On the Up and Up

I've been home a week now and am on the up and up. I'm feeling really good and am now just waiting on test results. Seems like I might have some kind of hernia.

While I was in hospital I had lots of dreams but still remember two very peaceful ones about a bicycle! I went to www.dreammoods.com to try and interpret what this meant and here's what the site said:

Bicycle: To dream that you are riding a bicycle, signifies your desires to attain a balance in your life. You need to balance work and pleasure in order to succeed in your current undertakings. If you have difficulties riding the bicycle, then it suggests that you are experiencing anxieties about making it on your own.
To see a? bicycle in your dream, indicates that you need to devote time to leisurely pursuits and recreation.

Haha. As I am now enjoying a break from work and just hanging out before backpacking in Australia, this interpretation is very accurate!

I'm really enjoying being back home. It is more multi-cultural here than ever. The range of fresh food is astounding. I've downloaded music - I can't wait to listen to Damien Rice and a David Gray one. Brilliant!

A Welcome Home!

I finally made it home to New Zealand after 2 days of travel. I flew from Tashkent via Delhi, Singapore and then Auckland. I picked up the new 32g Ipod Touch on my way through Duty Free. Yippy. Now I'm rushing to fill it up as the internet is so slow in Tashkent that it is difficult to download much.
I wasn't even home 24 hours when I was throwing up blood. It freaked me out but not wanting to wake up my friends to take me to the doctors, I went to bed. Luckily I made it through the night ok and they took me to their doctors. He then put me in an ambulance and rushed me to hospital! I have to admit that at this point I was a little scared.
I was admitted into the emergency department and spent the night there. I was poked and prodded - hence the bruises all over my arm, and a million tests done on me. They put a camera down my throat into my stomach and also took a biopsy of my stomach. Unfortunately for me for some strange reason the sedation did not work one bit a all. I felt the whole procedure and was not in the least bit drowsy. It was awful. My stomach today aches a lot and feels like I am being pinched from the inside - which I guess I was. The results should come back soon I hope. The doctors said they were testing for all sorts of diseases - including liver, kidneys and other stuff. Oh what a welcome home!
So today instead of shopping or walking down the beach, I am at my friend's house relaxing, playing on the internet and watching tv. Not that much different to Tashkent really - oh except the tv has heaps of channels and am downloading music on the internet :-)

A Kiwi in Tashkent

I hauled myself out of my comfy bed at about 9:30am this morning. It's 40+ degrees Celsius outside today and its so much nicer to relax in the comfort of my air conditioned apartment rather than brave the heat outside. I skipped the staff end of year BBQ and walked to the Irish Pub to watch my first rugby game of the year (I know, pathetic since it is already June!). I propped myself up at the bar and since it was by this time after mid day (its was 12:30pm), I ordered a glass of the local brew, Sarbust. I was the only customer. The bar lady managed to decipher my mangled request to turn the TV channel to the rugby. And there I sat wishing I was somewhere else. Home. It wasn't long before I was joined by another patron. He turned out to be a Kiwi too! So the two of us sat and cheered on the All Blacks as they, in an unconvincing performance, beat Ireland. I still find it strange that where ever I am in the world watching rugby, there will be some other Kiwi holding up the bar with me! I've watched games in Thailand, Vietnam, UK, Ireland, USA, Uzbekistan, Australia and probably a few more countries that I can't think of right now (because I started drinking at 12:30pm). Next week I'm off home at last. I am really looking forward to watching the Tests at home :-)