End of an Era

Bulawayo, Zimbabwe 23 June 2014: Local Time 15.36

Well this is it. Time for this blog to end. It has been fun writing this, and well worth the experience of visiting India. Although we did none of the touristy things, the trip was a complete success, and we take many fond memories with us. Allan and Eric are safely home, their knees fixed and happy to be back around loved ones.
I hope that all those who followed this blog enjoyed the updates and pictures we posted along the way. Who knows, there may be another adventure to follow sometime in the future. Only time and opportunity will tell.
So we bid you all farewell and wish you safe on your blog journeys, wherever they may lead you.
The last day I decided to take a trip into town and have posted some photos.
Allan, Eric and myself want to thank all those involved in making this trip possible, karma is watching you.
Namaste!

View from the luxury of a tuk tuk

Give way to the right and cattle.

Beautiful architecture

Always an ornate building to be found

Even the gateways are beautiful

The boss

Fantastic Dubai terminals

View from the driver's side. On the way home.

Thanks all, see you next blog/adventure.

Front row seat on the bus back home from
Harare.

Back in Zim

21 June 2014: Harare Zimbabwe Local Time: 22.10

Well the flights are done and dusted and we have returned from India, wiser, healthier and sort of walking. Both Eric and Allan are still feeling stiff, but are really happy to be back home. Tomorrow morning it's another early morning as we meet for the bus back to Bulawayo. Will post pictures of our travels around Ahmedabad when I return home. From then on it will be the end of this adventure and, unfortunately, this blog. (The main reason being we cannot have 3 Men Go To India, when we are in the middle of Africa) That's another whole adventure in itself.

OK, now all the stitches out

Sunday 15th June 2014: Local Time 16.55

OK, so now it's official, all the stitches (more like staples to be precise) have been removed from both Allan and Eric. Dr Singh came in this morning and "unclipped" their legs.
He seems very happy with the results. Allan's leaking leg looks like it has dried up well and the antibiotics have taken effect. Eric's wound, which had bled the first few days after the operation, has also healed nicely. So now I can tell them no excuses. It's time to get those running shoes out of the cupboard.

While having a word with Allan's son Tony in Australia this morning, he wondered if we would be able to fall asleep once we returned home, after spending a month with Allan and his world class snoring. I suggested taping Allan and playing it when I get home and slowly wean myself off until I can sleep with peace and quiet. It was then he came up with the idea of taking it into the bush when we go camping and using it as an aid to scare off lion. Like a true Zimbabwean entrepreneur I might just make the recordings and sell the discs under different headings. "Lion Deterrent" for the African market. "Tiger Deterrent" for the Indian and Asian market, and finally "Grizzly Deterrent" for the US market. Although the snoring does sometimes sound like a Grizzly on heat so that might work the opposite and attract bears.

Otherwise the other huge news is that we had a flying visit by the technicians last night who fixed the signal to the rooms that allow us to watch the live FIFA World Cup games. Unfortunately, the early games in Brasil start here only at 21.30 and the rest during the wee hours of the morning. And the only living creatures awake at that time of the morning are the night staff, Eric, myself and some poor hapless tiger who wandered into earshot.
It's our last Sunday here of a very successful trip. With the stitches out we are hoping to perhaps go to town in the coming week to have a look around. Will take photos for all to see.

Entering the Home Straight

Saturday 14 June 2014: Local Time 12.10

We have entered our final week here in India and the countdown has begun. This will be our last Saturday here. By this time next week, we will be on the bus back to Bulawayo, hopefully to arrive back by early afternoon. (Unless the road works and police road blocks have something to say about it.) It has been a long time, yet gone so quickly. The days seem to be flying by and within no time it seems we will be getting ready to board the plane from Ahmedabad back to Dubai. At least this time we will not have to spend 17 hours at the airport. Which is a pity because I wanted to get Allan and Eric back for the time we spent coming over. My plan was to hire a wheelchair for myself and get them to push me all around the airport for a few hours. Ah well, maybe next time.
The worst of the news is that we have not been able to watch any of the FIFA world cup football in Brasil. We woke up to the shock of finding out Holland beat Spain by 5 goals to 1. Would have been a nice one to watch. So my apologies to Tsana at home, sorry love, I will most likely be catching up on a lot of sports for the first few days and hogging the TV remote.
Spirits are still good and both lads regularly sleep and go for walks, sleep and go for walks.
Yesterday Eric and myself made it to the front entrance of the hospital and it was nice for him to see a different view for a change. The whole time they have been here they have only really seen the 3rd floor, whereas I am lucky enough to be able to walk out and about.
They both still have stitches in one leg, Eric in his right and Allan in his left, and hopefully they will be coming out in the next day or two. The doctors have been in a few times to change the dressings and check on the healing process. They are happy with the results and have left the stitches in as a precaution. I am not sure if we mentioned it but, Dr Shah did say that Eric's right knee was one of the worst he had ever operated on, and they still managed to fix it. Respect!

Childhood nightmare is now a thing of the past

Thursday 12th June 2014: Local Time 10.40am

Ask any child growing up in Mutare, Zimbabwe, in and around the '70's and almost all of them were traumatised by going to the dentist. I won't mention names but the dentist's name rhymed with "kill-em" and that's what we used to call him. Even driving past the building gave me the shivers and up until this trip those innate fears continued to haunt me.
So you can imagine my dread when I decided to take advantage of the the dental services here at Krishna Shalby and have my teeth checked.
Naturally, after a gap of 14 years since last visiting the dentist, I plucked up the courage and humbly shuffled down the the dental surgery.
Considering the time gap, my teeth were not too bad, two fillings needed and root canal and crown. I have just finished my fourth and final session and all is good. So I have to take my hat off to Dr. Namrata Babariya. Everything I feared, dreaded and remembered about visiting the dentist had completely disappeared. Even the painful root canal was not as bad as I imagined.

Other news (I suppose I can't make this all about me) is that Allan's sore on his leg has stopped seeping and all the doctors and happy. Eric and Allan are both slowly moving around and have to get their muscles used to walking unaided again. It's the calves that are having to do some work after a long time on vacation

Missed A Day

Wednesday 11 June: Local Time 12.33

Just in case anyone thought we had taken the day off to go gallivanting around the city and visit  tourist sites and the like, I am afraid it was not so. It was just a simple case of no Internet connection.

We spent most of the day in the hospital, both Allan and Eric are walking a lot more. Even this morning Allan did two rounds of the block. Both are progressing well.

Allan still has a slight infection in his lower left leg, which seems to be seeping. He has had it looked at several times and nobody is concerned. As a precaution they put two staples back in and put new dressings on. The room is constantly being bombarded with guests, from doctors, nurses, attendants and even a visit by a couple from Kenya. The price of fame. (Although it really is just the level of service that Shalby gives. I haven't the heart to tell the guys that they pay just as much attention to all the other patients.)

Once they have their remaining stitches out I am sure the first thing both of them will do is head to the bathroom and have a shower.
I know that they are really looking forward to coming home and with 9 days left, we already have begun to count down. When we leave, which will be around midnight the night before, we all said that both Allan and Eric will walk out of here. So at the main door, if they are being wheeled out, or walking with sticks, both will ditch their aids and walk through the doors unaided.

Enjoying the view from the 3rd floor

Look ma, no supports

Afternoon Delights

Monday 9 June 2014: Local Time 22.45

Just some pictures of this afternoon's activities.
Allan has decided to use his walking sticks and is doing well. Although he has a slight infection on his left leg, but the docs say there is nothing to be concerned about. They have cleaned the infection and replaced the dressing.
This afternoon the temperature outside has dropped off quite a bit and therewas even a slight breeze. Eric decided to take a walk out onto the balcony and sit in the fresh air for a while. It has been over two weeks since he last saw the sun or felt a breeze from the wind and I think he really enjoyed it.

On the walking sticks now

With Khushboo, who's always there to
lend a hand

Chilling in the open.