RIP Dr Marcello Natali - Doctors in the Frontline #Corona

When Dr, Marcello Natali came back from retirement to fight the Corona Virus and be a a part of the country's overwhelmed health care system, he had little idea it would be his last fight. The Doctor from Codogno came back from retirement when the deadly virus hit his small Italian town. Codogno emerged as a cluster for the virus when an Italian Cruise ship landed in its backyard, a ship which had an infected patient. Dr. Natali's father was also a doctor.

Before Dr Natali died, he brought to the attention of the country, the pressure on the Health Care system by the sudden onslaught of the virus. He talked about health care persons having to work without basic latex gloves! As a result maximum number of healthcare professionals have been affected in Italy in their fight against Corona. But this speaks more about the deadliness of the virus as it hits upon countries after countries, than the preparedness. For a relatively comfortable European town, this virus came as an avalanche and swamped the system.

I belong to a family of doctors with both my parents, numerous uncles and aunts, my brother, a my grandfather also being Doctors. I have seen the selfless service they have rendered to the community, treating patients through sleepless nights and low pay. One bed in our house was always reserved for outstation patients. Even unknown patients have come and stayed in our outhouse, for free, while awaiting treatment. I have seen my father, uncle, grandfather revered as Gods and miracle workers though all three were too impatient personalities to stop and acknowledge these sentiments!  This has somehow given us all a deep sense of reverence for the medical professionals.

Love live the medical community as it goes down to work everyday amidst lockdowns and fights cases, coming back from retirement, despite lack of gloves, amenities, systems.

RIP Dr Natali, a true upholder of the Hippocratic Oath.

Corona Trap #10000 Dead

Now that one is trapped with #coronavirus and #janatalockdown, a good time to go back to blogging. I find that the last post i wrote was right before my China trip. Yes, I had been to a trip to China in early December. To Kunming and Sanya. What a change since then. What a change for China, what a change for the World. We are in a WWIII situation since then. China, especially Hubei province has had a lockdown, and more importantly come out of it. Chinese Doctors are helping fight the disease, whose epicentre has shifted to Europe.

Will India be the next epicentre? We all are hoping not, keeping fingers crossed and staying away from each other and work.

Why call it WWIII? All countries are fighting, all are on lockdown, and hundreds of people are dying daily. This war has happened without a shot being fired (though seeing a forwarded video of people stocking up on firearms, makes one think how long the situation will last!)

As peopl are falling off the streets and dying in beautiful Italy, one cannot grieve enough. How many people actually died in China? The official figures say 3248. the rumours say much much more. Lets give a moment to grieve for these people and all the people upended by this virus.

Today is the day when the death figures of the virus has crossed 10000 worldwide.

What is heartening is that all the World leaders, either through fast or slow reactions, are determined to save their people.

Here's hoping for an healthy World.

Preparing for a Visit to Sanya, China

The excting day is almost here. We are soon going to Sanya and Kunming in China. While I was initially not too enthusiastic about the trip, I find I am look forward to it quite a lot now!

The trip will be a short one with 2 days at Kunming and 3 days at Sanya.

What I am having trouble planning is what to do with the luggage after checking out from the hotel. Hotels checkout seems to be at 12 pm. Our flights are mostly late evening. We can dump it in a cab while we take a final cruise around the city I guess. Are the cabs reliable? No idea. Is the luggage dispensable? I guess so! Easy way to dispose of 15 kgs of clothes I guess ... Will miss the suitcase of course :) But thats running away on a randon thought.

The thing about trips is that, every trip is different! We have no idea at all what to expect from China. Having been there before with a much larger group a few years back, the trip was entirely different. We had submitted ourselves to a travel agent and every minute was planned. Not so this time. We have made some random itineraries, subject to the vagaries of finding the right transport, bus, cab or train. We are playing it by the ear, so to say.

Things I particularly want to do are on most people's list I guess. But here they are

Ride a bullet train
Visit an old Chinese habitat
Trek a mountain in Sanya (not happening)
Visit old Buddhist temples
walk around the city
Visit the Stone forest and other nature parks (properly, without being in a hurry)
Do the Tai-chi
Be at the beach all day at Yalong (not happening!)
Take pics at the Ends of Earth and the Phoenix Island
Catch a real bird in nature
Drink the local beverage
Eat local for all meals


So if they are all a bit general.. well then, have to see the place to find out otherwise, right!

So here's looking forward to some fun, frolic, beach-bumming and forest-ing!

May we master the chopsticks and the ni hao.