[BadBird]

I was just wondering what other agency r.n.'s plans are for the summer. Do you travel, work at a summer camp. Do you work less in the summer? I am thinking of traveling.

Just curious what other options are out there.

[nightingale]

I will be working as a camp nurse this summer. I live in Wyoming and will travel to New York just outside of Albany. The pay is minimal but my two children get to enjoy the camp free of charge. Nice trade off.

I am looking froward to the change in pace. It will be something new for me.

What are you up to BadBird?

B.

[caduca]

As much as I would like to tell you that I was touring the world this summer, it seems that it is going to be a hard-working summer in Dallas, Texas. I'm covering the Southwest region now and the shortage is gripping us now worse than last year. I've promised myself another 3 weeks in Thailand next year though. Now, THAT is a vacation.

[prn nurse]

Caduca, what do you do in thailand? Nursing? You've been before? give us some armchair traveler info.

Pittsburgh nurse...why leave when the weather finally just got nice?

[MarnnaRN]

I am having a baby, hopefully this week, and will enjoy my summer at home with my new born child.

[caduca]

prn,

Actually, no Thailand nursing... it was strictly vacation. I did have a fabulous trip though. We flew into Bangkok for about $860 roundtrip from the states (Expedia.com) and stayed at this place called The Montien, I think the rooms were only $85 a night- and I mean rooms- dining room, bar, 3 balconies, huge huge huge bed. I think we had our own butler-type guy that was checking on us too... anyway... i highly recommend it. Then we took a train to South Thailand (Trang)- this cost about $12 each and took a day and a half. It was a very very local thing to do (the bathroom was a hole in the bottom of the train in a small room). I would not recommend it after Sept 11th. Several times I felt like I was in an old war movie as it was. We traveled from there to a market (awesome- bought lots of dishes and stones) and then onto the resort called Kog Ngai on an island off the coast of Thailand (the movie The Beach was filmed close by). I found my soul again on that island. I had a cottage on the beach (literally 30 steps from the beach). It cost $25 a day because it was air conditioned 12 hours of the day. The food was great- we ate and drank on less than $30 a day. Truly, that is the way to live. The down side was the 4 hours of food poisoning I had- but it was alright overall. Best part- I had stopped in Bangkok on my way to the resort and fitted myself with some clothes. I came back with 4 suits (long skirts, jackets, vests, shirts, pants) made of Thai silk, hand tailored to fit me for $1100. This was all back in 2000 (March). I recommend it- but be aware of the uniqueness of Thailand- porn capital of the world, 50% HIV rate, etc. There were times on the island that I so wanted my son to have gone and experienced those times in the sunshine with the other children from so many other nations there (the resort has about 16 beach cabins)- but the other half of the time, I was so relieved that my 6 yr old was safe at home.

caduca