Good Morning all from a miserable Glasgow. The feeling of saddness mixed with relief and worry (i just saw my bank statements and phone bill) are lingering in the air.
Standing in Jo'burg airport.....I was thankful for my Vicky Beckham Glasses!!The tears just kept flowing down my face and I had mascara running everywhere and I couldnt make it into the bathroom due to the stupid luggage trolley.
Leaving South Africa was harder than I ever imagained it would be. It was very strange; I was so upset, so sad...and yet I wasn't saying goodbye to anything in particular.I didn't have to say goodbye to anybody or leave any place in particular, i was just gutted to leave the summer and all of its experiences behing. At the same time, I secretly wondered was I crying as I knew reality was getting nearer and frankly, reality is not good; debt, studying, final exams, rainy weather, no vineyards, no crazy theatre experiences and again I will repeat finals.....as this carrys a fear of impending doom. However, on the other hand, it is great to be home to see everyone, catch up and get stuck back in to reality. I suppose on one hand, the sooner the exams are over, the sooner I can concentrate on being free, and starting out as a doctor and consider going back to south africa for another dose of sunshine and experiences.
I think in one way, finishing in Jo'burg was a bad idea.It was so good...it made leaving a hundred times harder. On the other hand, it also made me leave desperately wanting to come back for more as soon as possible.
Tuesday Morning, 5am.
Start of air ambulance shift.
Grand central airport; jo'burg
12pm. Paramedic says, "okay i am going to order lunch. i promise you as soon as we do, we will get a call.
12.15pm. Echo 4.......we have a call
12.25pm. Okay, everyone okay in the back? Seatbelts fastened, headsets on, prepare for take off.........and we are off
Control from echo 4 we have just left grand central airport currently heading northbound towards the scene of the accident. ETA 20mins. That is an ETA of 20mins
.........................I mean at this point I am sitting in this helicopter thinking, "OH MY JESUS.We are actually going to a real sick trauma patient...and i actually have to help!!!!!"
Eventually after 20mins....we spotted the red flashing lights from the air, the upside down car, the marks on the road......and a body lying approximetly 60metres from the car itself.
A landing spot was picked on the road, traffic cleared.....and Echo 4 parked itself perfectly in the middle of the motorway, avoiding all electricity wires on the way down. (thankfully)
We got out...with proper helicopter air...and ran to the scene to find a young man with polytrauma. He was seriously injured and so it was intubated on scene and a number of other procedures were carried out on scene. Luckily I was able to make myself someway useful and carried out my jobs and procededed to take over bagging the patient whilst the doctor continued assessing. After 13 mins on scene, we brought the patient back to the helicopter, (cue for more helicopter hair) and loaded the patient. Following 20mins airbourne, we landed in Bara Trauma unit, Soweto. All I can say is , "unbelievable". Honestly. Unreal. There were people lying everywhere!!Trolleys scattered all over the floor, blood splattered on the walls and people just walking around with massive gapping holes and wounds. It was certainly an eye opener.
On our return flight back to grand central airport, the pilot flew over the new stadium for the world cup. I must admit, a privilged view that not many people will ever see. It looks amazing!
Unfortunately before i knew it, 3.30pm was on the clock and my taxi was waiting to drop me back to International airport for my final voyage. I must say, I had such a lump in my throat as I took the blue stinking scrubs off for my last time. My little red name badge from Stellenbosch university was unpinned and they were all folded away into the bag for the final time.
Dr Hattingh carried my bags out, and I said my final goodbyes and thank yous. I really could not express to him how thankful I was. I wanted to hug him/climb on top of him/never leave go....but i figured I could be arrested for that.I opted for a firm handshake to demonstrate my gratitude. Hopefully it worked.
As I got into the taxi,I just started balling and the taxi man thought it was halarious. He kept just telling me how I could come back and not to try and how I was a great advert for SA. However, it did not help; i was properly gutted. That pit in your stomach, that melancholic feeling and it was all tainted by the impending doom of the final exams that lie ahead.
All I can say is it was undoubtedly the highlight of my 23 years. I still can't really figure out how or why I was so priviliged to fly. I do not know why these people that I owe nothing too have gone out of there way to really make my summer unreal. When i watch the video clip that I took from the air, only then do i realise it was actually all real, and just not some amazing dream.
I have to say, (although I know this happened when i did HEMS in London) I do love emergency medicine. I KNOW that it carries a huge amount of baggage with it, and it really isn't the easy option, but then again what is the easy medical option? Obviously I can hear you all screaming "GP??"".....but I dont know if it really is the "easy" option. For me I think it is the safe option. 9-5, very little on call, nice lunch breaks and weekends off.... But would it make me happy??I don't think so!I really try and pretend it might. I try to convience myself all the time that I would like to become a gp or go for something in surgery, but when it comes down to it.......NOTHING compares to the excitement and the enjoyment(in a non sadistic way if possible) that i get from emergency medicine. I just love it!To be fair though, this year alone I have spent 5 weeks with London HEMS, flew with the navy's seaking helicopter to transfer a patient,completed my pre-hospital care course with the royal college of surgeons, did 4 weeks of trauma surgery in cape town, spent 2 days FLYING with Jo'burg HEMS and then 10 weeks of emergency medicine here in Glasgow. I do not know why I try and convience myself that I dont want to do it.....cause it is sort of the elephant in the room like isnt it?!
However, admittedly, I felt like this when I came back from HEMS in London. Emergency medicine was all i wanted to do. Again on returning from this amazing summer, I feel the same. Mabye I will change my mind........watch this space.......!
For now, I must go. I have a tonne of washing to do and some bills to sort out, and a leg wax to book and prepare myself mentally for. (however, i have decided that i am going to pop some co-codamol before i go. Beauty is pain and no, it really is not worth it)
So for now, far well. Will put up some pictures soon and also fill you all in about Botswana and Zimbabwe.
xxxxxx
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Seatbelts fastened......
Hi all, it has been a very last time since my last entry to this.So much to fill you all in on!!Where do i begin!!!??I literally could write a book!!!
However, currently I am after eating a beautiful dinner, drinking some amazing wine and I have a smile on my face that no possible Louboutin Shoes could ever buy. Today, i had thheeee most amazing experience.
I really did spend an awful lot of time reflecting on how lucky I am and i also thought about what I had really done to deserve all of this good fortune.
Today, I spent the morning with the rapid response cars in Joburg and then spent an afternoon flying with the media helicopter.
The shift started at 6.30am ....which imediately started with a call to a road traffic accident. It was crazy!!There were cars and people everywhere!!We brought the patient to Joburg General hospital which was unbelievably crazy for 6.30am on a monday morning.We went to resus with the patient which had at least another 3 seriously ill patients getting tubed. It was an eye opener into the reality of Joburg. What really stood out though was the doctors comment as he approaced our patient. "okay guys, is this the gunsghot victim?". I mean 6.30am on a monday morning and he comes strolling in with those words falling off his tongue!
We then travelled around Joburg at a speed that was unreal. 180km/hr at one point!!OH MY GOD!!
But the highlight was still to come...
At 4am I was dropped at the airport to be greeted by two pilots and one paramedic. This was the "media" flight. Basically at 4am they do a flight for 2 hours over Pretoria and Joburg and do a traffic report. ON the other hand the paramedic also looks for accidents..and if there is anything then we land!However, unfortunately today there were no accidents visible from the air. So here we were up in the air, with the pilot flying over all of the parliment building etc...just for my sake!! In the middle of it all, the paramedic does a live traffic report for one of the radio stations. I just sat there pinching myself!!I just could not believe that this was really happening.
When we landed, the man who has gone far beyond his call of duty to organise this for me...was there to meet me. He came over, shook my hand and said, "Pleasure to meet you Laura. You are the first ever international person that I have managed to pull stings for...and I really hope you have enjoyed it". I mean...I was speechless. It was unbelieveable. He had everything sorted down to a tee for me. Organised lifts etc.
He came the whole way out to that airport just to meet me, have coffee and then drop me back at my hotel which is at least an hour away.
When we spoke, I realised that i have somehow managed to manouvere my way into a sort of elite group of "flying doctors". We know Zane Perkins (his best friend) from London HEMS, Brian Carlin (who he worked with for a year) who basically is the guy who has propelled me into all of this pre hosptital care malaracy, Patrick McGoey, an Irish doctor who actually works in Glasgow who also worked in South africa with Dr Hattingh and finally the trauma surgeon that was my supervisor in Cape Town. What a small small world.
To be fair to Brian Carlin, I owe him more then I will ever be able to repay. He has truly helped me and really gone out of his way to pull a lot of tough strings for me and has always always remained true to his word despite being constantly busy with his affairs as director of BASICS UK and now with his new Professor job in UCD. I owe him one big Irish whiskey.
In addition this doctr here has really also gone out of his way. HONESTLY!All of the paramedics today, who have worked with this company for years have never ever been given the oppurtunity to fly!Even Dr MacGoey didnt get the chance; the strings were never pulled. I have no idea how or why i have been blessed with such good fortune this year, but i will be truly grateful for all the experiences I have had!!(For some strange reason....they have all randomly involved helicpoters!??)
Anyhow, my day tomorrow begins at 6am. Working on the air ambulance tomorrow for the day. How unreal is that???Joburg HEMS??A flying shift!I am honestly sitting here pinching myself.
I have such a smile and just so much excitement that I dont know where to vent it ....and all I can do is sit here at type and drink wine to try and rid myself of it so i can sleep tonight!!
Honestly, I have just been truly priviliged for the summer that I have had. Utterly amazing.
In brief, i have just changed my fights to an aisle seat; sitting next to two sleepy fat americans on the way, who fell asleep at the sound of the airoplanes engines...was disasterous for my bladder.
Botswana and Zimbabwe are unreal. What a once in a life time trip!Will properly give a full account of that trip soon.
To add to my ,"what i will never do again list". Well, as I suspected the cheap sunglassses finally gave in and packed it all up. They just suddenly decided to break one day..and fell to a sandy grave in Namibia. Of course this left me desperately searching for a pair of sunglasses in Namibia. Typically......all i found was a pair of glasses that looked like something worn in the front row of Milan fashion week!!They covered half my face....and really did not fit the whole safari look!!i can only imagine how stupid i looked heading deep into the wilderness of the okovango delta using them as eye shields so they bushes we passed on the way didnt take my eyes out!!!They did they trick though, even if i did look like a right eeijit!!
I could keeping typing to fill you all in on the last two weeks, but i shall leave you with this amount now.
In conclusion, I am happy to be back in south africa. A hot shower, carpet on my feet, no sand, no whinging, no french, no more washing dishes with water from a river....just some peace and quiet. However, despite really looking forward to seeing everyone, Ger was right. I am very sad to leave. I am not finished here, and I think I know i will be back. The world is your oyster here. If you want to learn...they will teach. If you want to see, they will show. I want to come back here....see some more, learn some more, and drink some more wine of course. I have seen the likes of Patrick return to work in a&e in Glasgow and his skills and confidence are second to none. The exposure to trauma and the oppurtunities that you are presented with here shape you into an excellent well rounded doctor with a perfect balance of practical skills and academic back up. I certainly aspire to that.
For now I say slaaplekker! (goodnight in dutch! i have spent a month learning it now.cool langauage!). Heading for a bath and also to pack away my ridiculous collection of wooden elephants and family!
Talk to you all from the other side of the equator very soon.
xxxxxxxx
However, currently I am after eating a beautiful dinner, drinking some amazing wine and I have a smile on my face that no possible Louboutin Shoes could ever buy. Today, i had thheeee most amazing experience.
I really did spend an awful lot of time reflecting on how lucky I am and i also thought about what I had really done to deserve all of this good fortune.
Today, I spent the morning with the rapid response cars in Joburg and then spent an afternoon flying with the media helicopter.
The shift started at 6.30am ....which imediately started with a call to a road traffic accident. It was crazy!!There were cars and people everywhere!!We brought the patient to Joburg General hospital which was unbelievably crazy for 6.30am on a monday morning.We went to resus with the patient which had at least another 3 seriously ill patients getting tubed. It was an eye opener into the reality of Joburg. What really stood out though was the doctors comment as he approaced our patient. "okay guys, is this the gunsghot victim?". I mean 6.30am on a monday morning and he comes strolling in with those words falling off his tongue!
We then travelled around Joburg at a speed that was unreal. 180km/hr at one point!!OH MY GOD!!
But the highlight was still to come...
At 4am I was dropped at the airport to be greeted by two pilots and one paramedic. This was the "media" flight. Basically at 4am they do a flight for 2 hours over Pretoria and Joburg and do a traffic report. ON the other hand the paramedic also looks for accidents..and if there is anything then we land!However, unfortunately today there were no accidents visible from the air. So here we were up in the air, with the pilot flying over all of the parliment building etc...just for my sake!! In the middle of it all, the paramedic does a live traffic report for one of the radio stations. I just sat there pinching myself!!I just could not believe that this was really happening.
When we landed, the man who has gone far beyond his call of duty to organise this for me...was there to meet me. He came over, shook my hand and said, "Pleasure to meet you Laura. You are the first ever international person that I have managed to pull stings for...and I really hope you have enjoyed it". I mean...I was speechless. It was unbelieveable. He had everything sorted down to a tee for me. Organised lifts etc.
He came the whole way out to that airport just to meet me, have coffee and then drop me back at my hotel which is at least an hour away.
When we spoke, I realised that i have somehow managed to manouvere my way into a sort of elite group of "flying doctors". We know Zane Perkins (his best friend) from London HEMS, Brian Carlin (who he worked with for a year) who basically is the guy who has propelled me into all of this pre hosptital care malaracy, Patrick McGoey, an Irish doctor who actually works in Glasgow who also worked in South africa with Dr Hattingh and finally the trauma surgeon that was my supervisor in Cape Town. What a small small world.
To be fair to Brian Carlin, I owe him more then I will ever be able to repay. He has truly helped me and really gone out of his way to pull a lot of tough strings for me and has always always remained true to his word despite being constantly busy with his affairs as director of BASICS UK and now with his new Professor job in UCD. I owe him one big Irish whiskey.
In addition this doctr here has really also gone out of his way. HONESTLY!All of the paramedics today, who have worked with this company for years have never ever been given the oppurtunity to fly!Even Dr MacGoey didnt get the chance; the strings were never pulled. I have no idea how or why i have been blessed with such good fortune this year, but i will be truly grateful for all the experiences I have had!!(For some strange reason....they have all randomly involved helicpoters!??)
Anyhow, my day tomorrow begins at 6am. Working on the air ambulance tomorrow for the day. How unreal is that???Joburg HEMS??A flying shift!I am honestly sitting here pinching myself.
I have such a smile and just so much excitement that I dont know where to vent it ....and all I can do is sit here at type and drink wine to try and rid myself of it so i can sleep tonight!!
Honestly, I have just been truly priviliged for the summer that I have had. Utterly amazing.
In brief, i have just changed my fights to an aisle seat; sitting next to two sleepy fat americans on the way, who fell asleep at the sound of the airoplanes engines...was disasterous for my bladder.
Botswana and Zimbabwe are unreal. What a once in a life time trip!Will properly give a full account of that trip soon.
To add to my ,"what i will never do again list". Well, as I suspected the cheap sunglassses finally gave in and packed it all up. They just suddenly decided to break one day..and fell to a sandy grave in Namibia. Of course this left me desperately searching for a pair of sunglasses in Namibia. Typically......all i found was a pair of glasses that looked like something worn in the front row of Milan fashion week!!They covered half my face....and really did not fit the whole safari look!!i can only imagine how stupid i looked heading deep into the wilderness of the okovango delta using them as eye shields so they bushes we passed on the way didnt take my eyes out!!!They did they trick though, even if i did look like a right eeijit!!
I could keeping typing to fill you all in on the last two weeks, but i shall leave you with this amount now.
In conclusion, I am happy to be back in south africa. A hot shower, carpet on my feet, no sand, no whinging, no french, no more washing dishes with water from a river....just some peace and quiet. However, despite really looking forward to seeing everyone, Ger was right. I am very sad to leave. I am not finished here, and I think I know i will be back. The world is your oyster here. If you want to learn...they will teach. If you want to see, they will show. I want to come back here....see some more, learn some more, and drink some more wine of course. I have seen the likes of Patrick return to work in a&e in Glasgow and his skills and confidence are second to none. The exposure to trauma and the oppurtunities that you are presented with here shape you into an excellent well rounded doctor with a perfect balance of practical skills and academic back up. I certainly aspire to that.
For now I say slaaplekker! (goodnight in dutch! i have spent a month learning it now.cool langauage!). Heading for a bath and also to pack away my ridiculous collection of wooden elephants and family!
Talk to you all from the other side of the equator very soon.
xxxxxxxx
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Windhoek
Hello all
Hope all is well and good.just arrived in Winhoek which is the capital of namibia.Doesn't looking like we are going to get to see much of it though as we are heading across the border into Botswana in the morning which means early start.....again.
Thank god we are in beds tonight in a hostel.....YEAH...
Looking forward to Botswana though.Should be really cool.However val,i'm guessing mabye you stayed in really amazing accomadation but we are stuck in a tent without water , toilet, shower etc. BUT still I am sure it will be cool.
No real news for you all today actaully. Have spent most of the days travelling on that truck. hours travelling seems like nothing now.I wont feel the flight home.
Okay, there are some really scary women waiting for this,so better move quickly.
Must say though heard the fab news that the two girls I helped with their interview in Glasgow, are both coming to Glasgow. SO we really have a right proper irish group there now.Great news.Really delighted for ammolya and Muireann.
Okay,better go shower.I really stink.Covered in dust and just basically filthy from head to toe. i must say that I definetly have seen enough of the desert now. I have sand everywhere.
Right, must go. This time i really do not know when i will be on this next. It could be some time actaully.
Keep in touch via text.and keep up with the responses.
lots of love,
laura
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hope all is well and good.just arrived in Winhoek which is the capital of namibia.Doesn't looking like we are going to get to see much of it though as we are heading across the border into Botswana in the morning which means early start.....again.
Thank god we are in beds tonight in a hostel.....YEAH...
Looking forward to Botswana though.Should be really cool.However val,i'm guessing mabye you stayed in really amazing accomadation but we are stuck in a tent without water , toilet, shower etc. BUT still I am sure it will be cool.
No real news for you all today actaully. Have spent most of the days travelling on that truck. hours travelling seems like nothing now.I wont feel the flight home.
Okay, there are some really scary women waiting for this,so better move quickly.
Must say though heard the fab news that the two girls I helped with their interview in Glasgow, are both coming to Glasgow. SO we really have a right proper irish group there now.Great news.Really delighted for ammolya and Muireann.
Okay,better go shower.I really stink.Covered in dust and just basically filthy from head to toe. i must say that I definetly have seen enough of the desert now. I have sand everywhere.
Right, must go. This time i really do not know when i will be on this next. It could be some time actaully.
Keep in touch via text.and keep up with the responses.
lots of love,
laura
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Apple pie and Cake
Good morning all,
Randomly eating beautiful apple pie and drinking tea in some very small town somewhere in the middle of Namibia.Just realised it is only 10.20!oh the joy of 5.45am starts. However, i must admit it could be a good study plan to get up that early as the amount of things you get down before 10am in unreal.
So i have spent the last 2 days in the "bush". No shower,toilet etc. However, strangely, they have been my favourite two days. Beautiful scenery and amazing skies and stars. We sat drinking a bottle of wine on top of a mountain, watched the sun go down and then looked at the stars.
Watched the South African v Australia game in Namibia on saturday. Was jealous of the guys in cape town as I knew they had tickets. They had a ball!However, not jealous of the fact that they climbed Table Mountain hung over the following day!
Heading to Etosha National Park now for some wildelife spotting. However, amazingly as we were travelling along the wonderfully familar dirt track road we got stopped in our tracks by 5 giraffe. That was amazing!
So today I can finally shave my legs, clean myself and pee in a toilet!!Heaven!!
Oh and Val....i have a bottle of Rust en Vrede 2004 Shiraz sitting in my little chair on the bus. The boys bought it for me for my birthday, but i am going to bring it home. It is too good to drink from tin cups; i just cannot do it! It is the most beautiful night I have had i think and the memories of that restaurent with the chef cooking in front of us and the speech from the winemaker himself was just so amazing.Not even to mention the food or the wine!!Best food I have ever ever had.
So that is all for now but thank you all for telling me all about the hurling. Sad days for Waterford, but as we always say, "mabye next year eh!?"
Oh and Val,yes we are going to the Delta and we are flying in my 5 seater plane!Cannot wait!!Have my baby wipes ready again though as it is 3 days without any sort of water!!
Take care,
Talk to you all from Windhoek.
xxxxxxx
Randomly eating beautiful apple pie and drinking tea in some very small town somewhere in the middle of Namibia.Just realised it is only 10.20!oh the joy of 5.45am starts. However, i must admit it could be a good study plan to get up that early as the amount of things you get down before 10am in unreal.
So i have spent the last 2 days in the "bush". No shower,toilet etc. However, strangely, they have been my favourite two days. Beautiful scenery and amazing skies and stars. We sat drinking a bottle of wine on top of a mountain, watched the sun go down and then looked at the stars.
Watched the South African v Australia game in Namibia on saturday. Was jealous of the guys in cape town as I knew they had tickets. They had a ball!However, not jealous of the fact that they climbed Table Mountain hung over the following day!
Heading to Etosha National Park now for some wildelife spotting. However, amazingly as we were travelling along the wonderfully familar dirt track road we got stopped in our tracks by 5 giraffe. That was amazing!
So today I can finally shave my legs, clean myself and pee in a toilet!!Heaven!!
Oh and Val....i have a bottle of Rust en Vrede 2004 Shiraz sitting in my little chair on the bus. The boys bought it for me for my birthday, but i am going to bring it home. It is too good to drink from tin cups; i just cannot do it! It is the most beautiful night I have had i think and the memories of that restaurent with the chef cooking in front of us and the speech from the winemaker himself was just so amazing.Not even to mention the food or the wine!!Best food I have ever ever had.
So that is all for now but thank you all for telling me all about the hurling. Sad days for Waterford, but as we always say, "mabye next year eh!?"
Oh and Val,yes we are going to the Delta and we are flying in my 5 seater plane!Cannot wait!!Have my baby wipes ready again though as it is 3 days without any sort of water!!
Take care,
Talk to you all from Windhoek.
xxxxxxx
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Trucking it through Namibia
Hello all!!!
Very nice to find an internet cafe in the middle of Namibia!!!Considering I did not see a car for the past 7 days....a town with warm beds and and internet cafe was like heaven!!
So where on earth to I begin!!!
The group: 8 over 50 non english speaking Frenchies, 4 non english speaking spanish, 1 Italian, 1 very funny Korean lady who just shouts in Korean at random animals on the way, 4 dutch....one couple dont speak to each other never mind anybody else, and then one young couple who are here as friends...who are my pals here, one english girl, and 2 portugese. Well....a very very interesting bunch!!
All i can say though is , girls....why on earth did you come on a camping trip if you wont pee without toilet paper??I mean hello???The next two days we are camping in the bush which means ...no toilet...no nothing.Just you and the great outdoors!!! Day three there were tears over toilet activities, cold water, camping etc. I mean honestly!You came on a camping trip in Africa??!!
So anyhow, all in all, the group isn't the best, but i suppose that is just the way.I didn't expect them to be so old and there isn't much I can do about my own lovely camping buddy who actually has a personality defect and constantly is highly strung!!very very hard work!!!
However, this all adds to the experience I suppose.
So Namibia is rather cool. It is where the desert meets the sea!!Climbed a sand dune...A big one (Dune 45) at 4am the other morning to watch the sun rise.A very surreal experience.It was totally freezing a yet we are in the desert!!Later that morning it was then roasting!
We were also walking in a caynon the other day....and I overheard some french speaking about, "deux serpent". So of course i was like, "Excuse-moi...mais, il y a deux serpent ICI??" and they were all like, "mais oui, just ici". So that was my cue to leg it back to the truck!2 SNAKES!!!So of course they french in our trip who cannot speak english, and who did not hear our guide say, "if you see a snake, please run as if it bites you, forget about making it to the border of Botwana". SO off the french wandered as snake bait. I decided it would be only a moral duty to warn them in french that they may die, but un-phased by it they all wandered down to find one cobra and one puff adar!!!!HELLO???!!!So i stayed snuggly in the truck for that one.
Also came across a few scorpions and other random creatures along the way.
So a week later I can now truly reflect on mt South Africian experience, and I must admit that I had a ball. Really really was gutted to have to leave. Had to much fun. I suppose in a way it was mainly due to the company I was with. We really had a great time. Saw loads, did loads, experienced loads. Without a doubt though, the wine festival last week followed by Rust en Vrede restaurent was truly an amazing experience. So so good.
I am rather jealous today actually as I know they are all gone to see the South african rubgy game. It will be class. Although I knew it already, South Africans REALLY love their rugby. It is actually kind of scary.
I feel that i need to go back to south africa. I feel like I didn't get to see all i wanted to see.Even in 4 weeks. I really feel like I could have stayed for longer. And for those of you who are safety concious, i can honestly say that hand on heart i never ever ever felt threatened or nervous. It is a beautiful city and we always went out in the university town of stellenbosch which is very safe.
The only time i ever had that hint of nervousness was walking across the grounds of the hospital at 4am. However, I do think my mind was playing tricks and i was hearing things and seeing things.
So without a doubt, when I finally pay this trip off in ten years time, and will come back here. However, this time I will come in Spring or summer.
Speaking of money; i am very poor. I propely bartered with a man in a market today for a stupid little statue thing and some salad spoons. I have NO money like!!I have been told on numerous occasions that the prices in south africa have risen dramatically in the last two years. I mean the UK is definetly cheaper. I bought shower gel this morning for 2.20 euros. I mean...that was the cheapest??!And it was in a local supermarket!God, how i am so grateful for tesco and Asda!!
I have some dollars, but keeping them for Zimbabwe.
OH GUESS WHAT!!!I have just been informed that I am on a FLYING shift with the helicopter emergency medical services in Jo'burg!!!WHHHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!Amazing!
Just on a random note, i have kept a small diary; it is impossible to write on gravel/dirt track roads. In the diary I have made a list of all the things i am grateful for and things I will never do again. Just as a little taster, here are some of the things I will never ever do again.
1: Buy a travel pillow from Aldi. What was I thinking!??10hours travelling some days on dirt track roads!
2: use a 3 season sleeping bag when you are in winter which is the missing 4th season!
3: but a head tourch and not test it before i leave; dancing around the bedroom whilst packing with the main light on does not count as testing it.
4: never ever agree to share a tent with a randomer. I think it may be Gods way of testing my patience?!
5: i will never ever moan about how crap a shower is. If it is indoors, free of animals and has hot water of some sort...then it is a great shower.
6: I will never ever share a hostel room with guys who have ?swine flu/common cold/TB.
Things I am very grateful for:
1: adequate drinking water
2:hot showers
3:normal friends with good tempers and emotions
4: internet connection and phone network (sorry i know this is shallow, but when you are travelling alone this is your life line!) When i was in cape town, i could have survived better but i will never again moan if the connection is crap.
5: Tar Mac on the roads. I have travelled over a thousand miles in the past few days...and it has nearly all been on dirt track roads in a truck.
6: Good suspensions!!
7: washing facilties!!
So for the next few days, we are sleeping indoors in a hostel tonight which is heaven on earth!!!No crazy hats and thermal underwear going to bed!!
Tomorrow we head to the bush to hang out with some local community and tribes. We are there for 2 nights and then we head to Etosha National Park to hang out with the animals. After that we head to the capital of Namibia and then across the border to Botswana. After that we head on to Zimbabwe.It will be pretty cool to have that stamp on my passport.
Okay, and as a warning, please please do not worry. If there is trouble in Zimbabwe we will be safe. We are not near a troubled area and we only spend one day travelling down through it when i leave. Please do not panic if you see anything crazy on the news.
Okay, i will leave you go now. Hope all is well and good.Looking forward to checking this next week to see some replies.
Let me know how the hurling goes.
Thinking of you all at home. Goodbye for now from a freezing Swakomund.
xxxxxxxxx
Very nice to find an internet cafe in the middle of Namibia!!!Considering I did not see a car for the past 7 days....a town with warm beds and and internet cafe was like heaven!!
So where on earth to I begin!!!
The group: 8 over 50 non english speaking Frenchies, 4 non english speaking spanish, 1 Italian, 1 very funny Korean lady who just shouts in Korean at random animals on the way, 4 dutch....one couple dont speak to each other never mind anybody else, and then one young couple who are here as friends...who are my pals here, one english girl, and 2 portugese. Well....a very very interesting bunch!!
All i can say though is , girls....why on earth did you come on a camping trip if you wont pee without toilet paper??I mean hello???The next two days we are camping in the bush which means ...no toilet...no nothing.Just you and the great outdoors!!! Day three there were tears over toilet activities, cold water, camping etc. I mean honestly!You came on a camping trip in Africa??!!
So anyhow, all in all, the group isn't the best, but i suppose that is just the way.I didn't expect them to be so old and there isn't much I can do about my own lovely camping buddy who actually has a personality defect and constantly is highly strung!!very very hard work!!!
However, this all adds to the experience I suppose.
So Namibia is rather cool. It is where the desert meets the sea!!Climbed a sand dune...A big one (Dune 45) at 4am the other morning to watch the sun rise.A very surreal experience.It was totally freezing a yet we are in the desert!!Later that morning it was then roasting!
We were also walking in a caynon the other day....and I overheard some french speaking about, "deux serpent". So of course i was like, "Excuse-moi...mais, il y a deux serpent ICI??" and they were all like, "mais oui, just ici". So that was my cue to leg it back to the truck!2 SNAKES!!!So of course they french in our trip who cannot speak english, and who did not hear our guide say, "if you see a snake, please run as if it bites you, forget about making it to the border of Botwana". SO off the french wandered as snake bait. I decided it would be only a moral duty to warn them in french that they may die, but un-phased by it they all wandered down to find one cobra and one puff adar!!!!HELLO???!!!So i stayed snuggly in the truck for that one.
Also came across a few scorpions and other random creatures along the way.
So a week later I can now truly reflect on mt South Africian experience, and I must admit that I had a ball. Really really was gutted to have to leave. Had to much fun. I suppose in a way it was mainly due to the company I was with. We really had a great time. Saw loads, did loads, experienced loads. Without a doubt though, the wine festival last week followed by Rust en Vrede restaurent was truly an amazing experience. So so good.
I am rather jealous today actually as I know they are all gone to see the South african rubgy game. It will be class. Although I knew it already, South Africans REALLY love their rugby. It is actually kind of scary.
I feel that i need to go back to south africa. I feel like I didn't get to see all i wanted to see.Even in 4 weeks. I really feel like I could have stayed for longer. And for those of you who are safety concious, i can honestly say that hand on heart i never ever ever felt threatened or nervous. It is a beautiful city and we always went out in the university town of stellenbosch which is very safe.
The only time i ever had that hint of nervousness was walking across the grounds of the hospital at 4am. However, I do think my mind was playing tricks and i was hearing things and seeing things.
So without a doubt, when I finally pay this trip off in ten years time, and will come back here. However, this time I will come in Spring or summer.
Speaking of money; i am very poor. I propely bartered with a man in a market today for a stupid little statue thing and some salad spoons. I have NO money like!!I have been told on numerous occasions that the prices in south africa have risen dramatically in the last two years. I mean the UK is definetly cheaper. I bought shower gel this morning for 2.20 euros. I mean...that was the cheapest??!And it was in a local supermarket!God, how i am so grateful for tesco and Asda!!
I have some dollars, but keeping them for Zimbabwe.
OH GUESS WHAT!!!I have just been informed that I am on a FLYING shift with the helicopter emergency medical services in Jo'burg!!!WHHHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!Amazing!
Just on a random note, i have kept a small diary; it is impossible to write on gravel/dirt track roads. In the diary I have made a list of all the things i am grateful for and things I will never do again. Just as a little taster, here are some of the things I will never ever do again.
1: Buy a travel pillow from Aldi. What was I thinking!??10hours travelling some days on dirt track roads!
2: use a 3 season sleeping bag when you are in winter which is the missing 4th season!
3: but a head tourch and not test it before i leave; dancing around the bedroom whilst packing with the main light on does not count as testing it.
4: never ever agree to share a tent with a randomer. I think it may be Gods way of testing my patience?!
5: i will never ever moan about how crap a shower is. If it is indoors, free of animals and has hot water of some sort...then it is a great shower.
6: I will never ever share a hostel room with guys who have ?swine flu/common cold/TB.
Things I am very grateful for:
1: adequate drinking water
2:hot showers
3:normal friends with good tempers and emotions
4: internet connection and phone network (sorry i know this is shallow, but when you are travelling alone this is your life line!) When i was in cape town, i could have survived better but i will never again moan if the connection is crap.
5: Tar Mac on the roads. I have travelled over a thousand miles in the past few days...and it has nearly all been on dirt track roads in a truck.
6: Good suspensions!!
7: washing facilties!!
So for the next few days, we are sleeping indoors in a hostel tonight which is heaven on earth!!!No crazy hats and thermal underwear going to bed!!
Tomorrow we head to the bush to hang out with some local community and tribes. We are there for 2 nights and then we head to Etosha National Park to hang out with the animals. After that we head to the capital of Namibia and then across the border to Botswana. After that we head on to Zimbabwe.It will be pretty cool to have that stamp on my passport.
Okay, and as a warning, please please do not worry. If there is trouble in Zimbabwe we will be safe. We are not near a troubled area and we only spend one day travelling down through it when i leave. Please do not panic if you see anything crazy on the news.
Okay, i will leave you go now. Hope all is well and good.Looking forward to checking this next week to see some replies.
Let me know how the hurling goes.
Thinking of you all at home. Goodbye for now from a freezing Swakomund.
xxxxxxxxx
Friday, July 31, 2009
Goodbye to Tygerberg
Morning all,
Last morning here.It is lashing out of the heavens!!!
Just starting to pack up and get the final few things together.
Have tickets for the stellenbosch wine festival tomorrow and then tomorrow night we have a table booked in a beautiful michelin * restaurent for tomorrow night.It is called Rust en Vrede and is in a vineyeard up in the hills.We get a 4 course meal...with wine to compliment each course.So really looking forward to that.
Anyhow, next time I talk..it will be probably be from Namibia all going well.
Have to go now though. Dont panic if you do not hear from me.I dont know how internet access is.
May also struggle for a signal, but as soon as I do get on I will text.
Lots of love for now,
Bye from the last entry from Tygerberg and all its fun and games.
xx
Last morning here.It is lashing out of the heavens!!!
Just starting to pack up and get the final few things together.
Have tickets for the stellenbosch wine festival tomorrow and then tomorrow night we have a table booked in a beautiful michelin * restaurent for tomorrow night.It is called Rust en Vrede and is in a vineyeard up in the hills.We get a 4 course meal...with wine to compliment each course.So really looking forward to that.
Anyhow, next time I talk..it will be probably be from Namibia all going well.
Have to go now though. Dont panic if you do not hear from me.I dont know how internet access is.
May also struggle for a signal, but as soon as I do get on I will text.
Lots of love for now,
Bye from the last entry from Tygerberg and all its fun and games.
xx
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
On Call........
Hi everyone,
Just finished my on call shift!
Got called to theatre twice so finished there late last night and fortunately had no early morning calls.Just went on the ward round there....and my patient is alive and well; thank god!!
So was rather jealous yesterday as everyone else went to this wine tasting festival thing in stellenbosch with food and everything else amazing or so it seems.So I have been told a hundred times this morning that i have missed the best night ever!!!Great!
So whilst they were tasting wines and living the high life...i got called to assist in theatre with a guy who had been shot in the abdomen. So made my dash to theatre, scrubbed in ...and then off you go;you and the surgeon. He tells you what to do,hold,press etc...and you do it!So he said to be at the start...this could be very boring or very exciting...depends what we see when we open him up.Turns out it was the latter and certainly induced some sweating and swearing as there was blood spurting from somewhere and unfortunately...the bullet was lying around the danger zone of some major blood vessels. So you could press on one bit....and it would spurt from the other bit......and I stood there holding stuff..thinking...crap...this is not cool.It is me and him...and i know nothing. So I ended up doing a bit of cutting which was fun...and then some more pressing...and then he managed to eventually source and stop the bleeding. Proper ER stuff!!!So that was a fun night overall. However, wine tasting still sounds better.
So today...i am about to go shower...and i have been in these scrubs for 30hrs....and i did to de-scrub myself to normality.
Need to start packing my stuff up also.Cannot believe I am leaving on Sunday already!!!!
WHERE does time go???
Anyhow, MAM I do not have TB !Well unlikely..and if I do...it wont do anything to me.I may have swine flu...but that wont do anything either.Or more likely...we all have a cold.
So that is the banter for the day!
Going to head now and shower...as I have teaching soon.
love to all,
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Just finished my on call shift!
Got called to theatre twice so finished there late last night and fortunately had no early morning calls.Just went on the ward round there....and my patient is alive and well; thank god!!
So was rather jealous yesterday as everyone else went to this wine tasting festival thing in stellenbosch with food and everything else amazing or so it seems.So I have been told a hundred times this morning that i have missed the best night ever!!!Great!
So whilst they were tasting wines and living the high life...i got called to assist in theatre with a guy who had been shot in the abdomen. So made my dash to theatre, scrubbed in ...and then off you go;you and the surgeon. He tells you what to do,hold,press etc...and you do it!So he said to be at the start...this could be very boring or very exciting...depends what we see when we open him up.Turns out it was the latter and certainly induced some sweating and swearing as there was blood spurting from somewhere and unfortunately...the bullet was lying around the danger zone of some major blood vessels. So you could press on one bit....and it would spurt from the other bit......and I stood there holding stuff..thinking...crap...this is not cool.It is me and him...and i know nothing. So I ended up doing a bit of cutting which was fun...and then some more pressing...and then he managed to eventually source and stop the bleeding. Proper ER stuff!!!So that was a fun night overall. However, wine tasting still sounds better.
So today...i am about to go shower...and i have been in these scrubs for 30hrs....and i did to de-scrub myself to normality.
Need to start packing my stuff up also.Cannot believe I am leaving on Sunday already!!!!
WHERE does time go???
Anyhow, MAM I do not have TB !Well unlikely..and if I do...it wont do anything to me.I may have swine flu...but that wont do anything either.Or more likely...we all have a cold.
So that is the banter for the day!
Going to head now and shower...as I have teaching soon.
love to all,
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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