Ouch!
Fleck
Tue 12 Apr 2011 09:25
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Tuesday, 12 April
Current Location: Raffles Marina, Singapore
01:20.576N 103:38.025
You worry about storms, shipwreck, falling
overboard, and what finally trips you up is a slippery step on the shore.
Arrived here from Malaysia last Friday, having no wish to pass further time in
the Marina in Johor Bahru, and despite discovering that the facility there is
actually free. But the marina itself was hot and airless, and the shoreside
facilities non existant. The Marina Office was a real hole in the wall, with no
windows, clutter and dirt everywhere. There were some loos: one WC and
originally two urinal stalls. In response to complaints about lack of showers
they had uprooted one of the urinals, and connected the water supply to a
shower head: a new meaning to the term 'installation'!! So there you are
standing showering in the alltogether, and a bloke comes in, starts peeing half
a metre away, and you chat about the weather. No, not my scene. I have to say
that the staff were excelIent, Veronica, a local Malay, and huge Ron, an
Australain, living in the Marina on his boat. But it reminded me, yet again, of
the NHS: its free, so what do you expect? I was also a bit miffed to
discover that Johor's main tourist attraction, the Sultans Palace, now a
museum, was closed for twelve months renovation.
So a trouble free day trip accross to Singapore,
and the luxury of Raffles Marina: now up to 16 GBP per day, but air con WiFi
lounge, and super everything else to match.
Several boat tasks to complete: still concerned
about my leaky chainplate fixings, and made a good start on this on Sunday.
Sunday night I walked out of the Marina building carrying my computer and
washbag; it had rained, and my crocs slipped on the top of a
flight of wet marble steps. Both feet seemed to fly forwards, then the
descent began, and I Ianded with my right lower ribs striking the edge of the
top step. I think I could feel rather than hear the crack of bone, and for
sometime it was so painful that all I could do was cry out. Faces gathered
overhead, it was time to get up: I do remember standing and then the pain had
gone and I was in quite a pleasant dream: I can never remember my dreams, but
this was one which I was reluctant to leave for the harsh reality of the
wet stone floor outside the marina, and a now growing circle of faces. I sat up,
and was back in dreamland, and a third time. Then, I managed to think
about it a bit. Pulse 60, so fainting rather than exsanguinating? Head doesn't
hurt so not brain damaged? We get ambulance! No! Finally I got them to help me
onto the golf carts that they use to ferry people around and take me back to the
boat. They (the night security staff) were so very kind and helpful: I had
caught both elbows as I reflexed my fall, and they were bleeding and swollen:
these are the things that attract attention, and the contents of their first aid
kit was laid at my disposal. Some crepe bandages were good for the
swelling.
Initially I seemed to recover well, It was painful,
but I was hungry, and I cooked some vegetables. I even thought about a
beer, but then decided against it. It wasn't until I tried to lower myself into
my bunk that I realised that this was going to be a significant problem. Wedged
in finally, but woke frequently, and pleased to get up. Passed a lovely claret
first thing, very disconcerting, but why shouldn't my kidney be a bit bruised,
everything else was? Anyway plenty of paracetamol, plenty to drink, deep
breathing exercises (cheated) and we survived the day. Slept a bit better
last night, haematuria settled, and I've just been to the shops on the bus. Sore
as we bounced up and down, and I limp along as I walk. Getting over the boats
guardrail is not as difficult as getting into bed. Getting out of bed is the
worst, but best if you roll off, onto all fours on the floor. Probably deosn't
look too elegant to passers by, but as we are are no longer installed in
Johor Bahru, I don't think that there are any!
So, I anticipate that it will be a couple of weeks
before I get my Indonesian cruising permit, and hopefully I will be able to sail
the boat by then. Incidentally the computer landed on top of the washbag, and
escaped unharmed!
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