Hello From Thailand

Hello All from Thailand!!
OK-- listen up! It is 85 degrees here and sunny! And here is the first edition of my 2008 Travel Adventures.
Fasten your seat belts (I just UN-fastened mine!) and away we gooooooooo......

UNeventful flights are what we all want, yes?! That's what I had. I even had 3 seats to myself on the Beijing to Bangkok leg, so I got to sleep almost the whole 4 hours! Good for me!
Early next morning I was off to the China Embassy to apply for my visa, then onto a bus for Si Racha and on to Sichang Island to see my friends there.

I ate, drank and slept for a day and a half then back to Bangkok (BKK from now on...) to pick up my China visa; one night again in my favorite hotel, the Atalnta, then back to the Island. I am staying at an old favorite bungalow on the beach and reading, reading, reading. I have FINALLY begun reading "HERBAL MEDICINE" by Rudolph Weiss, which is a classic modern herbal reference book. I am reading another classic that is MUCH older and a completely different subject: "TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST" about sailing to California from Boston and back in the years 1834 to 1836. Fabulous.

Wen Wen (my wife) and Lin Lin (step daughter) arrived in Hong Kong yesterday. I wish I could say that their flight was "uneventful" also, but it was not. First the Delta flight from Boston to JFK (NY) was delayed over an hour, so they missed the connecting flight to HKG and had to wait 4 hours for the next one. Then.... oh god... they were on a flight with FORTY screaming babies!! Ok ok... one or two crying babies is annoying, but FORTY?!?!? They had NO sleep... and poor little Lin Lin has a cold. Life.

So now it will be up to HKG for a week to get the women settled into the apartment in Zhuhai, then I am off to the Gold Coast of Australia and the Great Barrier Reef. I have heard of a herbalist in Brisbane, and so hope to share info about herbalism in our separate countries. I would like to see the Barrier Reef for a week, then fly over to Christ Church on the South Island of New Zealand. I have friends in the Nelson area on the north end, but I mostly want to see the area south of Christchurch down to Dunedin. This region is called Otago. It is between the ocean and the NZ Alps. Very beautiful.... and nice trout fishing! :))

During this time I will also be calling some of you to check up on how you are doing on our herbal protocols, so don't be surprised if you get a call from Thailand, China, Oz, or NZ ! As long as I can get an internet connect, I can call you on Skype (Voice Over Internet Protocol, or VOIP) and talk for only pennies a minute.

ALSO-- PLEASE send me emails and give me feedback... Do you like or dislike this Newsletter/Travel Log? What would you like to hear about? Am I blabbing too much? What were some of YOUR travel adventures?
AND-- What are your health challenges? would you like some information on how to deal with them?
Liza, Kari and I are here to help you- so don't be bashful. We WANT to hear from you. And you now have THREE herbalists working with you at the same time, because we consult among ourselves about your condition and your protocol.

"HERB TALK"
Today, in reading Rudolph Weiss' book "Herbal Medicine" I gained new knowledge about treating primary hypertension (high blood pressure), and respiratory issues, like Asthma and Bronchitis. A herb called Khella. or Amni Visnaga, from India appears to be quite useful in treating asthma. I will have Liza procure some so that we may have it on hand this winter.
Also we will be harvesting organic Lily of the Valley leaves and flowers this spring from our OWN prolific patch in the "shade garden" behind the shop. This is a mild heart stimulant, much gentler than Digitalis, or Foxglove.
I will be experimenting on myself with small doses of Rauwolfia, which has a long history of use in primary hypertension.

Dr. Weiss has voiced a very informed opinion about the use of Coltsfoot herb which was taken off of health food store shelves because of the POSSIBILITY of danger from "pyrolyzadine alkaloids" ,as are found in the Comfrey plant. Coltsfoot has always been a very effective remedy for coughs, as is indicated by it's botanical name of Tussilago. Dr. Weiss believes it to be quite harmless when used in moderation for short periods of time.
I remember taking a few Coltsfoot plants from the bed of the Deerfield River many years ago and planting them in our gardens. They lived for several years then were crowded out by our surging population of nettles! Perhaps this year I will try again...

OK ok.. I'll stop now. But I'll be back! Til then, thanks for listening (and as always)--
Eat well. Be conscious. Re-use, Rebuild, Recycle. Smile often. Help one another. Know who your plant friends are--get to know them. Love health and one another-- Stephan

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