Wednesday 20 January 2010

Happy New Year


Ah yes, it has indeed been a while.....

Let me start by saying that I am still in the same country as three months ago, still have the same job and am still together with Jan.

I guess one of the main reasons I haven't updated the blog in a while is that there haven't been any dramatic developments in my life the past months - except maybe one......

Difficult to believe that I've been in Khao Lak 3,5 months already! Time passes ridiculously fast when you're having fun or when you're working your butt off - both of which apply to my current situation ;)

I'd love to describe some of the fun events here, but work life is a bit hectic, so I simply don't have space in my head for it right now - but low season is just around the corner (end April) and THEN I'll have time :D

There is no doubt that I'll be in Denmark this summer btw. I really really have to see my family, it's been three years now - so even if I have to hitchhike I'll make my way up north around June-July.

Completely out of context, I read this one the other day: Some people spread happiness wherever they go, other people spread happiness whenever they go. I like that one LOL

Fortunately, I am once again surrounded by happy, positive people - what a difference it makes. I promise to do whatever I can to avoid negative, venomous people for the rest of my life; they are not worth my time or energy ;)

Speaking of time and energy (ok this was far-fetched), the aforementioned "dramatic" event occurred beginning November, when I was slightly (!) upset with Jan for suddenly not calling/chatting/emailing once or twice a day as he normally does. It went on for daaaaays. Those of you, who know me well, know that I have an above average fear of loved ones getting hurt and/or dying (yeah, you don't have to be a psychologist to figure that one out). When Jan "disappeared" for 3 days I was getting really scared, having sleepless nights, emailing my mother-in-law and having wild nightmares when I finally did sleep.

Unknown to me, Jan was on his way to Thailand (via a job interview in Abu Dhabi) where he planned to surprise me by showing up at the office - and he'd made his mom promise not to tell me. As my emails got more and more desperate, he finally told me about his plans. He was slightly (!?!?!) annoyed that I ruined his surprise ;)

In reality, though, I was very surprised - just a bit earlier than he planned, so he didn't see my surprised face. AND he would have gotten a surprise showing up at the office, cause unknown to Jan, I was on Phuket for two days with one of "my owners"

Anyway, we picked him up in the airport and he spent four weeks here, helping with some stuff in the office and just chilling. And we finally did a 5-day live-aboard trip together (on "my" boat of course): we planned it two years ago, but couldn't go because of bad weather.

The trip was great - especially if we disregard the fact that Jan was ill the first two days and I was ill the last three days. Nevertheless we did 4-5 dives together; and when a diver was suspected of having decompression sickness, it was good to have a DCS-experienced person on the boat!

I still haven't gotten rid of the sinus infection, which started during that trip. I'm on the third type of antibiotics, but it keeps coming back. Actually, I felt ok again, but when I went diving this week, I (painfully) realized that my sinuses are far from ok. Ouch.

And so it happened that I actually spent Christmas alone in bed feeling really ill, sentimental and sorry for myself. I had yellow stuff coming out of all facial orifices and what sounded like a coral-munching parrotfish inside my head. The painkillers and other medication made me soooo sleepy, but since everyone else was on the boat, I had to work. Not my best Christmas ever.

New Years Eve was much better: still ill, but at least I was on the boat. It was quite a party, guests and crew alike were starting at 18:00 already, peaked at about 21:30, but most people were awake until 00:03-ish ;)) Unfortunately, the crowd was so loud I missed all of Jan's phone calls :((( - he was on Saba to do some work on our house (which is still for sale btw).

Unfortunately, there was a tragic event lately as well: One of our sweet friends was suddenly widowed in November. Her 28-year-old boyfriend was diagnosed with and died from leukemia within just one week. What a devastating shock to her. And once again a reminder of my promise: to live life in such a way that I wouldn't want to change anything if I'd get the diagnosis tomorrow. Life is right here, right now and there can never be too much love, joy and laughter!

Carpe diem my friends. Or noctem. Or both ;))
Karin xxxx