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Saturday, December 30

Oops...

Oops...I realise the title of my last post was "first stop Kirkuk" but I failed to actually tell you anythin about this place. There is quite alot goin on here...Kirkuk is the center of Iraq's oil industry and is connected by pipelines to ports on the Mediterranean Sea. The oil company Shell carried out an integrated study on Kirkuk, with work recently completed in early 2006. This will mark's the first study in three decades for Kirkuk, and is significant because it used the latest technology.

There is alot of area's that can be researched here...I am wondering what the effect is on the people here in Kirkuk because of living so close to and oil resource...maybe there is none with not only living in an area with all these fumes but also Kirkuk has had one of the worst sewage systems. Before the sewage repair project was initiated, 30 percent of the city's sewage was dumped in the streets, 50 percent was transported to a non-operational sewage plant where it quickly seeped back into the city's water system and the other 20 percent was stowed in containers then dumped outside the city. With the help of Coalition forces, the city is repairing this key piece of infrastructure. Six projects are under way to clean sewage from the streets this can only have some sort of effect on the people living here. (geeky facts!woo)

Bye for now,

Jess

Friday, December 29

Iraq...first stop Kirkuk

So it'been a couple of weeks since my last update. This is because we were travelling over the iran-iraq border. Quite a scary experience. The amount of military protection that there is to get into the country is something else! We had to stop a couple of nights there as they wanted to check all our documentation and I suppose just make sure we are who we say we are. They took most of our researching equipment off us and said it wasn't aloud to go any further. Our mentors said that they don't like to feel that people are looking down on their country. So our research is really going to have to be all written and then mayb a few samples that we could take home with us. I'm expecting big things from Iraq as no-one really knows what exactly goes on here and things are very private.....I'll be investigating loads!

Newhoo, bye for now,

Jess

Thursday, December 14

Lake Zarivar - Could stay there forever

Well Lake Zarivar is just wonderful! I think if I had my cats here, I could stay forever! I do miss my cats...they really is are my best friends! Anyway here's a view of this wonderful place...


Bye for now,

Jess

Wednesday, December 13

Spoke too soon

Not impressed!! We all managed to end up with some wrotten bug and missed out on going to Prisaat as our mentor's said we wouldn't have time. We're now in Marivan. We stopped at a few places along the way altho I couldn't get internet connection to update you on them...nothing overly exciting happened anyway.
Marivan is close to the border of iran and iraq. It seems to be a local tourist area and has alot of trading markets. It's a beautiful place. We are visiting lake Zarivar tomorrow so I'm sure I'll get lots of nice photographs there. 

Bye for now,

Jess

Saturday, December 2

Another night in Rasht

Tonight we are supposed to be moving on to Prisaat in Azerbaijan which is quite a long journey as it takes about 5 and a half hours to get there in our little bus. And believe me the driving is not like home...zebra crossings and give way to your right seems to mean nothing over here.

Well anyway we're not going tonight as a couple of the UKSRI members have become a little ill...stomach bug...probably something to do with all the spicey food we're eating at the minute. Thankfully I have seemed to escape so far...I'll just keep taking my own made ant-sickness tablets...I studied into it and found a herbal remedy from years ago and kind of adapted it slightly to my own specific needs. Pretty proud of myself...it's worked wonders so far...although I'm not going to offer it to anyone my supply is limited.

Anyway we'll hopefully be on the move to Prisaat by tomorrow night so I'll let you know how the journey goes.

Bye for now,

Jess

Friday, December 1

My Birthday!!

So, today it was my birthday. The first one I've ever been away from home. Not that home really matters, I'm sure nobody would really remember anyway. Today I got a birthday cake...my UKSRI team got me it!(although I think Adam had something to do with it as he's the only one who would know) I think it's the first cake that someone has bought me in about 5 years. I was so excited!  Here's a wee photo of my lovely cake, with a whole 24 candles...oh dear so old!!

Bye for now,

Jess



Tuesday, November 28

My current surroundings in Lahijan

Okay...so on my quest about the green slime I really think it is just due to the fact that there is so must greenery and forests etc around. I'm not an forestation researcher by any means but I love looking into unusual and unexpected things.

Speaking of which...a positive from this trip is that I foun out that Lahijan is greatly know for it's tea...and I got to try the original stuff here...another new experience in life.

Bye for now,

Jess


Friday, November 24

Weekend in Lahijan

So a few of us have taken a weekend out to Lahijan, Me, Majella, Adam and Philip. I'm not really into 'holidays' but as this is nearer to the coast I thought it might help me in discovering more about this slime, whether it is geneally everywhere or more confinded to individual towns or villages. The other's don't know that I have another reason for going...but sure we'll just keep that between ourselves!

I'll post a few snaps of this place if there is anything worth looking at.

Bye for now,

Jess

Wednesday, November 15

Masouleh

We've been travelling out to alot of different villages and towns since coming to Rusht but I think Masouleh has been the most interesting place for me. I have been studying the climate here along with the forestation. It's a very unusual place as the town itself is a differnt levels and most of it seems to be in the mountains. It is located at the Caspian sea and has beautiful features such as Masouheh-Rood-Khan river that passes through the village and as well as many other springs.

My mentor told me though that due to globalisation in other area's of iran the water is becoming increasingly dirty with a green slime build up which they took me to today. The local's are furious about this as they are trying to keep their town of Masouleh traditional. I took a sample of this and am going to work on it with the little resources that I can find to see if there is anything intersting comes out of this finding.

Bye for now,

Jess


Wednesday, November 1

New Month...New adventure

So...today is the 1st of November!Time is flying past. We're moving on from Terhan today to Northwestern Iran, a place called Rasht. There's no real point to this post apart from making sure that I write down each place I travel to. My memory fails me all the time! This area is going to be a change from where we have last visited as it is near the Caspian sea coast.

Anyway...once I find a bit more out about the area I'll update.

Bye for now,

Jess

Monday, October 16

Our Tour at Imam Khomeini Hospital

Wow! This hospital is brilliant. The head of researcher Dr Aref Shokouhi of neurology gave us and in-depth tour around the whole hospital and in particular wanted to show off his department...this was brilliant for me of course! Studying at UKSRI is brialliant and the research that is happening is really good but this place...I have never seen anything like it...they have top of the range technology and the money that is being poured into research is unbelievable.

These are a few of the notes I scribbled down while Dr Shokouhi was talking....



ICNR is a 6 floor building hosting the neurological and neurosurgical patients. The first floor hosts Genetics and all the Clinics; Level 2 is host to specialist investigations such as EEG, NCS and EMG. Floor 5 hosts the research offices. The Neurology Ward has 22 beds separated into male and female quarters to which
family members have 24 hr access to. Subspecialty clinics are held 3 days a week from 9:30am and include: Headache, Epilepsy, Motor Control Disorders and Memory Clinics. Up to six simultaneous consultations are held in one large room with a resident Professor of Neurology.

I'm goin to write up the rest of my note's and save them on my computer...I'll update you with those at another time but for now it's bed time.

Bye for now,

Jess

Saturday, October 7

Research update

So we've been in Terhan for about 3weeks now! This city is really interesting and diverse and I have been able to gather so much research to help me with my project. Yesterday we had a seminar at the local hospital. They have some really interesting technology and the people are really involved in trying to further the research in not only Terhan but Iran in general itself. Next week Adam and I have arranged a meeting with one of the head researchers to give us a tour around different departments of the hospital (hopefully I might get some insight on some of their latest projects!)

I'll next post after we've been to the hospital and hopefully I'll be able to tell you more!

Bye for now,

Jess

Sunday, September 17

Next Stop...Tehran

So today we're heading to Tehran today. The mentor's who we're travelling with are orginally from Tehran and seem to know the exact spots to go. Me, being the geek I am, have done my own research on this area....Tehran is Irans biggest urban city! Tehran is the centre of Iranian industries including automotive, electrical, military, weaponry, textiles, sugar, cement, and chemical.

The mentors have been telling us that they also have a big medical centre that we will be visiting. So hopefully I will get lots of good information there!

Bye for now,

Jess

Tehran adventures

Just a quick snap from Tehran....thought this was a pretty cool tube station! Nerdy? maybe but I don't care!





Bye for now,

Jess

Thursday, September 14

Travel's in Kandovan

Our Accomodation in Kandovan
 
Into the Mountains
 
Special houses which are carved inside rocks, made of natural cement







My experience in Kandovan

So I've managed to get to a little cafe with internet access. Awww Kandovan has been just beautiful. Not really very useful for my own research project although a few of my fellow UKSRI team have seemed to be getting alot of useful research from here. The scenery and history here is just amazing. We only have one more day left...it's more of a 'do what you like before we leave' day!

I've been taking snaps along the way so I'll post a few of these up.

Bye for now,

Jess

Monday, September 4

Research Day 1

This is my 3rd day in Iran. The last couple of days we've just been getting ourselves settled in and been out just taking in the general area. Today is Monday and the first day of our actual researching project. It's soo hot outside I don't know how I'm going to be able to move in this heat! We're travelling up to a village called Kandovan today and staying there for a few days.

Apparently we might find it hard at times to get internet connection so I'll update when I can.

Bye for now,

Jess

Saturday, September 2

Leaving Abu Dhabi...

Hi again! So we made it! The travelling was so tiring! We basically spent all of yesterday in our rooms just trying to get over the jet-lag. I did try some new food for tea last night though, traditional arab food called Baba Ghanoush. I actually quite enjoyed it...even though it didn't excactly look that appetising!


Tonight we are getting our bags packed and ready for leaving early tomorrow morning on the boat across to Iran (2hour ferry...that'll be fun I'm sure) Can't wait to get there...this really will be the start of my research year!woo!

Bye for now,

Jess

Tuesday, August 29

My Trip Begins...

So here it is...the day has finally arrived. When I first signed up for this UKSRI research project in October of last year it felt soo far away, I honestly can't believe that we're all going today. I'm going to be meeting people that are on my course but I've never actually seen before...kind of nervous about that!

I'm currently writing this on the bus on the way to the airport, that's where I'm meeting my UKSRI team. We then have an 8hour flight and arrive in Abu Dhabi. I did a bit of research on the country...not my type of place...it seem's to be one of those over-commercialised places that is destroying the planet (oops...sorry rant over!) Anyway we're only doing an over-night stay so I'm sure I'll not see much of city.

Well, time to go...wish me luck! I'll update you when I get to the other side!

Bye for now,

Jess

Friday, August 25

Bag Packing Time!

So, it's Friday Evening and I THINK I'm almost finished my packing! I can't believe I am leaving for my trip on Tuesday! It'll be just me, my camera and my laptop (oh and of course my blog) So here's a wee peek at my backpack...all my worldly belongings!

I'll update on Tuesday...the first day of my UKSRI adventure!ahhh!

Bye for now,

Jess

Tuesday, August 15

I'm a new Blogger!

Wow, this is my first blog post! I've set up my own little blog area so that I can keep track of my life...I'm a bit forgetful you see so hopefully by keeping all my photo's and thoughts here I will have memories to last a life time! :) I'm heading off on my research year in 2 weeks..so excited! I''ll keep you up to date on how my prepartions are coming along!

Bye for now,

Jess