Far East Texans: Bali Edition

Thankfully it was a short flight from KL to Bali.  The airport is located near the town of Jimbaran, a 2 hour drive from our hotel. Ram prepared me in advance that it would be a drive so I couldn't complain, haha. As we were approaching immigration, I noticed that the lines kept growing and growing. The wait was about 2-3 hours. But instead of stopping there, Ram kept walking. Apparently he hired a government employee to take care of our visa so we wouldn't have to wait in the line with the rest of those fools people (surprise no. 3). Within 15 minutes we were out. I was SO thankful. If I had to wait in that line for 3 hours and then drive another 2 to get to our hotel, I would be one cranky mama.

Our driver met us outside and it took a few minutes for me to register that we were staying at the Four Seasons Resort in Sayan (surprise no. 4), a 10 minute drive from Ubud. Four Seasons? FOUR SEASONS?! I couldn't believe it. It was red carpet service all the way. We even had free wi-fi in our car:) But Ram assured me the best part was yet to come. In my head I was thinking how could it get better than this? After check in we were escorted to our villa. A private villa in the jungle. A private villa, in the jungle, with our own pool, overlooking Bali's longest river (surprise no. 5). It was unbelievable. I couldn't believe this was our home for the next 4 days.

Entrance to Four Seasons Sayan

Our own lily pond

Oh and for all you Eat, Pray, Love movie fans. Julia Roberts stayed at this same location in Villa No. 12 (a few villas down from us) while filming the movie. The staff let us look at the 3 bedroom, 2 story villa. I was thrilled! I need to see that movie again asap...

That night we had dinner at the hotel restaurant which was terraced in the jungle. Our first full day Ram booked a driver to take us around. Like KL, Bali is very spread out, and so are the sights. So we had to pick and choose. We went to visit some of the famous temples that were about an hour away from our hotel. We also saw some beautiful rice paddies. We didn't get a chance to the see the volcano or the temple that's in the middle of the ocean because of time and distance, but we hope to be able to go back one day. After a strenuous day of sight seeing, we had an evening massage scheduled (surprise no. 5).

He had to wear a sarong because he was wearing shorts. Tsk Tsk.

People come here to cleanse themselves on the New Year. But it's popular year round.

Rice paddies. Felt like a scene from Tropic Thunder:)

The next day Ram scheduled a cooking class with the hotel's sou chef (surprise no. 6).  In the morning we went to the market in Ubud. The market opens at 4:30am everyday. People go to the market before they go to work to purchase what they need for the day. In Bali, people eat the same dish for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Locals don't have refrigerators, microwaves, or electric stoves (they use fire to cook). After the market we headed back to the hotel to get started. I can't wait to attempt these dishes again!

Cock fighting very much alive in Bali:( 

This paste is used for many Balinese dishes, so glad we know the ingredients!

Making beef satay

We were rewarded with lunch in a private hut overlooking a rice paddy

Ta Da! 

The resort offered many different things aside from the cooking class. They had yoga, cycling, batik painting, garden tour, and karma cleansing to name a few. It was too hot to do yoga, so I really wanted to do karma cleansing. Turned out the priest was unavailable:( So we decided on the garden tour. We figured it would be easy enough, but it turned out to be a mini-hike! We walked through rice paddies and ended up in a local neighborhood. It was really cool to see how the locals live. Traditionally, the son and his wife stay with his family in a compound. A compound typically has two to three houses. Every compound has their own temple. When there is a wedding, they decorate the house and temple and the newlyweds are required to sleep on an outdoor bed (no privacy on their wedding night!).

Entrance to a compound

Their temple

House 1 (left); House 2 (right)

Outdoor wedding bed

On our final day, we decided to get out of the jungle and see the beach.  So we drove 2 hours to the other Four Seasons resort in Jimbaran. Even though the beach views were gorgeous I'm glad we did something different and stayed in the jungle. On the way back we stopped off at a famous art gallery and snagged a nice oil painting. Can't wait to get it framed and on display in our living room!

Overall I really liked the vibe in Bali. The look and feel of the city reminded me of India, except you don't get slapped in the face with poverty. Again Indonesia is mainly Muslim, but Bali was definitely Hindu. I loved seeing temples sprinkled all over town and encountering people that were genuinely happy and spiritual. We loved seeing greenery again. Definitely something you miss when you live in the desert. And I became a fan of mangosteens, their local fruit. My one and only complaint would be the lack of air conditioning in public areas. I would say 90% of all the places were open air with fans as coolants. All the restaurants, shops, etc. we visited were out in the open. Even the airport had no air conditioning, which was very uncomfortable in the 90 degree weather. I don't know how the locals survive but I guess that's how they acclimate to the heat.

To see our full album, click here. Next stop, Singapore!

Far East Texans: Kuala Lumpur Edition

I can't believe it's been a month since my last blog. The last few weeks leading up to our baby moon were my worst. I was constantly nauseous and all I wanted to do was sleep. I was beginning to worry about the timing of the baby moon. But I was determined to enjoy every bit of the trip no matter what.   Ram had been very good about keeping everything a secret, so I was ready to discover all the surprises!

On May 15 we took off and arrived in Kuala Lumpur 7 hours later. We were greeted by a driver from the Shangri-La Hotel (surprise no. 1). The minute we arrived and the car door opened, a mob of people came towards us welcoming us by name and congratulating us with a bouquet of roses. I felt like a celebrity! They automatically upgraded our room to a suite upon arrival because I was pregnant. Talk about service! ••WARNING: I'm about to start my 5th month so I definitely look pregnant since the last time you saw my food belly. Can't believe we're almost half-way through!••

Welcome Wagon!

Our hotel was located in the city centre, so there was plenty to see within walking distance. Unfortunately the forecast was hot and rainy for our entire stay (a common theme for all the cities we visited), but that wasn't going to stop us. Later that afternoon we were scheduled for a massage (surprise no. 2) but it was in a different hotel. So we walked in that general area and came across a mall, so we popped in for a bit. Then massage time came and Ram led me to the exit and right across the street was the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. That's where he booked me with a certified prenatal massage therapist (hard to find one on this side of the world). I was in heaven.

After the massage, we walked back to our hotel.  Just in time for happy hour. The hotel has a club lounge that offers complimentary breakfast, afternoon tea, and happy hour daily. It was perfect timing since I was in need of a snack, and Ram a drink:)

My happy hour...

...Ram's happy hour

That evening we walked to a nearby thai restaurant and had our first taste of yummy asian food. In the surrounding area there were plenty of fun bars that were in huts but it seemed too hectic for us, so we passed. I don't mind going to a bar, but I won't go if it's too crowded, too much potential for accidents. These days I'm like mama bear, don't get too close to my stomach or else!!!  

The next day Ram arranged for a private tour with a driver. It was raining heavily in the morning, but luckily by the time we arrived at our first destination, the rain stopped. Unfortunately for us, the rain didn't cool the city down. It was as hot and humid as ever. We drove about an hour to reach the Batu Caves. The Batu Caves is a limestone hill that houses a series of temples. Though Malaysia is predominantly Muslim, KL was definitely Hindu.  I was hesitant at first to take the 272 steep climb up, but Ram assured me he would walk with me slowly and we could take as many breaks as needed. As we got closer to the steps we started to see the monkeys. Ram assured me that as long as we didn't mess with them, they won't mess with us. After a few false starts, I decided to keep my head down and focus on the climb. And I'm glad I did:

Monkeys were all over the railings and steps

Entrance to Batu Caves

Next we went to Monkey Hill. A place specifically to feed and watch the silver leaf monkeys common to the region. I kept my distance but Ram dove right in and fed the cuties.

Afterwards, we drove another 45 minutes to another part of town where we could take a boat ride to see the fireflies. Since you can only see the fireflies in the dark, we had some time to kill. Our driver took us to a chinese restaurant on the harbour. We had some of the best chinese food ever here. Then off we went on the boat to see the fireflies. It took 20 minutes to get out there and what a sight! It looked like Christmas all over! The fireflies shone bright white (weird, I thought they would be yellow) and lit up all the trees. It was impossible to capture, as you can see. It was a very cool experience despite the fact that people kept trying to catch and "play" with them, which was not cool.

Attempt to capture fireflies. FAIL.

On our third and final day in KL we decided to check out Little India and China town. It was cool to see the markets there. I loved how both areas blasted music like it was a block party:) We spent our final night at Sky Bar where we could view the Twin Towers. The towers are twin sky scrapers and were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998-2004.

Little India

China Town

Twin Towers view from Sky Bar

KL was a great initiation into the far east. The city is huge and widespread like Houston, which made sight seeing a little time consuming, but it was worth it. Here's the link to the entire album if you want to take a look: http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AZN2rNo3bt2FA

Next stop, Bali!

Dubai Healthcare

Now that I've had several doctor visits in Dubai, I'm beginning to understand their healthcare "system." I'll start with the positives. One huge perk is the fact that all visits and meds are 100% covered. I don't think I will ever get fully used to leaving the doctor's office or pharmacy without reaching for my wallet. The facilities are modern and spacious. The hospital I'll be delivering at only has private rooms, which were really nice. The hospital also has a policy that the baby stays with the mother at all times unless the baby needs medical attention. So there's no area where you will see all the newborns thrust together (and less chance of us taking home the wrong baby, haha).

Private room with a sofa bed for Ram-ji and a shower/bathroom

And now onto my daily frustrations. The clinics here all have websites and the ability to request appointments online. Nice, right? Well invariably when I go to make my appointment 2 weeks out, the staff will call me and to let me know the doctor is available today or tomorrow. Then I have to go through the process of telling them that I don't need to see the doctor today, I'm scheduling my follow up appointment, etc. Then they tell me they can't schedule me that far out and I will have to call back. Every. Single. Time. On top of that, they apparently have a "don't ask, don't tell" policy when it comes to why your visiting the doctor and how much time you will need allotted for your appointment. They don't want to know if you need a procedure done and need an hour with the doctor. They won't schedule you that way. Very efficient.

No. 1 annoying factor is that everything requires pre-approval with insurance. It doesn't matter if you know and the doctor knows you have full coverage. Need a blood test? Come back in a few days once we have insurance approval. Need an ultrasound? Come back in a few days once we have insurance approval. Every. Single. Time. 

Thus their "system" requires me to visit the doctor's office frequently and therefore location is key. Until recently, I was able to drive a measly 5 minutes to see my doctor. Last week I found out (only by chance) that my doctor is leaving to go to another location and they will not be replacing her. So there is no OB at my neighborhood clinic now. Seriously?!

Both Ram and I were hearing great things about this doctor at City Hospital so I called to find out when I could see her. The next available appointment is in September. No scratch that, there is a waiting list for appointments beginning in September. SEPTEMBER. I knew she was popular, but damn. Since I want to deliver at City Hospital, I needed to find a doctor that also delivers there because I heard that Dr. Good can pick up your file from any stage of your pregnancy and go forward. So the closest doctor is now a 30 minute drive one-way (without traffic). I met her earlier this week and she is nice and competent (more so than my first doc), so I guess I should feel relieved. I do hope I get in with Dr. Good though sooner vs. later. I plan to call each month to see where I am on that damn waiting list!

Baby Aiyer Week 13

This is the last week of my first trimester! I've completed 12 weeks and now entering my 13th. Weird how the first trimester is longer than 3 months.... 

Thankfully I have not been plagued by morning sickness or nausea for a majority of the last 12 weeks. I have noticed that this week brushing my teeth induces a 5 minute gagging session, which can get ugly. That plus some foot pain but otherwise I feel normal! Funny how this peach-sized baby can inflict so much on the mother at this stage. 

I haven't had cravings as such to this point or food aversions.  Mainly certain foods just taste really good, like peanut butter and oranges.  Mmm. One morning I made Ram squeeze fresh orange juice using our hand held "juicer." It took 6 large oranges to make 3/4 cup but it was delish! (Ram thanked me later for the arm workout.) Aside from that, I've been a perfect angel. No crying, tantrums or meltdowns of any sort. And y'all know I can cry at the drop of a hat...well okay, I'm lying. I cried when I heard the baby's heart beat. But that was a happy cry...

In other news, I found out that I have to find a new doctor. I will no longer be able to drive 5 minutes to see my doctor. The second closest clinic is 30 minutes away one way. I know for Houstonians that's nothing but trust me when I say it's a pain. I'm on the waiting list for the best doctor here, her first opening is in September, yippee! Until then, the search continues...

I'm starting to show a little but at this point it's more of a food bump than a baby bump. (By the end of the day, I look like I'm having twins, lol):

Oh and check out those pants! So I went to Old Town Dubai yesterday near the Creek and checked out some Souks. All the stalls were selling these linen pants with stretchy waist bands. After passing by at least 5 stalls, I finally stopped and had to check them out. I ended up buying 4 pairs and they are seriously THE.BEST.PREGNANCY.PANTS.EVER. 

We take a hospital tour this weekend, so will be filling you guys in on the details next week. Oh boy do I have plenty to say about the healthcare system here!!! 

Babymoon

Who ever came up with the concept of a babymoon is a genius! Once we found out we were pregnant, we knew our next vacation had to be special.  Afterall, this will be our last adventure for a looooong time...wait, that means no Australia or New Zealand for another few years, crap!

With our no. 1 destination out of the question, Ram suggested the Maldives for some R&R, which I promptly shut down. I'm not hating on the Maldives, it's gorgeous and heavenly. But I shot it down for two reasons. Firstly, Dubai is warm and we have a pool, so there's plenty of R&R going on for this housewife. Secondly, I feel as though the Maldives is a baby friendly vacation spot. (As if planning a vacay isn't hard enough, now we have to make distinctions based upon places that are baby-friendly.) Even our friends, Asif & Dima, were saying the same about the Maldives. So we're planning on all going there with our bebe's in tow sometime next year.

Next suggestion was Greece, then southern Italy, then Switzerland. We kept going back and forth, back and forth. It sucks that now flights are a minimum of 5 hours to get anywhere. I'm used to hopping on a plane from Scotland and getting to our destination in 2-3 hours. Finally we decided to leave Europe alone and explore the far east instead.

Now I had to decide how long I could be on a plane comfortably. I decided 7 hours was my limit. So our 12 day babymoon will be spent in Kuala Lumpur, Bali, and Singapore! I'm so excited about this trip and esp about the food- it's going to be pregnancy heaven! Ram said that will be the extent of my knowledge of the trip. He's going to plan all the details and make sure I get plenty of massages along the way. Do I have a great husband or what?  Can't wait for May 15th! 

Happy Anniversary!

We graduated from the so-called "terrible two's" and now have been successfully married for three years. I don't think there's ever been a dull moment since I married this man of my dreams. My life truly began at 30 when I became Ram's wife. And when Ram promised me a life full of adventure, he was not joking. Our life together is my happily ever after. Looking forward to this weekend to celebrate. Cheers!

Tuscany Villa, 2010

Honeymoon in Cabo:) 

33 on 3-30

Another golden birthday? I think so! Last year we landed in Aberdeen on my birthday. This year we're celebrating in Dubai, next year who knows?! I could get used to this:)

My sister left for NYC early on my birthday morning, so after wishing her safe travels, Ram and I promptly went back to sleep for a few hours. Afterwards we had breakfast at good ole IHOP. Ram's gift to me was a shopping spree (he knows the way to my heart), so we spent the rest of the afternoon shopping. I had my eye on a few things but couldn't bring myself to pay more when I know it's less expensive in the US (am I a good wife or what?). But I did manage to snag this beauty:

So, according to Ram, I can pick up where I left off in the States when we go in July. Can't wait:) Now that we worked up our appetites, it was time for dinner. We went to a latin steakhouse called La Parrilla. This was our first steakhouse experience in Dubai and it was great. We had a beautiful view of the city while enjoying latin dancing between courses.

My handsome hubby:)

There was queso on the menu, so we had to order it. Wasn't quite what we hoped for but it was still good.

Argentinian Beef filet

Though I was missing our friends and family, Ram more than made up for it. Looks

like 33 is going to be a great year!