My plan of weekly updates has somewhat fallen by the
wayside, New Zealand is a big place and I’m trying to spend as much time as
possible exploring.
Since my last update, not much has changed on the
work/hospital side of things. It has been confirmed by the lab that I don’t
have MRSA growing on me, which means I am now allowed to touch people so I’ve been able to get stuck in a bit more in the emergency department. I’ve
been feeling like part of the team here, as I’m allowed to see patients on my
own, and get to come up with diagnoses and order tests and so on (always
with the consultants supervision of course). Everyone in the department
continues to be really friendly, and it is just an enjoyable place to be, even
on the few occasions where there have been absolutely no patients.
Onto more fun things, I have started going to the local pub
quiz with my housemates and we’ve managed to come third on two occasions,
winning the princely sum of $5 each (about £2.50). The quiz is rather New Zealand centric with
questions such as “list all of the female New Zealand back bench MPs” or “who
coached the 1995 all blacks on their tour of South Africa?” I’ve managed a few
questions here and there, but definitely don’t add a lot to the team.
I went down to Dunedin last weekend, visiting my friends
Hawys and Jonny, both of whom are electiving in the hospital there. Dunedin is
said to look just like Edinburgh, having been designed by a Scottish architect,
but I wouldn’t worry Juliet, it really isn’t as beautiful, although has its share of fancy buildings. It is extremely hilly and
very rainy, so reminiscent of Bristol really. Whilst there I climbed the steepest street in the world and walked
along the Otago Penninsula.
This weekend I went up to Christchurch to hire a super cheap
car for the rest of my time here. It is so much easier being able to travel
under my own steam; the public transport here is not great. Whilst in
Christchurch I went up the gondola which takes you up onto the Port Hills
overlooking the city. Although it was a bit drizzly and misty, the views were
still pretty spectacular.
I only just realised tomorrow is a bank holiday here as
Anzac day was yesterday and is a public holiday, so everyone gets the Monday off instead. I think I might drive inland
to all the cool lakes and mountains and have a walk around. I think its going to rain again
though, so won’t walk too far.
No other news really. I have four friends who are electiving
in Kathmandu at the moment, so that's a bit worrying what with the massive
earthquake and all. I managed to get in touch with one of them, and last I
heard they are all safe and sound as they were out of the city for the
weekend. I’m not sure what their plans are from here, but I’m sure the hospital
could use all the help it can get, so they may well pitch in there if they can
get back in to the city. Fingers crossed they stay safe!
Oh, and I’ve been uploading some photos to flickr of my
travels to keep the not facebooking portion of my extended family up to date with things. Link here.
Speak soon!
