Argentina in 45 minutes

The plane from Sydney was delayed as there were too many bags on the plane. The pilot quickly added that the plane was not overloaded just that there were too many bags. Mmmmm.

Arrived in Argentina after 12 hours and 50 minutes and a 2 hour delay in Sydney.

I had 45 minutes to catch my other flight. If I could have crawled along the ground without someone thinking I had mental health issues I would have done. I was in absolute agony.


I made my plane and we were again delayed so I swivled around as I cannot turn my neck and saw duty free. I bought 2 jars of dulce de leche and cigarettes...the baggage man looked at me. Oh yes I cannot carry bags so I had a baggage man!

In 13 hours I will be in London hooray!

Sydney 19 and 20

I get to Claire's house in Sydney. I am miserable.

What do I see of Sydney - from her car I see I see the harbour bridge and the opera house in driving rain at 9.30pm on Tuesday night.

I get to trailfinders agency and they say how can i help you. I say " I want to go home"

Oh they say they can't change my ticket cause it is london who booked it., So I say why are you called traiilfinders. You aren't the same company. I say get me home. Thank goodness I am in business class.

It gets sorted.

Big boss finally awakens and asks have I finished all the site visits.  had enough I emailed the CEO of the group.  I am coming home, i have pain radiating all over my neck, shoulder and back and I feel terrible.  No holiday for me then!!

Quantas upgraded me to first class!! There is a first for everything and a proper reaction to what has been an awful situation!

Homeward bound! I have spent 2 days and 2 hours in Australia. I have gone round the world in 20 days - is that a world record?

17 July - Melbourne

I arrived in Melbourne and its bloody cold. Understandly its winter here.

I am completely spaced out and feeling very very sick.

I have to take a 70km taxi ride and I have a mini panic attack. The driver was very sympathetic.

The man at the client site took one look at me and said what the hell are you dooing here. He said he saw my email and felt terrible. He said I shouldn't have come and I said yeah. [This is how normal people react!] Still no word from my boss nothing.

We finish the site visit and he said I am driving you back to the airport. I fall asleep in his car. I am at breaking point.

16 and 17 July

Valium is a wonder drug. I now understand the addiction to it. It makes you feel goooooood! The body is relaxed. Every bone relaxes. That bloody doctor only gave me 3. I need MORE. I take the valium with my other painkillers so you know this whiplash is no joke.

I spend most of the weekend looking at the origama ceiling and I saw Mel.

Mel took me to the airport. She said that my accident was reported in the national newspaper!! Apparently taxi accidents in Singapore is rare! Fame at last or should I say infamy.

Quantas business lounge in Singapore is rubbish. However the plane Airbus A380 is fabulous and the fully flat bed a marvel. I have some very sexy - ok won't exaggerate - quantas pyjamas now. I sat next to a very interesting man called Peter who is an executive coach. He made me realise I need to get a new job and get passionate again.  He said to me oh yeah I was in a taxi yesterday and my driver was telling me about this accident on friday morning involving a lady passenger. I said "that's me!!"

Famous I tell you - I am Famous in Singapore!!

CRASH - 12.30am Friday 15 July

20 hours of being awake. I had just sent a message to big boss on blackberry messenger to say arrived back in singapore, at airport and getting a taxi back to hotel. I had falled asleep on the plane; i was ready to sleep.
I joined taxi queue and the lady who manages the queue said "smile, don't worry be happy" - what prophetic words they were.

My blue champion cab arrived and I duly told the driver take me to wanderlust. I could almost sense the tempur topper mattress that my tired bones were going to sink into. Ah bliss and the rest of Friday and weekend was mine. At a junction intersection and 5 mins from the hotel ....i could smell the spices (hotel is located in Little India) heck I could get out of the taxi now and probably make it there before the taxi.  I didn't look at the traffic lights but I was alert, awake, lucid.

CRASH

I saw out of the corner of my eye a car, a red vw beetle - thank goodness for my eye for detail) coming at a break neck speed towards my taxi. My taxi driver didn't see though. There was nothing i could do. I honestly thought this is it. I braced. I screamed and screamed. My teeth felt loose. Every bone in my body tensed up and i prepared for the worse. I had my seat belt buckled.  Everything slowed down I saw the car but knew i could do nothing but protect my head that at least i needed to do.

Then it was over. The pain radiated down my left hand side of my body and my head was pulsating with the sensation of rivers of fire rather than blood circulating within it. I was shaking.

The taxi driver said "miss you don't need to pay for this fare"

"what?!'

the workman from the building site came. I was shaking. I managed to send bbm to my boss to say in accident and i called the last number in my phone.

I said to the driver "you crash into us"

"he said i tried to brake but couldn't"

An ambulance was called for me and i was stretchered in. Then the taxi driver came into it and two other people from the other car. The taxi driver started to have palpatations. They took my passport.

I fought hard to remain lucid and alert. I succeeded. I am if anything just bloody stubborn.

All 4 of us got wheeled into the emergency room and were lined up together in our wheelchairs.
The doctor was crap sent me away with pandol and cream even though i said i was on fire.

The police arrived. Am I legal. What?! Doctor says yes she's a lawyer. Thank goodness I have business cards!

I had to get a taxi back to the hotel. I had a panic attack and the driver was sweet he drove at 5km an hour apologising for shit drivers in Singapore.

I got to the hotel and got into bed. The doctor at least gave me a form saying if you develop any of the other symptoms come back asap and you shouldn't be alone tonight. Oh well nothing can do about that.

8AM
Panic. Can't move. I took my breathing down and then realised could move. I took myself back to the hospital by metro...i couldn't and still can't face getting in a taxi.
this time they took x rays - nothing broken but whiplash. i am told to wear a neck collar and given valium, dicofenac and something else. 

Get back to bed in hotel.

I get to the hotel and all the staff say "miss rosalynn what happened" they are stunned and apologise on behalf of Singapore. I coming back to Singapore. People here are so lovely and welcoming.  I love WANDERLUST HOTEL stay here!!

I tell my boss what happened by bbm - nothing not even get better. Radio fucking silence!

4pm - Police Station
My goodness even though they speak excellent English in Singapore the policeman was a bit dim. He then heard i was a lawyer and perked up. However the report he did was rubbish. So I said give me the keyboard and I typed it.  I am suppose to make a formal report later before i leave singapore.

Bastille Day in Malaysia

The Petronas Towers: the world's tallest buildings. A testament to stamina, tenacity and perserverance all of which I need to keep going!


I am currently writing this blog from Kuala Lumpur airport which I have spend nearly 5 hours in.  Today is Bastille Day in France, a public holiday and I am working like an idiot but I guess flying in and out of Malaysia for one day is not so bad.  Kuala Lumpur is a pretty airport:

I have been up since 4am this morning and arrived at Kuala Lumpur airport at 7.30am. I am not a morning person and when I saw the queue at immigration I just thought let it be.  Anyway we moved quickly.

Mike called me to see where I am. In person it is hard enough to be sure he understands on the telephone it is something else.

Mike: Where are you

Me: Waiting for a taxi

Mike: Good you in taxi see you soon

Me: Waiting for a taxi

Mike: Yes Yes

He clearly doesn't understand.



Site Visit Malaysian style
There was someone who actually spoke, understood and I could have a giggle with in English. The site was lovely. Mike could walk around. They even put up a welcome message on the big screen. I felt touched. They had coffee and water ready (very important given that I had been up for 5.5 hours by this time). I should point out that coffee over here seems to be premixed with sugar and milk and its vile!
Padang food is gorgeous. I gobbled it up as if I hadn't eaten in a weeks which in some respects is true. J'ai mangé le déjeuner comme je n'ai jamais mangé un repas pendant quelques semaines qui est un peu vrai d'ailleurs.

Petronas Towers
Here's a little history for you. The Petronas towers were finished in 1996 and are the world's tallest buildings. Members of the public can go to the top but tickets are relased on a first come first served basis so inevitably when I rocked up at 3.30pm there were no tickets; As is de rigeur there is a shopping mall in the basement.  If the world ever runs out of electricity we can blame all the shopping malls in Asia.


Malaysian Airlines
"We treat our customers just the same as if they were a guest in our house." It's true Malaysian airlines is fabulous and I would not hesitate to travel with them again.  Even though I cannot wait to be in business class again. Economy on Malaysian Air is a dream; lots of legroom, polite staff and refreshment! The same cannot be said for China Air.  I was at the airport at 5pm hoping to change my 22h45 flight to the 19h30 but alas it is full and left without me!!! However there is a positive outcome I have been able to update my blog. Tomorrow is my rest day in Singapore -  hooray!!

I have pinched myself it is a little rock and roll to spend just one day in a country!! Also I only had carry on I have never flown with so little in all my life:

Third Visit in Singapore plus flowers, water and anger - Wednesday 13 July

I am tired. Actually I am exhausted 13 days into this round the world trip. I meet Mike each morning at 7.30am for a breakfast meeting and then we spend several hours on site. I do take a long lunch but afterwards I am sending emails etc and what with the heat I am just exhausted!

Hot = drink water
I have not been drinking enough water and I have paid for it. Dehydration is no joke. I have learnt my lesson.

Solo site visit
I went to the site alone today and Mike has flown to Malaysia early. As much as his lack of understanding of some of the things got on my nerves. I actually miss Mike's standard "yes yes" and "it's cold in here" as the cab driver would crank up the air conditioning even more. I turned up at the site and what frustrates me the most with these site visits is they know I am coming so leave my BLOODY name with the security guards. It's the same rountine:

Security guard "who you want see?"

Me: "Mr x he is the EHS Consultant."

Secutiry guard "what, who, I call reception" talks in another language and then passes me the phone "talk, tell him"

Me: "who is on the phone?"

Security guard thrusting phone in my face "TALK"

Me: "Hello, my name is Ros and I am here to see Mr X [long pause on the phone]"

Mystery person at the other end says "No he no work here you at wrong site"

Ros: "No I am at the right site, he came here today"

I pass the phone back....more talking and finally I get shown away from the guard house and told walk up to the reception.

I should point out that the security guard stays in the nicely air conditioned guard house whilst I slowly cook in the heat of the 9am sun. At least on the Chinese sites they let me come into the guard house!

Flowers

After the bullshit of the site visit I decided I am tired of being alone I want to look at something pretty. So I took myself off to the Singapore Botany Garden which is free.  It is simply stunning and if you ever come to Singapore tear yourself away from the shops and come and see this. It is not commercialised and just an oasis of calm. It really cheered me up!
Aprés la merdie du visite de site je me suis allée au jardin de botanie à Singapore. C'est magique. Si vous venez à Singapore il faut y voir. Ca m'a fait du bien!

Crane fountain

Me

Curtain of roots

The bandstand

Anger
Yes yes it is fabulous to be sent round the world. I feel privileged but I am working and with little support. Big boss told me he was my contact if I needed anything. Well the fact I have to visit industrial sites on my own is not what I agreed to.  I sent him an email. He told me he was in a meeting. I told him I had to get up at 4am tomorrow morning to fly to Malaysia so he needs to respond to me.  He told me there is nothing he can do about me going alone and therefore "be strong and enjoy this wonderful adventure/ courage ros c'est un belle aventure!" I responded to him and let me say he now understands why flippant remarks in stressful situations aren't wise!

Next stop Malaysia for a day!!