Phillip Holt's World

It is now 4am in the morning, and once again (see preivious blogs), sleep is like Santa Claus, sleep has missed me out.

Is it jet lag, is it that I have mislaid my mobile phone, that I cannot get for two days a piece of equipment to work which will boost my internet signal, is it that my mind is too active, is it those horrid mosquitoes (read about what I think about mosquitoes) or the smell of the mosquito repellent pads, is it the heat and high humidity here in Malaysia, is it that I fell asleep in the evening whilst we had family visiting, or the fact that I have a very bad cold?

I think the major factor is that it is the cold, with its’ runny nose, making me sweat, giving me aching limbs and a stuffed-up head.

I came across some interesting facts, useless information, yes I am full of useless information, but facts which I would like to share with you. Perhaps getting them out of my head by writing them down, will help me find sleep. I hope it does not have the same effect on you.

Interesting? Well we all get colds or infections, we might as well know what we have.

Apparently the easiest way to tell the difference, is that if the mucus is clear, it is a virus, if it is yellow or green it is a bacterial infection. The horrible yellow, brown, green stuff is the body getting rid of the bacteria.

“So?” I hear you say. Well it is important to know. You can have money in your pocket, and it is important to know what type of currency it is, whether it is US Dollars or UK Pounds, and which country you are in, that will help you to determine how you can spend it, or get rid of it.

What is a viral infection?

It is caused by the presence of a virus, a microorganism, that needs a cells to grow which it invades, using the cell’s chemicals to stay alive and reproduce itself, sometimes mutating, making it difficult to fight with drugs. Viruses may contain either DNA or RNA as their genetic material.

I am told they cannot be treated by antibiotics, which if taken can make a viral infection worse.The only treatment is to suffer, like me now, and let the immune system fight it, with a little help with a good diet, loads of water for hydration, and rest and sleep, all that I am now missing. There may be anti-viral or other drugs one can take, but the medics will need to know specifically the virus to attack.

Viruses cause many common infections in humans, from the common cold, to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), caused by the HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), and the dreaded bird flu, the avian influenza A (H5N1) virus.

What is a bacterial infection?

Bacterium are living cells, much larger in size than a virus cell, and need no other cell to reproduce themselves, they are a one-cell living organism.

Bacteria can be found anywhere, from the soil we stand on, in the water we swim in and drink, in the coldest wastes of the North and South Poles, the boiling waters of hot springs of Iceland (read about my visit to the Blue Lagoon in Iceland).

Bacteria is mostly harmless, in fact they are beneficial to humans. They breakdown orgain waste, they can prevent infections and reproduce estential vitimins for human existance. Bacteria is used to produce cheese, yogurt and other foodstuffs.

Bactirial infections are caused by these microorganisms gaining entrance to the body. When the immune system is compromised, the human can catch an infection. Stress, exposure to or being with someone who is already infected or ill, and poor lifestyle choices can cause infection. All is true here, but I have clear mucus.

The infection can be treated with good nutrition, which is essential for a strong immune system, and drinking lots of water. Good regular exercise, but not too much as it may weaken the immune system. Good adequate amounts of sleep, and if needed an antibiotic treatment from a doctor.

Oh well, I am still awake, I think I will go back to the old wives tales of feeding a cold, I will raid the fridge now for chocolate biscuits, and counting sheep.

Good night world.

SLEEP SLEEP

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Many years ago, in the dim and distant past, I worked in Saudi Arabia as software manager for Texas Instruments computers, Saudi Computer Services. It was a place I would return to after nearly twenty years to give courses near my favourite dive site. (click to see pictures).

It was a time of discovery, of myself, my beliefs, different cultures, religions, food and people.

Saudi Arabia at the time, and to a lesser extent today, was a very restricted country. It is a Muslim country, the home of the most religious places in Islam, with Mecca and Al Madina, and the Al Ka’bah, the most holiest place in the Islamic faith, they are places no non Muslims may enter.

 الكعبة al-Kaʿbah

All other religions were banned, as were theatres, cinemas, pubs, clubs, alcohol, pork meat, and the television was heavily censored. There was not much to do, and we tended to form groups of like minded people for support and our social life.

My group was based around British nationals and sea sports, especially scuba diving. (click to see pictures.)
The friendships became very deep, as we needed at I believe a deep psychological level, support of each other.

One of these friends was Nick Milonakis, a Greek national, working for the same company.

Like all of us I think, life was hard in Saudi Arabia, and after a number of years of hard frustrating work, Nick went on holiday to Athens to be with his family, never to return.

We kept in touch, and on my finishing my work in the Kingdom, I called in on my journey back to the UK to visit Nick in Athens, spending a number of days with his family.

It was here that my belief that language is no barrier to communicating, as I took a young lady to dinner, she speaking no English and me no Greek, yet we had a great night.

It was on this journey that I reinforced my beliefs that you do not have to conform to what is commonly thought to be the only way, as I spurned my flight ticket back to London, and instead purchased a rail ticket taking me all the way from Athens to my then home Peterborough. An epic journey, with adventures that stretched me and my beliefs in myself.

Today I received an email from Nick, who I have not heard from for twenty years, wishing me a Happy New Year. Obviously Nick must have got my contact details from the internet.

Our world is a small world, and it is getting smaller. No matter how much or little time we spend or have contact with each other, their influence and memories will stay with us for the rest of our lives.

Let those memories be good ones, so that when we meet again, it will be with happiness, because I am sure, we will all meet again.

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To the British, as with other Christian societies, Christmas is a very special time. It is a time for families to get together, it is a time of remembering friends, loved ones, of giving, and eating traditional foods.

The UK will close for the 25th December, with no trains, buses running, no shops open, well perhaps one or two corner shops mostly run and owned by non believers, the whole country comes to a stop. Hospitals will try and send as many people home as possible, to empty the wards. The streets will be empty.

It is the day when Father Christmas or Santa Claus will visit during the early hours, climbing down the chimney delivering presents, filling the Christmas stocking with little gifts and oranges. It will be where the children will leave a minced pie and a glass of sherry as a gift for Santa, so that he can deliver all the presents to all the boys and girls of the world.

It is the day when we will sit down as a family to eat the traditional turkey lunch, with roast potatoes, sprouts, cranberry sauce, followed by Christmas pudding with brandy butter, minced pies, trifle, and a Christmas cake. We stuff ourselves. After the meal, it seems that the men of the family have to have a mandatory sleep, whilst the women wash-up and prepare for an equally large evening meal.

This year I find myself for Christmas in Bukit Mertajam, our home in Malaysia.

As I had been delivering courses in Turkey prior to the Christmas holiday break, there had been no build-up to the festivities, nothing. I had not sent any cards to relatives or friends, brought no presents, not even for myself.

So although the family in Malaysia will celebrate Xmas, after all the Chinese will celebrate anything, it is not the same. I had no presents to give and I received non either, it was just another day.

Mee Len’s sister Amy with her husband Yang had prepared food for a small family gathering at my brother-in-laws Thiang’s house next door. We were joined by Han and Anna with their daughter from Singapore, and my brother-in-law John’s family. Other bothers and sisters, members of the family of Mee Len, could not make it for various reasons.

We left a cold and foggy UK in the morning of the 23rd December 2007, for the warmer climate of Malaysia, and our home in Bukit Mertajam, on the Malaysian Peninsular near the Island of Penang.

In the heavy fog at Heathrow Airport, we were slowly bused out the waiting aircraft. For some reason, MAS (Malaysian Air System) had not allocated enough buses to take the full load of passengers for the Jumbo jet, which delayed our take-off for two hours. At least we took off, unlike my trip to Gaziantep. (click to read).

Despite all my flying, sleep on and aircraft I find is difficult to achieve, I sleep in bouts, but in a sitting position, it does not give a truly refreshing sleep, so I watch about three films on the 11 hour flight.

As we departed London two hours late. so we arrived in Kuala Lumpur’s KLIA airport two hours late. It amazes me that flying all those miles or kilometres, they can predict to the virtual minute the landing time. Why can’t we get this right on public transport, trains and buses, in our major cities? There seems always to be an excuse for the late arrival on every journey of London’s Southwest Trains, wrong sort of snow, leaves on the track, broken rail, person taken ill or under the train.

We had half an hour on landing to cross between KLIA airport’s International Arrivals terminal, get through passport control, to the Domestic Terminal.

With such ease, about twenty people of the London flight were gathered like sheep on disembarking the plane, and herded via the connecting AirTrain, and with five minutes to spare we were sitting on the Penang flight.

My eyes were heavy with sleep, my head was spinning with lack of sleep, but there was no time to get some shut-eye on the 45 minute flight. Just time to eat the complimentary peanuts and Milo drink. I love Milo made by Nestle, a malt chocolate drink I remember my Grandmother giving me as a very young boy. Oh great taste and memories.

We picked-up our rental car from Bob Rent a car, a local company that always gives a good service, with pleasant staff, who were waiting at arrivals to see me through the rental agreements and hand me the keys. Oh, the air conditioning of the car, it was so hot and humid, I needed it, as I find the climate a little too much sometimes, especially having just arrive from London’s freezing zero degrees.

A short drive later, and we arrived at our Malaysian home. All that I needed to do, was to make the bed, put the air con on, and sleep.

It was now the 24th December, Christmas Eve, and I had left Santa Claus, presents, decorations, roast turkey and Christmas Pudding far behind me in the UK. This year I will celebrate Malayasian style.

One of the advantages of having visitors, is that you have to show them the local sights.

So it was yesterday.

Moon, Mee Len’s brother, was arriving from Malaysia at London’s’ Heathrow airport, and I had volunteered to pick him up to take him to his other sister’s and bother-in-law’s, Mee Chee and Joe’s house in Leatherhead, so that the family will be celebrating Christmas together.

Moons’ wife and two girls were dropped off at our home, and Mee Len wanted to take them to the home of Henry VIII, Hampton Court, which is only a couple of miles from here, as we had a few hours to waste prior to the flight arriving.

Rear view of Hampton Court

Every time I go, I see something different, learn something new. It is like taking courses. I do not know how many courses I have attended and assisted on with Richard Bandler, hearing his stories, seeing his work time an ime again, each time I go I learn something new. Perhaps it is George Miller’s 7 +/-2 (click to read), of how much the brain takes in at any one time.

We joined a tour given my actors dressed in the style of Henry VIII’s time, acting as if they were there at the time. They told us history I did not know about, showed us things I had never seen on previous visits.

The attendants, overseeing Hampton Court, took timeout to explain aspects of the building as we walked through our tour, making the experience one not to be forgotten.

As I wondered around, my mind was racing, as some of my work, my stories are based on previous experiences at Hampton Court. The description of a walled garden in Win Wenger’s Image Streaming with the crunching of the pebbles beneath my feet, the edged lawns, trees and fountains. The rooms of my hypnotic CD, The Castle (see above in the side panel), with the rooms and stairs, are in Hampton Court.

crunching of the pebbles, the edged lawns, trees and fountains

Relatives from Malaysia who had never been in temperatures lower than 20 degrees find the UK cold.

It is surprising how much we will realise what is missing from our understanding of the world, when we revisit our experiences.

Today I find myself back in Norbiton in Kingston upon Thames in the UK, and it is very cold.

Being in Turkey for such a long time, I have missed the build up for Christmas, and it has come as quite a shock to realise that it is so near and I have done nothing to prepare myself.

Part of Christmas is that we send cards to friends, relatives and people we know, and I do not think I have time now, so if you do not get a card, Happy Christamas and a Happy New Year.

For my Muslim friends, Happy Eid or in Turkey Happy Bayrami.