2 hands

Today I realised how lucky I am - I am healthy, I have two hands, I can run, I can breathe. And all of this because starting today 12 o'clock my right hand is at sleep due to an operation at my middle finger. I had a strange development on my finger, very painful when touched, and I decided to remove it. The operation was full of pain, I felt the movements of the knife, quite an unreal feelíng. After it I have a hand which I can move but not use. And an amazing feeling of gratefulness. I am happy to be alive, the pain will go away and then again I will be able to type fast (this post took so far 7 minutes, quite unusual for me) and to move around cleaning every spot. Peter was with me, so good to rely on the loved one, to know that if you feel a bit woozy he will be there. And now at home, watching election results and day dreaming :) Yes life is good!

Estonia - second trip

Somehow Estonia manages to fascinate me each time, one way or another. If I look back to the two and a half days I can definetely take some wonderful memories and some not so great events.

I just love the beach close to Narva, it was so amazing open, sandy, warm, deserted, welcoming. I do not know how to describe it best. I loved to walk along the beach and discover the place where the river Narva meets the sea. It was so peaceful, quite a luxury moment after a tough morning (meeting with a supplier). I am so grateful that I had the chance to see it and I think I will consider to go back there during the summer for a longer weekend. Below pictures to witness my statement ...





For the not so great moments I do remember sitting for 2 hours in a plane and praying that they will find the missing ring for the wing so that we will not loose any more fuel and that we will be able to take off. In the end I did get home with 3 hours delay but seeing Peter at the airport made everything all right. And now I am home and dreaming of the summer ...

Estonia

Thinking back at what i saw in Estonia it is hard to describe the strange mixture found here. We went to Narva, a city at the border with Russia, fully destroyed after the war. The only remarkable monument recreated is the Bastion divided between two countries on the banks of Narva river. The rest is desolating, just soviet blocks without feelings, design, beauty. Narva has a long history of ethnic conflicts (if i understood correctly), after the war, in the Soviet Union, the local Estonian population was banished and replaced with Russians. No wonder that now Narva has 90% Russian population. In EU times they still want to mother Russia. If you want to get things done, you must speak Russian. Cars go around with the Russian flag. You listen to Russian music. A strange mix. Nevertheless, despite all the prior warnings, i had no problem. I tried to make the best out of it. After all, borders come and go! I had 3 nice days, will most likely return, so hoping the trend will be kept.

Roses

My favourite ones, to be transformed into deco for the new house :) I adore them!

CITIGATE Hotel in Perth - never use it!

I had the "pleasure" to stay in room 136 and this is the worst experience ever for me during my 10 years of business travelling (including countries like China, USA, Mexico, all Europe).

The arguments for my statement:

1. Arrived at 3am on the 19th of May 2009 and after I tried to check in, I weas informed that I have no room and they have no room free. For a second I did not understand what the receptionist tried to tell me (after travelling for more than 25 hours coming from Germany). I showed him my reservation mentioning 1am on 19.05.2009. He said he is sorry but my room is available starting 12 o'clock and that is it. Unfortunately I pressed (really in need of a shower and bed and not knowing what tio expect) and after 40 minutes of waiting I got a room (a mystery how come they said at the beginning that they are fully booked).

2. After a shower in one of the worst UNCLEANED bathroom (see pictures) I tried to go to sleep. Unfortunately I did not consider my neighbours who were in a very "good" mood, very loud and vocal. In the end I must have elapsed in a sleep since I was very tired. Woke up at 7am.

3. Room service is MOST EXPENSIVE. For a breakfast of fruit and toast I paid 18 euros. A rip off!

4. Returning after my first work day I found the room uncleaned (see more pictures), glasses really dusty, no clean towels. The carpet was still dirty.

5. Trying to sleep in the hotel proved to be an adventure itself. At 1am I was forced to call the reception since people seemed to find amuzing to slam doors from 5 to 5 minutes, then they laughed. I do not want to remember how the sounds were when my neighbours went to the bathroom. It appears that the walls are so thin that you are an actual witness of their try outs. After 30 mins passed from the call, they became a bit quieter and I could sleep.

6. The internet is also very EXPENSIVE (26 AUD for 24 hours or 13 AUD for 1 hour - so you end up buying the 24 hours) and so SLOW. Who cares that you need to work?

7. The staff is slow, and react differently according to their mood. For an espresso at breakfast one day I paid 5 AUD another day it was free. I am still not sure if you should pay for one!

All in all the hotel is not adequate for its original purpose: providing accomodation.

If you want the pictures, check this out!