A consult with Queensland

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The time has come to drag out the blogging instinct, only recently departed, and start up an Aussie leg of my travel story.
I hot Ayr about one week ago and it has been everything that the Cairns I left 7 years ago was......sultry heat, lush foliage, palm trees and mangos galore at this wonderful time of year. Hoorah for stringy, juicy, sweet, tasty eat-over-a-bath mangos as it is Mango Season!!, apparently the natural aphrodisiac (like so many other plant things.........)

The staff quartes I arrived to are very good comparabe to others I have stayed in, and I appreciate the air conditioning no end. To arrive at work, air conditioned, spend the whole day inside, apart from the odd 60 metre trip back home to get something and then have a swim or some time out in the less harsh hours of before 8am and after 5pm, before arriving back to an air conditioned unit is not as bad as it sounds. In fact you barely notice the heat sometimes. But wait, there are 38 degree days and 100% humidity to look forwards to!

In keeping with the stimulating weather, I have started up a Pauline garden, Kiwi style (I am one of 2 kiwis here, one is from Christchurch, whom I had dinner with and some other nurses last night).
This involves getting potting mix from the only shop ever open on Sunday, Crazy Clarks, and a packet of seeds. Add empty milk and yoghurt containers liberally, along with old clear plastic bags I had to cover and create a 'glasshouse' effect, followed by chilled watered basil seeds and VOILA, instant garden on window sill of the hot house we know as the nurses quarters (converted into units and single rooms), or thereabouts. mental note, must okay it with person in charge in case it is prohibitde. But then this is casual 'ocker' North QLD, so I am confidently doubtful.

The local area is full of cane farms and mango orchards, but the season for mangos is not as good as others past they say. Plus the floods and recent financial crisis seems to be leaving a black print on the area and the people I have met so far, as far as prosperity goes. Apart from that, it has a real community spirit and I am welcomed with liberal generosity and kindness to the role of sole charge physiotherapist, and to do with it as I can. Already we have made headway with outpatients waiting lists and I have begun sorting out some evidence base to keep my brain ticking over after the holiday hiatus! Plus the QLD Health strategy is quite progressive, and seemingly steps ahead of what we only talk about at the present back in NZ.
So I am well chuffed and enjoying meeting so many lovely people and liking the work.

More to explore, so expect a few blogs to come from this area....

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Photos

The butcher bird's home
Protected species of butcher bird and magpies rule this hospital area, so an umbrella plus speed plus hat is a must!!

Haven
Snakes and magpies outside, humans with air con inside