Ready, Aim, Fire

“We’ll be using the shotgun approach today.” The doctor could have said this yesterday. In preparation for my trip to Africa, I have to see a doctor and get poked a number of times. Yesterday was the first visit and with each required immunization, she asked if I’d had that one before or within the last x number of years and to each question, the answer was the same. “No. No. No.” Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Malaria, Measles, Mumps, Yellow Fever, Rabbis, Tetanise, Chicken Pox, Turkey Flu, and the Wild Bird Variety, Influenza, Whooping Cough, a running nose and The Common Cold, Stiff neck, stiff upper lip, and generally body soreness that could come from a solid workout, an hour of sport (not counting injuries) or an number of sicknesses – especially if combined with a fever, which itself could be mistaken for simply being hot from the hotter climate, and the list goes on…

In case you haven’t figured this out yet, I did not get that many immunizations, but both arms were used and the doctor told me one leg would be too but the nurse disagreed and since the nurse had the needle, she won. Thank you. I don’t need two sore arms and two sore legs. It’s nice to have one limb without any holdback. My plans for the Africa trip are all coming together and looking good. I’ve now added on a few days in Thailand since I’m there anyways. After all, just like Hawaii last January, how often will I end up there as a result of saving money on a flight? May as well take advantage of it. Anyone know the best places to go and things to see around Bangkok?

Well, speaking of travelling, one of my friends is moving home to South Africa today. I’m scheduled to take him to the airport, and in typical South African fashion, he’s running late. Thankfully, in untypical South African fashion, he told me. I was to leave 1 ¾ hours ago to pick him up and right now I’m waiting for him to stop by my place… Ah, I’ve learned by now that when a South African say’s “I’ll be there just now” it means anywhere from 5 minutes to 3 months, and a schedule is nothing more than a general guideline – kind of like the speed limit in Alberta, Ontario, or Quebec (actually any part of Canada for that matter) or the lanes on the roads in Australia – a select few people stick within them and for the rest, well that’s where defensive driving comes in.