I left home just after 1pm on Thursday and made my way by train and rail-air coach to Heathrow. I then proceeded to eat my way to Thailand ! As there were no travel difficulties I was in the departure lounge with a good two hours to spare. I filled this with a French-style evening meal enlivened by the head waiter cannoning into one of the other waiters who was carrying a tray of drinks and showering the lot over a poor couple heading off on holiday. Then I caught EVA Airways flight BR068 leaving at 21.20 and flying through what would have been my night to Bankok. Unfortunately, largely due to the passenger I was seated next to’s constant movements, I got little sleep but I did get to watch three films; Amelie, Inception and the Bourne Supremacy, and a National Geographic Channel programme about the American National Security Agency. Funny how an American-made program about cryptanalysis referred in the historical section to the WW2 breaking of the German Enigma code as an ‘Allied’ success with not a mention of the pioneering work done the Polish Government pre-1939 and the bulk of the work being performed by Bletchley Park in the UK! I should say that EVA air fed us with a three course evening meal, a 3am snack for those of us awake and a 7am breakfast.
As we were flying over a work turning towards our direction of flight, dawn was at 3am London time and arrival in Bankok at 8.30am London time but 15.30 local time. The 1730 connecting flight to Phuket was a little late, but not without a three-course airline meal on a flight of just over and hour ! The taxi driver organised by the hospital was reassuringly waiting for me, and I arrived at the ‘Phuket International Hospital’ at 9pm.
After some initial confusion as to why I was here, I was soon plugged into the admissions process and have had my blood pressure checked three times; a chest X-ray; had my perenerium (look it up!) expertly shaved with a cut-throat razor and an enema (yuk!); and finally a consultation with Dr Kunaporn in advance of tomorrow’s operation – all between 9 and 10.30 at night. Not bad going.
So the end of 2nd November finds me happily installed in a private room and looking forward to getting my head down in advance of the operation tomorrow, which kick’s off with the pre-med about 9 and should have me back in my room (but bed-ridden by about 5).
Just remember that the time here is 9 hours ahead of the UK.
I’ll keep you posted !
Robin Moira White
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