) was clean, and the bed was freshly made. I put a small fan up there, because being on the top floor, it can get a bit warm. I set my alarm for 6:00 a.m. Tuesday…
It’s Tuesday in Amsterdam. In two more days, four of my college buddies fly across the Atlantic to join me for five days of eating, drinking, exploring, laughing, and reminiscing about the good old days, i.e., our days together at SUNY Binghamton, back when life seemed like one continuous party. Forty-one years have passed and we’re still good friends, and…
Ah, home sweet second home. I arrived in Amsterdam, to spend the last few days of this long winter trip. The weather forecast for the second Amsterdam leg of the trip did not look promising. As is typical in Amsterdam, it was rain, rain, and more rain. I would have liked sunny weather, but I didn’t really care. In my…
I was given a copy of the CT report. I took a photo of the report, and then send an instant message to my friend Slobodan, a radiologist in Boston. I met Slobodan over 20 years ago, when we both lived in Baltimore. I would see him around at bars and parties, and we were friendly, but we never hung…
The third and final day of the Bangkok leg of my trip was to be devoted to the massive Chatuchak Market. I had visited it with Mark several years before, and the experience stayed in our heads for years. It was a total shopper’s paradise. The market is absolutely enormous. It is divided into sections (I’m not sure how many;…
Udi, my Amsterdam buddy for over 20 years, was exceptionally busy, trying to wrap up all of his work assignments and projects before leaving for vacation – a 30-day excursion to Vietnam, Bali, and Malaysia. But he put aside enough time for us to see a hilarious play at the Stadshuistheater (Husbands and Wives, based on the Woody Allen movie…
All good things eventually must come to an end, and that includes this incredible adventure. The vaccinating and caring for the animals goes on all year, but these Mission Rabies volunteer projects are only two weeks long, and the last day had (all too quickly) arrived. We gathered at the reception area in the morning as usual, and rolled out…
There are so many enjoyable aspects of the Mission Rabies Goa vaccination drive (Here’s their Facebook Page; give em a ‘like’). I loved meeting and bonding with my fellow volunteers. Driving through Goa and walking the streets and alleys was fascinating. Sampling Indian breakfast cuisine at the different roadside cafés was great. Meeting and chatting with the residents of Goa…
The Mission Rabies vaccination drive is exhilarating, but it’s physically taxing work. You wake up early and spend nearly the entire day chasing down dogs, in stifling heat and humidity. Fortunately, the Mission Rabies folks provided us with the opportunity to recharge our batteries after the first week, by arranging a relaxing, meditation retreat for the volunteers. On Saturday morning,…
In my previous post, I described Goa as a city of crazy contrasts and contradictions, and that’s true. There is one thing, however, that remains consistent about Goa, and that is its residents: the kindest, friendliest, and most appreciative people I’ve ever had the honor of meeting. Although I knew that the impetus behind Mission Rabies is to reduce the…
My intention for this trip was to maintain a daily blog, but those plans quickly fell by the wayside. Practically every moment of the day was filled with an awe-inspiring sight or an important task, and by the time the day’s activities came to a close, I was too exhausted to do much of anything, let alone sit for a…
I woke up refreshed this morning, despite having a difficult time falling asleep last night. I had taken a nap before dinner, and after dinner I just wasn’t tired. Eventually, Satan’s aspirin (i.e. Ambien) did the trick. I lumbered downstairs and headed over to the restaurant for breakfast with my fellow volunteers. The non-Indian fare was pretty nondescript: slices…
I’m sitting in the Mumbai airport. My flight to Goa boards in 45 minutes. Last night, after a smooth landing in Mumbai, I headed to Immigration/Passport Control. I was amazed to find very few passengers, and tons of clerks manning the windows. It’s almost always the other way around. Getting through immigration was a breeze. I headed to the Arrivals…
I am on the airplane now, composing this blog post on my new Chromebook. I’ve never written a blog post (or anything, for that matter) on an airplane. Pretty neat. Yesterday, I purchased a selfie stick. I went for one with a wire, rather than a bluetooth one. One less device I have to charge. Well, last night I thought…
When I retired last year, I thought my life could be divided into my “professional identity” and my “civilian identity”, and I was happy to leave my professional identity – and all of the stresses that arose from that – behind, and just live happily with my civilian identity. But being a veterinarian is not like being a toll collector…