Traveling

a last feed before take-off by aunt Mirjam
The bye-bye committee consisted of long time friend Nicole and her daughter Jutta

Xenne's nice baby-bed in the airplane. It was attached to the wall in front of Sandra's seat. I was stored up in the luggage compartment which was ok with me. I curled up and slept the whole way. So did Xenne. Well most of the time i heard. He was also taken good care of by all the staff. They doted on him.

A few pictures of the time in the netherlands

In bed with one of his nice toys
Playing with uncle Arno
A nice bath. An dlucily done by more experienced hands than his mum's
Yummy, food!



There are many may more pictures but since the connection is so bad of late, i might or might not post them later

Finally, some pictures again...

Proud grandparents

Proud mums
7 weeks older and already so much more grown up
all together for a nice picture

Ok, no pictures for the moment

Very nice that i'm able to access my blog but i can't upload any pictures. Somehow, because of all the rerouting, only half the page gets loaded. So i can enter text and post it but that is the extend of it. So pictures will follow later if i can....

We have moved house. That is, we got all our luggage loaded in a taxi somehow. The worst thing was that every place we stayed we seemed to accumulate some more stuff. So when we went to our new apartment (in the same building as before only quite a bit higher) we had a bigger taxi than any other time and still our things barely fitted in it. It was so full that Kyaw Kyaw had Xenne on his lap (in his Maxi-Cosi) and Sandra had luggage all alround her and on her lap (the front seat of course had already been stacked to full capacity). Me, i was as usual lately, cramped into a bag. Highy undignified but i could see that there was no other way....

The day after we moved Kyaw Kyaw's sister, brother-in-law and nephew came to help clean the house. Of course we had decided to give them some money becaue they would help us the whole day with cleaning. It was a strange experience especially for Sandra and me since we waren't used to this but we had to tell them exactly what to do all the time and than afterwards check very thoroughly. Well, Sandra & Kyaw Kyaw especially since i was mostly busy with babysitting Xenne. And when i mean that they needed to explain everything i mean EVERYTHING. Because they wouldn't even see the enormous dustwebs that hang from the ceiling... And if they didn't tell them to clean somewhere they didn't do that. When Sandra & Kyaw Kyaw went for shopping the 3 of them just sat and waited till they had returned since they didn't know what to do. Sandra after a while found this so tiresome that she decided that it was much easier if she did it her self. Which turned out to be necessary anyway since the brother-in-law had cleaned one of the bathrooms and she found a black-varnished piece of nail near the sink AFTER he had cleaned there. And even after they had left, she found dustwebs in many places. So, that is a one-time only. Even Kyaw Kyaw didn't think it a big success.

It was funny in another way though. Especially for Sandra & me since it really showed us how we take things for granted. Kyaw Kyaw's nephew and sister had never been in a western style house before or in an elevator for that matter. This we only found out (Kyaw Kyaw knew of course) when Kyaw Kyaw wanted his nephew to go down to the little shop and buy something to drink for us all (there was again no electricity so we had nothing cold) and he really didn't dare going at first. Kyaw Kyaw had to go with him and explain how the elevator worked. Which suddenly reminded us of the time in august when his cousin and brother-in-law came to stay with us for a few days and KK had to explain them how to use a western style toilet. It turned out that none of them had ever been as high as an 11th floor before either. Imagine that!

For the rest.. it is hot, and we usually have no electricity during the day. If we have it during the day we don't seem to have it in the evening.... The joys of a burmese summer..... Luckily the apartment building has a generator for the elevator. We wouldnt be too happy living on the 11th floor otherwise.

Finally an update

And hopefully a few if all goes well. Sandra is trying to get through an enormous amount of backlog in her emails. And i'll try to update our blog with hopefully even some pictures. it did cost us some time and trouble to get on the blog (which is officilly of limits here in Burma) but since we are on i'm going to try to make the best of it and do my best to update it as much as i can while i can. After all, nothing is for sure here. The connection can suddenly get so bad that all activities are doomed....

I'll post this first. For one to check whether the connection is really working and secondly, so you all know we're still all alive and well.

Shortest update so far

We have arrived safe and sound. Kyaw Kyaw is here too. We have changed hotels and are now staying in a really really nice one. And on top of that, we don't need to pay for everything like we did in the other hotel (even for the hot water we used to make Xenne's bottles).

So now i want to update or blog. Sandra and Kyaw Kyaw wantto go for a massage. Xenne doesnt care what happens as long as he gets enough attention. So i loose.... A massage it'll be....

Almost ready to go

Everything is packed. It took a while since Sandra really needed to sort through things. We got so many presents (clothes, toys and all that). And it really really didn't fit all into the luggage. So we now have one major suitcase (mostly filled with Xenne's clothes and toys), a small backpack (filled with Xenne's miscellaneous things). A huge, fillled to the brim baby bag, an almost bursting at the seams 'hand'bag (so i'm definitely NOT traveling in comfort) and a carry-on suitcase that weights a ton. Sandra's really hoping nobody weights the carry-on. She'd be in a lot of problems since you're only allowed 8 kg if she remembers correctly.

And on top of all that , she has Xenne in a maxi-cosi (which also has a small storage compartment...).

Now all we have to do is drink coffee (Sandra is busy doing that since she didn't sleep very well) and change Xenne into his travel clothes in about half an hour. And then we're off. Bye-bye Europe, hello Asia....

Almost ready to go

KK emailed that he would come to the airport to pick us up. I think Sandra's really happy about that. Not only because she wants to see him but also because she has tons of luggage to drag around. And she'll have Xenne to focus on.

Anyways, the last days have been and are hectic. Busy busy busy with the last things to organise, buy and people to meet. The meeting part is the nice part, the rest just takes up too much time. Like packing and repacking and repacking... 30 kilo's sounds like a lot but it isn't. And it'll be 25 kg for Xenne (Sandra & I are amazed at the amount of clothes she got for Xenne. All so cute and so nice so too difficult to leave behind. So Sandra leaves almost all her things behind in order to have kg's (and space) for Xenne's stuff.

Back to Asia

Sandra got some 'complaints' about the blog being terribly outdated. And she told me to do something about it. It is true, i spend much of my time with Xenne. I kind of live in his play pen and even though i can see the computer from there, it doesn't really hold my interest at the moment. Anyways, we'll be flying to Bangkok this sunday (the 24th of february). We will stay in Thailand for a little while but probably not in BKK since none of us really like that city (for more than a few days). But Sandra wants to talk to Kyaw Kyaw about where to go. After that, who knows. Sandra wanted to teach at the summer school but she hasn't heard anything back yet. So they might not need any teachers. Since we do need income, we'll see what else is available and where (considering that KK doesn't easily get visas. And whether he wants to since the chances for work outside Burma are rather slim). We'll have some time to think about that. KK first needs to learn about nappy-changing, bottle-feeding and Xenne-handling first.

Hopefully when we're all in Thailand i'll have/make some more time to update this site. There are tons of pictures waiting to be posted. They will come i promise. i just don't know when. After all, as soons as we're in Thailand i need Sandra to take me to an internet cafe. Skunks aren't taken seriously over there as paying customers at those places. Maybe it is the lack of pockets ?

It is amazing....

how much time a baby takes up. I had planned to update this site regularly (with also of course pictures of Xenne) but Sandra is so busy with the baby and i need her to log on to the computer. So i find that, once again, i don't do what i planned to do....

Xenne had his first vaccinations on wednesday. Normally, it is only after 7 weeks but he could do the fast-track. So now Sandra is trying to leave at around the 23rd/24th if she gets the 'all clear' and if she there are seats on the plane available for those dates. Then we'll all meet up with Kyaw Kyaw in Bangkok and probably stay in Thailand so Xenne can get his second shots there. This will also give KK time to get used to Xenne and learn how to feed him, change his nappie and all those things. In case Sandra can get a job at the summer school. Because, at the moment we have no income (KK has a little but it is not enough to buy all the nappies and other baby things Xenne needs...) and since it is only 4 hours per day, it is a good start she thinks. Besides, we can all get used to the heat again in Thailand. There if you take a room with aircon, the aircon usually works since they do have electricity 24/7. Which is nice in 40-something degrees celsius. It'll be summer in Asia by the time we get back there.....

Update on the visa issue

Well, things aren't progressing much. Kyaw Kyaw was told by the German embassy that he needs to go to the Dutch embassy in Bangkok. They already said so when he first came to the embassy just after Christmas but it took them until last week to officially say so (before it was the guy at the counter who said it). So 3 more weeks without any result.... And the dutch embassy keeps tellign Sandra (who emailed them ages ago and even called them last week) that the German embassy CAN give out the visa. But that it is a courtesey. The German embassy says that they used to do it but no longer... So Kyaw Kyaw will go to Bangkok as soon as he's finalised the business he's doing for his brother's boss.. He has at least a letter from the German consul in which the consul describes the situation and explains Kyaw Kyaw's work and everything else they need to check (so basically telling the Dutch that they've checked it). Sandra isn't very optimistic about KK getting the visa but one never knows.... We'll know more in a week or 2...

Leaving the hospital

A busy day the day we left the hospital
Xenne all wrapped up because it was really cold outside.
And Sandra was ready to go to...

Some more people to see Xenne.




And finally drifting of to sleep

The first visitors

Me, of course. But only after i'd been for a big wash. Sandra said i had gathered too much travel grime in the last year or so. Truth is, i couldn't remember when i last had had a decent bath...

Xenne's grandpa's youngest brother.
Sandra's godmother. Of course again with Xenne.
More aunts with Xenne
More brothers of grandpa

Thijs, Sandra's stepbrother with, no surprise, Xenne.....
Aranka, who compared Xenne immediately with Isa, her own daughter. She was surprised at how little he was. Isa was 7 weeks at this point and according to Aranka, there is a definite difference in weight in such a short time.
Sandra's godson, Rick, with Xenne.

Introducing: Xenne

The same day i wrote the last update here, Sandra ended up in hospital. Something about her blood wasn't right anymore all of a sudden. And they were a bit in a hurry. I just managed to hop in her pack and get myself a lift to hospital. She'd almot forgotten about me.
The next day she was allowed to try and get Xenne out herself but when that took way to long (she had no activity whatsoever yet), it was decided a casaerian was in order. So that's how Xenne came into this world. And what a beautiful present he is.
We all stayed in hopital till last sunday.

Isn'the cute?

Time of birth. Thanks to a girl who was allowed into the operation room as part of her practise and who was willing to make some pictures.... Skunks weren't allowed in at all. I even had to have a bath in the washing machine before i was allowed out of my bag.... But that humiliation was worth it.
Getting dressed
First clothes
And a nice little bed to recover from the journey.

More posts and definitely more pictures soon

The first week of 2008

Well, it's been a very quiet week. No traveling for me, travel-addict pure sang, and i see Sandra's eyes mist over everytime she sees a map... But she's now very very pregnant and even though she wants to do a lot, it just isn't possible anymore. Which she finds annoying sometimes... I think she just wants to much but what do i know about pregnancy. Luckily everything is alright again. Sandra was send to the gynaecologist for a check-up by the mid-wife. Logical since they don't really have any history of her here. Her blood pressure was a bit high but according to here she always has that when she sees a blood pressure-meter. Anyways, a scan was made too but the gyn. wanted to have the blood presure mesured again. So she had another appointment with the gyn. Then it turned out that dear baby had changed position. Head down, which is alright but unfortunately feet down too... So, Sandra was warned not to go anywhere far and if something would happen to lie down immediately and call an ambulance. Bummer, she thought. Me too since i still had some plans to go and explore some more of Brielle. Ok, a mid wife appointment was 2 days later and another 2 days after that a new scan to see if the baby had changed again. And luckily the position was ok this time. Pfieuw.... Sandra's blood pressure rose instantly when she thought of a possible caesarian. With so many meetings she felt she almost needed to buy a diary just to keep track of her medical appointments... She claims that she's been to more of those since she's been back in the Netherlands then in all the time before.

We did have some distraction. Ewold and Karin came on saturday and took us out for lunch. Really nice. And Katinka made the long long journey on sunday by public transport to come and see us. And to deliver some really yummy home-made appel sauce. I had to battle with Sandra for that one. She liked the appel sauce as much as i did.

Have a wonderful 2008!

Sandra, Kyaw Kyaw and I wish you all a wonderful, healthy and spectacular 2008 with a lot of fun, adventure and good friends. Enjoy new year's eve and keep in touch!

The last posts of 2007

Just a few pictures of the really really nice weather that Sandra & I got into when we came back to the Netherlands. Of course, now it is grey and rainy but that first week it started with a beautiful frosty day with sunshine and that exquisite crisp air that is so nice to breathe. Sandra was in paradise. She'd be dreaming of that kind of weather for months. And it even snowed for a day. Kids were ice skating on the small ponds and little water ways that are everywhere here in Brielle. A really really old dutch picture. And eventually, at the end of the week it even snowed. Not a lot but enough to give it that nice extra for a day or 2. Of course, Sandra immediately caught a cold. Not a too bad one, considering the difference in temperature was about 25 Celsius!
Brielle harbour

Me on a good hang-out

And looking up close at the frost that covers the twigs