Greetings from Medan

I brought 'R's internet card with me to Medan so that I could give it to him and he has graciously allowed me to use it to give you another update.  We flew from Tarutung to Medan this morning on a, thankfully, uneventful trip.  Even the young co-pilot landing the plane did so, relatively smoothly.  We had never heard from 'R' exactly what to do when we arrived here - do we wait for him and where? or was someone picking us up?  As we stood in the domestic flight building of the airport and discussed this, we eventually decided to try to find the international flight building and wait for 'R'.  As we walked out the door to go to the other building, 'H' called out.  Were we ever glad to see a familiar face!  We took our luggage to his car and decided to wait the 15 mins. until 'R's flight arrived.  As 'luck' would have it, he was late and we ended up waiting an hour.  This would not be so bad except you have to wait outside.  It is very hot in Medan - and I already warned you I get cranky when I'm hot!  Enough whining :-)

Next we headed to the hotel.  The difference between it and Tarutung is 180 deg.  You have someone to take your luggage from your car to your room, security guards at every door, you have to have your room key just to use the elevator, our room overlooks the swimming pool/courtyard, a 'western' bathroom with tp!, etc....  The town is huge and traffic is 6 deep and constant and noisy.  After some lunch, we headed off to find the 'feed' store.  Was that ever a disappointment!  A very small shop with several rows of bags of chicken and pig food, a few antibiotics, and some syringes.  We asked about a cow thermometer and they only had a wall thermometer (but it said medical so must be the one we need!), never heard of nose snubbers or calf chains.  We will have to see about sending those when we get home.

We are currently in the room while 'R' is resting.  He had to be up earlier than us, so needed a nap :-)  'K' had a 'minor' procedure today to take a stent out of the kidney (that, of course, didn't need to be there in the first place).  She will be released to go back to Java on Thurs.  Their son will be with her and the daughter is already in Java.  'R' will head to Tarutung tomorrow to check on things at the farm, then leave for Java on Sat. to take care of family for a week or two until 'K' gets more energy back.  They don't expect her to be able to go back to work until Jan.  They have learned that the total for the medical care, including the medivac flight, is over $40,000.  They have insurance and recently heard that it will cover almost everything. PTL!!!

We leave Medan for KL tomorrow morning at 9:40, which should be 6:40 pm on Dec. 1st.  You know what to do!!