Cross Fit

I take a one-hour Cross Fit class at the gym three mornings per week.  I figured that it would push me harder than I would push myself, work some muscles that don't normally get worked (i.e. most of them), and get me mobile in time for the 9:00 am start.  I had no illusions that it would be easy and figured that in effect I was signing myself up for Cross Torture.  When I met my Thai/Dutch instructor, Eric, my only request to him was to "please, don't hurt me."

The class number ranges from 8-to-10 participants.  I'm often the only male and at least twenty years older than the rest.  Half of my classmates are Russians and the others are Thais or from other European countries.  I am the only native English speaker, but fortunately that is the language of instruction.  The class is held outside under cover and it doesn't even seem that hot until we start the warm-up.

Each of the exercises by themselves don't seem that difficult.  Squat with that little kettle bell...no problem...lift that dumbell with no weights...sure...do some push-ups...I remember those...and now do some sit-ups...hhm.  Although each drill on its own isn't too onerous, when combined together they quickly take their toll.

It didn't take me long to realize that no matter how long I attended these work-outs that I would never be able to do them all properly in the allotted time.  So I do what I can and then catch extra rest breaks while lying in my pool of perspiration.  There are times when I think that I'm a approaching a point of exhaustion where guys my age have heart attacks.  However, there are also times when I think I've turned the corner and once decided to show the ladies that I an extra gear of running speed.  This was when I pulled my hamstring.

I've been going to Cross Fit now for almost two months and know that it's helping.  I'm also doing cardio work-outs on the other days and I'm up to running one-hour on the treadmill with some tempo intervals included.  I almost feel fit enough to start triathlon training again.  However, for now my goals aren't so grand and I'll continue with my elusive quest of trying to complete the Cross Fit workout.

Uzbekistan bound

After months of waiting for an assignment with MSF when it finally happened it did so quite quickly.  I was initially contacted last Tuesday about an opportunity and by Friday it was confirmed.  In one month's time we will be going to be live in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.  My contract will be for one year.

MSF is running programs focusing on Tuberculosis and HIV in both Uzbekistan and neighbouring Tajikistan.  I will be the Financial Coordinator (Finco) and unlike some of my earlier postings I will have no Human Resources responsibilities (yeah!).

Although we will have to cut short our stay in Southeast Asia by one month, the timing of this assignment is perfect.  It will see us back in Canada in the spring of 2017, with ample time to get settled before Alex starts kindergarten.

From the little that we know of Uzbekistan it sounds like an interesting place and a good spot for an expat posting (at least in comparison with most other MSF locations).  Alex will be able to go to English speaking pre-school and Thipp can go to yoga.  Tashkent has a metro system, trams and cheap taxis and I understand that there are actually places worth taking them to.  It will certainly be an adventure for all of us.

The Gym

Not long after arriving in Phuket, once we had Alex settled into his pre-school, Thipp and I decided to join a gym.  We visited two in our area and chose one called Action Point Fitness because it is a five minute walk from our house and it offers classes for hot yoga (for Thipp) and cross fit (for me). We've been going for over a mont now, during the morning while Alex is at school, and have quite enjoyed it.

The second floor of the building is for weight lifting.  It's pretty intimidating with all the large muscled bodies, the tattoos, and the testosterone, and that it is just the women.  It seems that many have spent years in training just so that they could come to Thailand and spend more time lifting weights.  I've only been in this area twice so far.

The third floor has the cardio equipment and this more my speed.  It also seems the place to be for older white who are desperately trying to stay mobile for their much younger Asian wives, so I am in good company (although on that note, Thipp's and my age difference is relatively insignificant compared to the average here, making Thipp to be the equivalent of a cougar).

The top floor has a lovely restaurant with a spectacular view and an infinity pool.  It seems hardly used because it is too expensive.  However, there is a note on the wall saying that if you give the gym a 4-star rating on TripAdvisor that you can have a free protein shake.  A small price for one's integrity.

Thipp has really enjoyed the hot yoga and met some nice people.  The cross fit for me is a whole other blog story.  So over-all we have been really happy with the gym.  However, I won't be giving it 4-stars.

Swimming Lessons

It has been 35 years since I last taught swimming lessons.  I still have many fond memories from those days, especially from teaching the younger kids.  I can still remember one young lad's response to learning that we were about to go to the deep-end of the pool - "I can't go there; I'm only 6 years-old; I'm just a kid."  To pass the introductory Splashers class it was required that students be able to float on their stomach for a few seconds with their face in water.  I failed a lot of kids.

It wasn't my intention to make a teaching comeback while living in Thailand.  However, with Alex spending about one hour per day in our pool it kind of evolved by accident. My main goal has been for Alex to simply enjoy being in the water.  Each day when I ask him if he wants to go swimming he responds with a "Hhm, no thanks.  But once I'm in the water he's running to get his swim suit.  Usually he's the last one who wants to get out.

We play in the water and Alex spends most of the time with his water wings on (he can't touch the bottom except at the stairs).  He is now so comfortable in the water that he could easily swim if he didn't mind getting his face wet.  Today he surprised all of us by making it across our 5 metre pool unassisted.  I wouldn't exactly call it swimming, but he was self propelled while keeping his eyes and mouth out of the water.  It was an impressive showing.  However, it's a good thing that he's not in my Splashers class because I would still have to fail him.

Back into the Routine

This past week Alex returned to pre-school, Thipp got into hot yoga, and I took refuge on the couch with a hamstring pull acquired at a cross-fit workout.

A New Favourite Restaurant

Scene of the Crash

A Crashing Experience

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon (in contrast to the other lazy days of the week).  I was reading a book and Alex was playing with YouTube on the IPad.  We had already had our afternoon swim and we were just putting in time before heading out for dinner.

Thipp had gone out earlier with a backpack full of dirty clothes to wash at a landramat down the road.  It's located beside a small restaurant that we like and Thipp would spend time there enjoying a coconut drink.  The washing was just finished and Thipp was packing up the clothes when she heard the crash.

A car had pulled out and cut-off a motorcycle.  The rider crashed to the road and was knocked unconscious.  Many people riding motorbikes in Phuket don't wear helmets or, if they do, bother to buckle-up.  Fortunately, this older Englishman was wearing his helmet properly.  Thipp was first on the scene and stayed with the man (he eventually came to and asked what had happened) until the ambulance came.  Thipp figured that the driver was Russian because percentage wise that's the best guess and because no one from the car ever bothered to check on the injured rider.

We had dinner early in the evening at our little restaurant.  The owner, who had witnessed the accident, sat and visited with us for a while.  He said that with so many tourist during high season there are many crashes and that another one had happened just around the corner.  Now that we know this Thipp may not want to go out and do laundry next time.