After a day of rest I was back at Soi Dogs in Phuket, where along with Katie, I was working with Mikel, a Spanish vet, and Thai vets Drs Max and Mint.
The Soi Dogs shelter set up was pretty similar to the mobile clinic, although with around 200 dogs permanently housed at the shelter there are always cases to see and plenty of howling in the background. The dog catchers depart early to collect their daily crop, whilst the inpatients are treated and dogs that were neutered the day before are checked. Around midday a take-away lunch - usually fried rice - mysteriously appears from somewhere, then the main part of the day - the neutering - begins.
Working in Phuket does have some advantages - primarily an air conditioned theatre with lots of fans, but also more equipment and drugs for sick animals.
Having worked most of the previous 2 weeks I felt the need to see a bit more of Thailand than it's stray dogs, so Katie and I decided to go to the Similan Islands for a couple of days on a snorkeling tour. The Similans have the reputation of having some of the finest diving/ snorkeling anywhere in the Andaman Sea, and the group of 9 islands is a National Park. We headed out on a tour there - independent travel there being just about impossible - in a huge speedboat filled with weekend tourists, about half Western and half Thai.
After a couple of snorkeling stops over beautiful coral reefs, we landed on an equally idyllic beach for lunch and to check in to our basic tented accommodation. After a couple of lazy hours we were back on a larger, slower boat which would be our floating restaurant and dive boat until the end of the trip.
Landing on Donald Duck beach
The afternoon consisted of more of the same - snorkeling over fantastic coral reefs with a myriad of brightly coloured tropical fish, plus a green turtle. Later on we landed at Donald Duck beach, named after a rock that looked unsurprisingly nothing like it's namesake. Here the clear blue sea lapped gently against a white sand beach and a gentle breeze stirred the jungle behind.... it was lovely.
Dinner was back on the boat, watching a disappointing sunset and the gathering storm clouds. We landed as night fell, and had a brief and incredibly unsatisfying visit to look at some land crabs - swiftly aborted as the rain started to gently fall. After beating a hasty a retreat to the tent, the skies opened and an hour long deluge ensued, which despite my best Boy Scout efforts left us with several small lakes inside the tent - the dampness permeated everything.
Morning was clear and beautiful. After having the beach to myself for sunrise we were back on board and enjoying the snorkeling again under blue skies and on calm seas. In no time we were back on the speedboat, and a few hours later back in Phuket, enjoying the deliciously cool aircon in my room at my guesthouse on NaiYang beach.
Monday was back to work at Soi Dogs. Katie was heading off to northern Thailand to another neutering project, Mikel had left on Saturday which left myself and a newly arrived volunteer vet, Jo.
After rounds with Dr Mint or Dr Max (usually with ourselves as slightly bemused onlookers), there would be a break before lunch then a few hours of rapid surgery. On average I managed 5 or 6 surgeries a day in 2-3 hours - the production line efficiency of the setup means that once you take a dog off the table, another one is lying in place when you get back.
As well as the surgery, Jo and I would see Westerners who would bring in their sick animals for a consult. Although there are 6 vets on Phuket, often the language barrier would mean expats would visit SoiDogs first - but if my consult with a Russian lady and her little Westie (with itchy skin, some things never change!) was anything to go by, sometimes not a lot could be gained!!
After work Jo and I quickly adopted a routine involving the beach/swimming/eating/beer in no particular order. Friday evening and Jo left for her return to the UK, and I met up with some Canadians from Koh Lanta who were on a heroic mission to sort out homes for 12 puppies, as well as spaying the mother. That evening we decided to head into Patong for a taste of the overdeveloped Thai resort.
For those not in the know, Patong has become a byword for sex tourism in Thailand. The gaudy strip is lit by endless neon lights advertising KFC, McDonalds and "massage parlours", ladyboys try to entice you into their bars and hawkers tempt you with pingpong shows (if you don't know, you should be relieved!). It was awful - after a few beers and an overpriced meal, we headed back to the hotel, past lines of girls and ladyboys waiting to be picked up for the rest of the night. An experience best not repeated - and I couldn't bring myself to take photos!
On Saturday I headed back to Koh Lanta with the Canadians and a dozen puppies crawling around my feet - fine until they need the toilet. Junie welcomed me back to Time for Lime where I reinstalled myself as Lanta's resident vet - hopefully until the 12/13th April when there will be another neutering clinic.
In the meantime, as well as tending to the needs of the local animal populace, I've been learning to dive and making friends with the local expat diver set - a very welcoming bunch who have been very kind. Fortunately for me sick animals seem to be a bit thin on the ground, and my treatments so far usually relate to flea and tick problems.
The diving has been something else. My instructor, a large friendly Frenchman called Ben (whose cat I castrated!) has seen me through my PADI Open Water certificate, and today I passed my Advanced Open Water. Tomorrow I'm starting the FreeDiving, which promises to be a different kind of fun - there's physics to learn and everything.
The dive days so far - there have been 5 - have been to islands west of Koh Lanta, often Koh Haa and once to Koh Bida. Here there are gorgeous coral reefs, loads of tropical fish, a few sharks, turtles and eels, and water as warm as a bath.
In the evenings I have my little moped to take me to where the action is at, and a hammock in front of my bungalow which is just lovely as long as the mosquitos aren' t biting and the sunburn that day hasn't been too bad......
Landing on Donald Duck beach
The afternoon consisted of more of the same - snorkeling over fantastic coral reefs with a myriad of brightly coloured tropical fish, plus a green turtle. Later on we landed at Donald Duck beach, named after a rock that looked unsurprisingly nothing like it's namesake. Here the clear blue sea lapped gently against a white sand beach and a gentle breeze stirred the jungle behind.... it was lovely.
Dinner was back on the boat, watching a disappointing sunset and the gathering storm clouds. We landed as night fell, and had a brief and incredibly unsatisfying visit to look at some land crabs - swiftly aborted as the rain started to gently fall. After beating a hasty a retreat to the tent, the skies opened and an hour long deluge ensued, which despite my best Boy Scout efforts left us with several small lakes inside the tent - the dampness permeated everything.
Morning was clear and beautiful. After having the beach to myself for sunrise we were back on board and enjoying the snorkeling again under blue skies and on calm seas. In no time we were back on the speedboat, and a few hours later back in Phuket, enjoying the deliciously cool aircon in my room at my guesthouse on NaiYang beach.
Monday was back to work at Soi Dogs. Katie was heading off to northern Thailand to another neutering project, Mikel had left on Saturday which left myself and a newly arrived volunteer vet, Jo.
After rounds with Dr Mint or Dr Max (usually with ourselves as slightly bemused onlookers), there would be a break before lunch then a few hours of rapid surgery. On average I managed 5 or 6 surgeries a day in 2-3 hours - the production line efficiency of the setup means that once you take a dog off the table, another one is lying in place when you get back.
As well as the surgery, Jo and I would see Westerners who would bring in their sick animals for a consult. Although there are 6 vets on Phuket, often the language barrier would mean expats would visit SoiDogs first - but if my consult with a Russian lady and her little Westie (with itchy skin, some things never change!) was anything to go by, sometimes not a lot could be gained!!
After work Jo and I quickly adopted a routine involving the beach/swimming/eating/beer in no particular order. Friday evening and Jo left for her return to the UK, and I met up with some Canadians from Koh Lanta who were on a heroic mission to sort out homes for 12 puppies, as well as spaying the mother. That evening we decided to head into Patong for a taste of the overdeveloped Thai resort.
For those not in the know, Patong has become a byword for sex tourism in Thailand. The gaudy strip is lit by endless neon lights advertising KFC, McDonalds and "massage parlours", ladyboys try to entice you into their bars and hawkers tempt you with pingpong shows (if you don't know, you should be relieved!). It was awful - after a few beers and an overpriced meal, we headed back to the hotel, past lines of girls and ladyboys waiting to be picked up for the rest of the night. An experience best not repeated - and I couldn't bring myself to take photos!
On Saturday I headed back to Koh Lanta with the Canadians and a dozen puppies crawling around my feet - fine until they need the toilet. Junie welcomed me back to Time for Lime where I reinstalled myself as Lanta's resident vet - hopefully until the 12/13th April when there will be another neutering clinic.
In the meantime, as well as tending to the needs of the local animal populace, I've been learning to dive and making friends with the local expat diver set - a very welcoming bunch who have been very kind. Fortunately for me sick animals seem to be a bit thin on the ground, and my treatments so far usually relate to flea and tick problems.
The diving has been something else. My instructor, a large friendly Frenchman called Ben (whose cat I castrated!) has seen me through my PADI Open Water certificate, and today I passed my Advanced Open Water. Tomorrow I'm starting the FreeDiving, which promises to be a different kind of fun - there's physics to learn and everything.
The dive days so far - there have been 5 - have been to islands west of Koh Lanta, often Koh Haa and once to Koh Bida. Here there are gorgeous coral reefs, loads of tropical fish, a few sharks, turtles and eels, and water as warm as a bath.
In the evenings I have my little moped to take me to where the action is at, and a hammock in front of my bungalow which is just lovely as long as the mosquitos aren' t biting and the sunburn that day hasn't been too bad......
1 comment:
This all sounds unbelievably gorgeous but please answer your emails too!!!
Post a Comment