Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Thamel

Am walking around Thamel... it's very similar to india.. the sounds, sights, shops... it's much cooler in temerature since it's monsoon season, and it had rained this morning..

Got my eyebrows threaded... they have a Nepaleese Rupee currency... and a weird visa.. if you stay less than 3 days, it's free, otherwise it's 30 US Dollars. I am staying free, since in a few days I leave for Tibet.

While wandering I ecncountered a Canadian gal who had just been in Tibet.. where she said it was quite cold... arghh. Have a jacket and will be layered I guess? Who knows.. take it as it comes.

I can't wait to dance with a monk.
That is my goal.
My friend promi9ses me 100 dollars, and another friend promises me a dinner at any place I want.

Fun times.

Kathmandu, Nepal

Reached Kathmandu 2 hours ago...

Settled in the great hotel..and now am in Thamel at my Travel Agents place, who has kindly let me use his internet, and given me black tea.

So, tomorrow, added something spectacular to the itinerary (weather permitting...cross fingers)

A mountain flight... to see MOUNT EVEREST!

Whohooo... random addition.

Last minute.. told to me by the guy sitting next to me on my Delhi--Kathmandu flight.
See, talking to the person next to you on the plane can do wonders.

:)

Monsoon season here, so it's all weather permitting.. the flight is at 6:30am...
Top of the morning...to see the MOUNTAIN.
Can't wait.

Monday, July 30, 2007

Leaving Delhi

Staying at the Westside Inn.. a place where you pay for the TV or hot water not to work. Brilliant. Simply awesome. Note my sarcasm.

Leaving for the International Airport to catch a flight to Kathmandu... hopefully better hotels there.. this one in Dehli I picked at 11pm when I arrived in...so I can't really complain..clean bed at least...

Tomorrow, the Chinese Embassy..may they grant me a visa to Tibet, so I can also visit Lhasa, Vegas... my sweet nickname for it...

Lhasa, Vegas, baby Vegas.
Be well!

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Puttaparthi, India

Puttaparthi is located 3 hours via taxi from Bangalore, India. It's a place where I visit often... it's where I am right now, and today is a holy day called Guru Purnima...the day of the Guru (teacher). It's a place where Satya Sai Baba lives. I've been coming here since I was 3 years old, and try to make a trip once or twice a year. (If you do the math, i've been to India dozens of times, and I love it...it's my second home). This place is a spiritual cleansing of sorts--makes me realize that life isn't about the rat race per se, but something more. This year, I attended a world youth conference for 3 days prior to the festival which was great. Yes, it's been hot...yes, i've been 'complaining'...but it's been good. I wake up every morning around 3:30, and go make prayer rounds and attend bhajans (devotional singing), etc... it takes up the whole day.... I had to come to say thank you.... thank you to god for helping me get through residency. It was a rough road... and I learned a ton from it... both the good and the bad... but I made it.

I leave tomorrow via taxi with a friend (who I last saw at my medical school graduation!!!), and we head to the Bangalore airport, where she catches a flight back home to NYC, and I catch a flight to Delhi. Then the next morning I leave for Kathmandu, and hopefully resolve my China Visa issues for me to get to Lhasa, Tibet.

Whew.
Just ate dinner, and now am going to pack up.
Be well!

Saturday, July 28, 2007

Dentist...

As I called my brother last night, my filling in my tooth fell out... great times! Fortunately my brother knows the home number to my dentist back in California, so I called him..

Told him, i'm wandering the globe, and what should I do? Dentists are not a dime a dozen in the small cities i'm going to, and I don't really want to get treated here.

He told me, not to worry, to keep the tooth clean and to eat on the other side of my mouth.
Brilliant.
My appointment with him will be the morning that I get back.

Good times.
Gotta love traveling and the random things that come your way.

(and gotta love the fantasticness of being on the phone with the brother who knew the home phone number... things work out...see?)

Coments

I read all coments, however can't write back as i'm limited to 15 minutes of internet access on occasion :).

Changed my flight.. now will be staying in NEW DELHI overnight.. random stop due to flight issues..

Fun times..

When you travel, especially in random 3rd world countries, flexibility is key.
I've packed way too much..and haven't had time to film much..

Hopefully this too shall change.

Yes, I saw my family (sans brother who I'll be seeing when I get back)... all are well..and I am a smiling idiot since i'm so happy to be out of the south and back in my homestate of California. California is California...and there is no place like it!!!

Okay, back to Indian weather.
Drinking lots...
Sending good thoughts all of your ways... hope all doctors appts, and things are going well!!!

XOXO--Krupali

Friday, July 27, 2007

Visa Issues

Am in India, just was contacted by my Nepaleese travel agent that China has changed it's visa regulations and now am in A TOTAL BIND..

Send good thoughts..
Have to get to Kathmandu a day earlier...

Try changing a flight in India..
Yeah.
Good luck.
May the force be with me.
That and a lot of water to keep hydrated.

It's hot..
Hot..
You don't know what a cold glass of water is here.. it's like a treasured commodity..
Drink water for me.
Please.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Hi From India..

Where it is HOT HOT HOT!!
I am in the south.. and literally sweating buckets daily..

I'm attending a youth conference in Puttaparthi, India with 8000 people from all over the world. People are fainting like flies.. trying to keep up the hydration. I haven't had the chance to take pictures/upload them as of yet....

Hope you are all doing well.. will be here for a few more days.. then off to Kathmandu!

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

In Bangkok--Transit

The 17 Hour flight was surivived. Slept 13 hours of it, thanks to 50mg of Bendadryl, and luckily the flight wasn't full!

Arrived in Bangkok at 9am, and by 10am, was on a Taxi to see the temples in the city....came back around 3pm, and bought a 10 dollar shower at the airport... kinda using their internet for free so keeping this short!

Ate 1 kilo of mangosteens, my most favorite fruit ever...they don't have them in America... and the canned ones DO NOT count.

Be well... Bangalore,India flight in 2 hours.
:)

Sunday, July 22, 2007

My Itinerary



I leave tonight on my trek (or part one of my journey). Part two is later on this summer to South America. This leg of my journey includes: India, Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet. Bhutan has always fascinated me... do you know, instead of the GNP/GDP, they have a Gross National Happiness factor and are known as the happiest nation in the world? Yes, I too was flabbergasted, and want a piece of this happy factor. Tibet and Nepal have always captured my mind as well...and Thailand, is you know... Thailand! (actually in all honesty, I am flying via Thai Airlines, and hence told my agent, keep me in Thailand for 4 days, since right now, for the first time in MY LIFE, i'm not on a time crunch...and also, it's a free layover.. might as well see more of the world as I can, right?). I am planning to take cooking classes there and learn how to make the delicious curries. I'm going to India to go attend a world youth conference and see a lot of old friends and to say 'Thank you' to God for helping me get through residency. This part of my journey is pretty introspective to say the least... a lot of soul searching and deep thoughts...

I fly from LAX to Bangkok on a 17 hour flight. Yes, seventeen hours! I just hope, I can sleep, watch plenty of movies and catch up on PLEASURE reading...

I will be in Bangkok on a 15 hour layover before my flight to Bangalore, India. I plan to roam around Bangkok and see some of the sights, get a massage, and eat a good meal before going back to the airport.

I'll be arriving into India 9:30pm July 24, and will stay in a hotel near the airport and leave for my final destination at 4am, to arrive their by 8am in the morning. Will then stay for a week, and leave for Kathmandu on August 1st. My itinerary after August 1st, is the following (so you may follow along!)

Aug 01 Arrival, Hotel Vaishali Transfer, Sight seeing at Kathmandu Durbar square and Living Goddess Kumari's house
Aug 02 Sight seeing in Pashupatinath, Bouddhanath, Swoyambhunath, and Patan Durbar Square;
Aug 03 Airport transfer and fly to Lhasa (3650 m), hotel Dhood Gu (or similar) transfer, and rest whole day for acclimatization.
Aug 04/5 Sight seeing at Potala palace, Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, the Norbulinka Palace, Jokhang temple Barkhor Market, etc.
Aug 06 Drive to Ganden Monastery for sight seeing and back
Aug 07 Airport transfer and fly to Kathmandu;
Aug 08 Drive to Chitwan, Hotel Rhino Lodge transfer, Lunch upon arrival; Village Tour and Sunset view from beach Rapti river; Dinner
Aug 09 Jungle walk after early morning Tea/Coffee. After breakfast: Canoeing and Trip to Elephant breeding center; After lunch, Elephant ride Evening: Cultural program and Dinner around the camp firing.
Aug 10 Bird Watching (or extra elephant ride at extra cost) after early morning tea/coffee.8.00 AM: Breakfast 9.00 AM: drive to Pokhara, Hotel Fewa Prince transfer, Leisure walk along Fewa lake and boating
Aug 11 Sight seeing at Vindyavashini Temple, Sheti Gorge, Mahendra cave, Davi's fall, etc., and stay
Aug 12 Drive to Kurintar, cable car ride to Mankamana Temple and back, Kathmandu and stay
Aug 13 Airport transfer and fly to Paro and then drive to Thimpu and stay
Aug 14 Full day sight seeing at Memorial Chorten, National Library, Tashichho Dzong, Simtokha Dzong, Handicrafts Emporium, etc.
Aug 15 Drive to Paro, hotel transfer, and sight seeing at Drukgyel Dzong, Kyichu Lhakhang, National Museum at The Ta Dzong
Aug 16 Drive to Sartsham Chorten, pony ride to Taktsang Monastery (Tiger's Nest) and back Aug 17 Airport transfer and fly to Kathmandu and stay in Hotel Vaishali
Aug 18 Airport transfer and departure to Thailand
Aug 18-22nd Thailand, cooking classes, tours....

There is a lot to see, a lot to talk about, and a lot to discuss--unforutunately, i've been without internet at home in California for the past 2 days, hence the limited updates.

I will try and log in and write as much as I can during my travels, but will write on my laptop and update when I find online resources....


Last night I bought a sweet High Definition 60 GB Hard Drive Video Camera (JVC), and am also going to be reporting my travels for Sony Asia Television, based out of London. We'll see how my reporting skills go... or more than likely, me laughing, and enjoying the moments.

I hope that you all are doing well. I'm just so happy to be back home on the West Coast after 5 years of living in the south. I haven't stopped smiling... I feel like a grinning idiot.

Will write with updates soon!!!!!
-Krupali

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Bye to the Dirty South


After 5 years, I'm finally leaving today from Atlanta. Bye bye...thanks for the memories....see y'all later!

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Packing





I don't know if many of you have moved across the country. I'm not a big fan of moving. It is a great time to throw out stuff, donate, and minimize to the bare minimum. I cleared out from my 3 bedroom home to a studio size unit which will be shipped across country. Lots of minimizing. Cathartic, actually.

Friday, July 13, 2007

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Passport

A few more hours...and exam will be done...A few more days and i'll be back in California...a few more days after that and we will begin our adventures.
It's going to be fantastic!

Sunday, July 8, 2007

7 World Wonders



New 7 Wonders of the World were announced yesterday in Lisbon, Portugal (fantastic city, went in May 2005), and i've been to 3/7. I'm going to China next year, and will hit the wall... Brazil will have to wait (i'm angry they require Visas that cost over 150 to enter). I've been to Rome and saw the Collesium (2002), Peru for Machu Pichu (2005), and of course the Taj Mahal (2002).

Friday, July 6, 2007

Crunch Time.

I'm in the middle of living in a library, and counting down hours/days till my Board Exam...

Radiation Oncology has 4 sets of exams (the most boarded specialty out there... yeah, I know...why?!?!?).

2 were taken last July--Physics and Cancer Biology
1 is being taken next week--Clinical Oncology
1 will be taken in Louisville, Kentucky next June--Oral Boards.

Then you recertify with an exam every 10 years.

Yes.
It's a neverending story.
Come along for the ride.
Or at least send good thoughts/wishes/hugs/smiles this way.

Studying away like MAD.
With intermittent 10 minute email/internet browsing breaks.

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

My Job

My Jaw Dropped

Dear Dr. Tejura,
I wanted to say it is a rare pleasure to have been able to have some faith renewed in the medical profession,solely because of your attitude, your strength and dedication to CARING for patients, and I would like to wish you many, many happy days on your journey and in your travels. I want to keep up with you blog, and hope to be talking with you regularly, because we need more physicians who truly believe in the Hippocratic Oath you take when you become physicians and healers of not only the body, but the mind and spirit as well.

It is obvious you sincerely believe in your calling, and I know you will be a wonderful influence on others in your profession when they see and understand the rewards that can come from HELPING AND CARING for those of us who in such desperate need to know we are being treated and cared for by a truly honest and dedicated professional. Your posts have been uplifting and helpful, but your commitment to helping others has impressed me to the point of feeling "happy tears" roll down my face, which is a refreshing change from the tears of frustration and fear I have experienced because of the mercenary and robotic attitude I have witnessed in my journey toward a higher level of wellness.

May God bless you and keep you safe in your travels and I look forward to your return and your very bright future ahead in medicine. I believe you will be instrumental in helping those who would otherwise have little hope to enjoy a brighter, longer and more healthy life when they find themseves fortunate to have you caring for the very life you hold in your loving hands. You are a prime example why God gives those with your level of intelligence and compassion the opportunity to proudly call themselves Medical Doctors.

Thank you, friend.

With Respect and Care,
Briana



Briana is from the NPR blog..she wrote this one the website..reading it brought me to tears...what kind words...as another NPR reader told me 'One kind word can warm three winter months'.... words of wisdom. Thank you Briana, and I hope the rest of your journey goes smoothly.

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

My Last Day...with a Gift!


My doorbell rang during a nap last Friday, my last official day of being a 'resident physician'..it was a day turning in paperwork, being excised from the university....
What a kind, thoughtful, and sweet way of going upon my future journey. I get to finally go home, to where my folks, family, and loved ones are.

I am happy.