Bouncing back into shape

I have been a miserable "git" for the past 4 weeks folowing my hernia operation. Not being able to induldge in my favourite past-time, sports, was unbearable. Not being able to throw Thomas and Sammy around was equally difficult to accept. Having to ask a taxi driver to help getting my bag out of the boot was a sample of older days to come.
In the grand scheme of life though, an hernia operation is a very minor event but made me realise how sports can be addictive. So to celebrate my return to training (not to shape yet), I have registered for the Malaysia 70.3 (half-Ironman) at the end of July. Having only about 8 weeks to train this is the opportunity to put into practice new training techniques that I have been researching on my off-days. I am hoping to learn from the Singapore 70.3 and correct some weaknesses. The next 2 months will be hard and I just hope that my "repatching" will hold.

McDonalds: the new libraries

This poster has been spotted in a few McDonalds around Singapore "Dear Students: please refrain from studying in our restaurant during the following peak hours: ..."

Quite right, it is difficult to find a table at McDonalds these days. In my days (a few decades ago) Libraries would be the place to go studying. How boring! In Singapore, McDonalds are the new libraries. Just buy a small fries at S$1.20, or if you are loaded go for the Grande Macchiato Frappe de-cafed on crushed ice and whipped cream at S$5.90 and spend the rest of the afternoon studying the Pitagora theorem and putting your fancy scientic calculator to good use. I guess you only see that here in Singapore...

Back to Singapore

We are back to Singapore after an excellent week holidaying in Phuket and celebrating Helen's 40th. Club Med was great as always, it's an abolute kids' paradise.

Outside of the resort, we were a bit disappointed by the Island which mainly caters for mass turism. If you are looking to buy a tee-shirt,that's the place to go.If you want some pristine and unsploit beaches, or if you are respectful of the environment, that's not the place to go. Take Ko Phi Phi Don Island, about 40 km South West of Krabi city, famed for its spectacular landscape and beautiful corral. Everymorning, a fleet of powerboats leave Krabi to drop hundreds of turists on the Phi Phi's shores. We flew over Phi Phi on the way back and it is amazig to see all these power boats converging into Phi-Phi.