Wednesday 13 March 2013

First negative.....

Stupidly didn't take Cath's advice to get my teeth checked over before I came. Needless to say on Monday I noticed a 'chunk' of one of my admittedly scabby back teeth came adrift. Not yet having my AXA medical insurance card meant I would need to pay upfront and then reclaim. After asking around for a good dentist I managed to get a 21:00 appointment that night with the British International Dental Centre who were only alittle further along the coast road from where I work. So, at what seemed like the middle of the night and not really the time to be visiting the dentist, I turned up for my appointment at a very modern and bright dental surgery. The dentist, late of Newcastle UK, was very nice and told me that I'd need a sort of ceramic cap rather than a crown, and that he could do the preparitory work there and then to stabilise the tooth. He told me how much it would cost but I didn't really comprehend the exchange rates. So off we go - injections, grinding, suctioning, more grinding, etc. etc. At this point I was feeling very weird with yet another of my out-of-body moments where I'm not really there and it's all happening to some one else - strange! So after about forty five, not too unpleasant, mintues  it was all over and I needed to pay the bill. With consultation, digital x-rays (instantly viewed) and the procedure the total bill was QR4100, which at QR6 = £1.00 equals a slightly eye-watering £680! Thankfully, eventually, I will get eighty percent of that back via my insurance but I still need to pay about £130 - bl**dy hell! Sadly, my teeth are not brilliant so they may end up costing me a fortune in the long run. Again thankfully, my insurance might cover most of that and, with the added compensation of my much better wage, I might even get some cosmetic stuff done if it's not too expensive. Still it came as shock compared with the Good Old NHS; so just watch the Tories don't sneak something in.  

On a more positive note I went out so my first beer last night to a comedy club within one of the big hotels. The large hotels are the only place, other than that bought at the one state run off-licence and then drunk strictly at home, where you can legally buy booze. And again it's not cheap, entrance was QR150 and a pint of lager was QR40, but it was really worth it as the three UK based comedians were brillaint and, for once, were really LOL. The company was good aswell, mostly Brit expats, but also a good smattering of Yanks, Canadians, and Irish. Have to try and forget, within reason, the high prices as it is again off-set by my larger disposible income.

Still enjoying it though as I approach the end of my second week.

Regards
   

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