Dear Friends and F
amily,
We just returned home from another adventure—our second in the Northern Territory of Australia. We love Darwin!
As promised, we sailed into the 2013 New Year aboard an 1874 tall ship in Sydney Harbour and witnessed their $6 million firework spectacular. What a magnificent setting: adjacent to the Sydney Opera House it’s one for your bucket list. It was very unique for us, too, since we’re usually fast asleep when the clock strikes twelve!
Our latest remote outback medical experience (and eighth locum stint with Global) included a new twist on security options. A full size “cut-out”—and very lifelike—police officer stands in the lobby of the emergency department quietly keeping the peace. He is truly effective. Molly challenged him to a game of tennis and found him rather stiff to play against. Kathy thoroughly enjoyed obstetrics at the hospital. One of her patients even happily agreed to pose with her firstborn son—after delivering four (yes, four) girls. She was a very surprised and happy Mum!
At home, a talkative Kookaburra made a home just outside our window, greeting us each and every morning at 6:00 a.m. The indigenous “laughing jack” (a member of the kingfisher family) welcomed the new day with his distinctive high-pitched call and there was no going back to sleep after that wake-up call! (Watch the video below and you'll understand).
ANZAC Day (Australian and New Zealand armed forces version of our Memorial Day) is a tradition we’ve come to really enjoy. Since World War I, every mother has sent the famous ANZAC cookie to the troops overseas. We sent the recipe some years ago, but we’ve improved upon it using brown sugar. Here's the recipe—try it, they're delicious: Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine dry ingredients of 1 cup flour, 1 cup rolled oats, 1 cup coconut, and ¾ cup brown sugar. Combine ½ cup butter, 2 Tbsp water, 2 Tbsp corn syrup and 1 tsp bicarbonate soda over medium heat to melt the butter and then add all to the other ingredients. Press into cookie shapes and bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
Kathy is already missing her “kids”—the young doctors in training at the hospital. Most are Australian, but many have emigrated from Pakistan, Malaysia and other nearby countries with brave stories to tell of what it took to obtain their education, against all odds. Their intelligence, coupled with a strong work ethic, enthusiasm and caring spirit, bode well for the future of health care down under. It has been her privilege to work with them.
Are we getting older or are nature shows just getting better? We are hooked on the David Attenborough documentaries featuring Africa, the Galapagos Islands and anything that crawls on land or swims in the ocean. Armchair travel is a lot less exhausting. We know, because our last leg home was 22 hours of flight time from Singapore to Syracuse, New York (we recently learned that the first commercial aircraft took that long just to cross the US in 1934).
The famous Singapore Sling cocktail was on our must-try list during our stop in Malaysia on our way home. Developed sometime before 1915 by Ngiam Tong Boon, a Hainanese bartender working at the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel, Singapore, no two recipes (apparently) are exactly the same but the "original recipe" used gin, Cherry Heering, Bénédictine and fresh pineapple juice, primarily from Sarawak pineapples which enhance the flavor and create a foamy top.
The British East India Company developed Singapore, “Lion City”, in 1819 but ancient history dates to before the 11th century. We enjoyed one night at the Marina Bay Sands hotel, famous for its infinity pool on the 59th floor. And yes, we enjoyed a Singapore Sling (or two).
We’re currently enjoying the tulips and daffodils in the US—and many of you while we’re home. We’ll let you know where our next locum adventure will take us soon. Cheers! Kathy and Molly
Kathryn Starkey, MD, is an OB/GYN from Buffalo, New York, who just completed her 8th locum assignment with us—her 2nd at the Top End of Australia. Her partner in life and crime, Molly Evans, has been with her from the beginning and the pair’s locum adventures—which we tell often—have also taken them to New Zealand's North and South Islands, the Cayman Islands, Western Australia, and the Australian island state of Tasmania. Molly fills us in on their return home this time.
Ah, yabbies. These lovely freshwater crustaceans (you might call them crawfish or mudbugs) are as much a part of Australian culture as the didjeridu and the akubra. Derived from the Webma Aboriginal word “yabij”, yabbies have a lobster-like flavor that's uniquely delicious.
The humble art of “yabbying”—or hunting yabbies—is also a long-standing pastime. Hunting (which is really just a game of coaxing the critters out) harkens back to ancient times and usually entails sitting on the edge of a dam (pond) with a small piece of rotten meat tied to the end of string. Some of the yabbies caught might make it home, but most are boiled right then and there in a tin over a campfire.
Generations of Aussies reflect on childhood memories of tramping through creek beds, turning logs and rocks over, and digging tunnels with sticks in pursuit of yabbies. Good yabbying is conducted in bare feet so getting nipped on the toes (and fingers) is likely. Real yabbiers claim they dive into creeks and catch them with their teeth! Others prefer the “pumpin’ yabbies” method, which you can watch right here.
Yabbies can be found in water holes, ponds, swamps, creeks and (of course) billabongs all over Australia. You'll even find yabbies far inland in Narembeen, Western Australia—thanks to a farmer who brought some in from Victoria and gave the yabbies a home in his farm dams. It was a long shot, but they not only survived, they thrived on the muddy water and warm water temperature. Now people who live hundreds of kilometers from the coast can enjoy the novelty of catching their own seafood.
Haven't discovered the delights of yabbies yet? The delicate, sweet flavor and firm texture has earned lavish praise from foodies, chefs and yabbie fans everywhere. While you’re in Oz, treat yourself to a local farm stay and have yabbies around the campfire. Or hunt them yourself with a string and rotten meat. Or if dangling dead carcass isn’t your thing, snatch some up at a local fish market. You can learn how to cook them right here or visit the yabbie dabbie doo yabbie farm (seriously) and check out some recipes. You can even buy a pet yabbie!
Just like Bubba Gump’s beloved "fruit of the sea” (the almighty shrimp) you can prepare yabbies in a myriad of ways including barbecue, boil, broil, bake and sauté. That’s right, there’s yabby kebabs, yabby Creole, yabby gumbo, pan fried, deep fried, stir fried. There's pineapple yabby and lemon yabby, coconut yabby, pepper yabby, yabby soup, yabby stew, yabby salad, yabby and potatoes, yabby burger, yabby sandwich...and Steamed Red Claw Yabbies with Ginger and Shallots from Hamish Ingham of the Sydney Four Seasons Hotel...and that's about it.
How about a pilgrimage to Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada, eh?
The famously friendly locals here are fast-talkers who speak with a decidedly Irish twist (likely the strongest brogue you’ll hear west of Galway). Their Irish, English, French and Aboriginal backgrounds mean they also speak a multitude of dialects and have a lot of home-grown sayings (there’s even a dictionary). Speaking "Newfinese" or "Newfie Slang" isn’t a requirement when you come here, but the slanguage is guaranteed to entertain you.
Now pass me the jim, over dere on the slang (pass me that, it's on the counter).
St. John's is the capital of this province and it's the perfect combination of big-city luxury and small-town charm
(think smaller, yet earthier San Francisco). As the oldest and most easterly city in North America you'll find everything from dug-up sod houses of the Vikings to George Street, where you can get "jiggy" with the most pubs per square foot in North America. It's truly where heritage meets modern day.
The fine fare has an accent all its own, too; despite a ban on fishing cod in the 90s, the white fish still reigns supreme in cuisine. Make a meal of baked cod au gratin or cod fish and chips; try some cod tongues with scrunchions (small pieces of pork rind or fatback fried until crispy); and don’t forget a grand finale of cloudberry pie — it's as Newfoundland as it gets.
Out and about, or should we say “aboot”, you’ll discover Signal Hill with its crowning Cabot Tower. This castle-like structure sits next to the spot where Guglielmo Marconi received the first trans-Atlantic wireless message in 1901. Outside of town, follow the path of Vikings who sailed here centuries ago, leaving stories and ancient artifacts at L’Anse aux Meadows (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). The winding road from L'Anse-au-Clair to Red Bay takes you past dwarf conifers and salmon-rich rivers, aboriginal burial mounds and hulking boulders.
For decades, people have journeyed to this coast to witness its bounty of whales, dolphins and seabirds including hundreds of thousands of puffins. Then there are the icebergs that float down from Greenland. In fact, the frozen behemoths have earned this stretch of the Atlantic the moniker, Iceberg Alley. And yes, it was 350 miles/563 kilometers off the coast of Newfoundland where the infamous Titanic sank.
The fantastical shapes of the bergs are the result of the force of waves, wind and the melt. Huge portions of the ice "calve" or break away at the water’s edge with a booming crash and range from flat, stadium-sized slabs to “growlers” (named for the sound they make spinning in the water), which are about the size of a grand piano. Edgar Allan Poe described them as "...stupendous ramparts of ice, towering away into the sky, and looking like the walls of the universe." There's an incredible video of icebergs on their site - don't miss it.
You may not wax poetic about the bergs or the place when you visit this province, but we’re pretty certain you’ll be happy just going with the “floe.” Watch this excellent tourism ad and see for yourself.
Australia’s beaches are beautiful, but the really good ones have stories to tell and a lot of things to do when you’re done “sun baking.” That’s where Tallebudgera (tal-uh-budge-er-a) Beach comes in.
Recently voted Australia’s Cleanest Beach by Keep Australia Beautiful, Tallebudgera is truly a Gold Coast gem. And it owes this feather in its cap to the locals: They are the keepers of this pristine piece of paradise in Queensland. They love Tallebudgera, so they care for it.
A famed family s
pot, this uber-clean beach offers crystal-clear ocean swimming, peak surfing and the waters of Tallebudgera Creek. It also links the mountainous hinterland with the Pacific Ocean, rocky outcrops, sandy shores, mangroves and dunes. What more could you ask for?
How abo
ut fish? In the Aboriginal dialect, Tallebudgera means “good fish” and anglers who come from all over to discover its well-guarded contents agree. Boat and bank anglers will find bream and flathead at the Creek, while fly fishermen can target tarpon and giant herring in the upper reaches and canals.
Summer sch
ool is in session at Tallebudgera, too. Since 1966, children from all over Queensland have lived the dream of attending summer school at Tallebudgera—the region’s premier education camp. It’s the best aquatic adventure site in Australia and the largest Surf Education School.
Tallebudgera Beach is also the proud 
home of the world’s first all-female surf and swim patrol. Since 1928, the Neptune Royal Life Saving Club has performed volunteerbeach patrols. Ask anyone here and they’ll tell you this life-saving beach fixture (men are allowed these days) is yet another reason to enjoy clean, safe Tallebudgera.
Because video is the next best thing to being there, we leave you with this piece featuring Australia's Cleanest Beach and starring the locals who truly love her:
We're counting the time until December 25th in sleeps now—just the way our Aussie and Kiwi friends do (five sleeps until the holiday...four sleeps until the holiday...) We love an old fashioned holiday with a little Bing Crosby music and a Charles Dickens tale, but we're on the cutting edge of cool when it comes to finding hot spots for the Yuletide.
There are those among us who still love the quintessential snowy holiday; but the appeal of a warm one with sun and sand is undeniable, too. The hustle and bustle of the holiday hordes get some of us in the spirit; then again, some of us prefer to look for it on a deserted sandy beach. So here are three of our favorite locum locales—one for every holiday disposition—beginning with the Big Apple.
It doesn’t take a miracle on 34th street to understand why New York City tops every holiday destination list. There's the 74-foot Norway spruce illuminated by five miles of lights at the Rock, but that's just the beginning of the trees you'll find in NYC. Head up Fifth Avenue towards Central Park and you’ll pass such famous stores as Harry Winston and Tiffany, then Bergdorf Goodman and FAO Schwarz. The window displays alone are worth the trip. Uptown, you’ll find the Peace Tree decorated with origami paper cranes at The Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
The Holiday spirit isn’t limited to Manhattan, either. The New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx is best-known for its Holiday Train Show and the garden hosts a display of lighted fir trees, some nearly 25 feet high. At the other end of the city, homeowners in the Dyker Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn are known for their over-the-top holiday decorations—where else could you take a Christmas Lights & Cannoli Tour? When you’ve had your fill of tinsel and Sicilian pastry, head back to Central Park for some ice skating and a ride in a one-horse open sleigh.
If you prefer sand and sun over snow, how does ice-cold beer on a beach sound? The holiday season comes during the height of summer Down Under, when the cicadas are buzzing, the cherries are ripening, and everyone’s working on their tan.
In reality, Australia has all glitter, tinsel and razzmatazz of a Christmas in New York, except the holiday is generally celebrated with beach and backyard barbecues. Especially at Bondi Beach (pronounced Bon-DIE). Every year, this popular suburb of Sydney attracts holiday goers from all over the world for the silly season. Snowmen take a backseat to sand castles, snowboots are replaced by flip-flops, and sleds are swapped for surfboards. While a few things still ring true here to the season—like sharing time for rellies (relatives) and mates and lots of Christmas edibles—the thousands of red stocking caps that dot the shoreline and a feast of steak and prawns from the barbie are bound to shake up your traditions a bit.
If you're a die-hard contrarian looking for the very antithesis of Northern Hemisphere holiday clichés, we present New Zealand. Specifically, the Kaikoura Peninsula—one of the most biodiverse marine environments on the planet. December is a great time to be hiking through the rainforest of the Kaikoura mountain range or exploring the waters of Kaikoura Bay. You won’t find any reindeer, but it’s the summer home of fur seals, dusky dolphins, pilot whales, and sperm whales; and all it takes to commune with them is a boat or kayak and a bit of perseverance. There are even helicopter tours for watching it all from above. When you've worn yourself out, you can catch some Yuletide rays on the beach and pop open a tin from from the chilly bin.
Hello again from Australia,
It is wonderful to be back living and working at the Top End of Australia–our tropical paradise. Despite the daily humidity and temperatures reaching the high 90s, we feel “at home” slipping easily back into our routine of work and play (the customs officers were skeptical about Kathy's work visa when they explored her bag and found snorkeling equipment, a bike helmet, multiple swimsuits and several pairs of walking shoes!)
We are enjoying the same condo, the same lovely oceanfront swimming pool, and wonderful young doctors eager to learn and care for their patients. The mix of Asian/Australian influence is what makes this place unique from our prior Australian experiences. Here, Kathy cares for patients from East Timor, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines Islands, Sri Lanka, China, India and refugees from as far as Iran–to name a few. In fact, one in eight Australians now speak an Asian language. This exposure to other cultures has piqued our interest to travel to these regions in the future.
Weather and natural phenomena continues to be a “hot topic”. Nightly spectacular lightning shows that are leading us to the eventual wet season dominate.
Our native Australian Aborigines will now enter the 21st century with their own television station. Going mainstream introduces their culture to a wider audience and breaks down multiple barriers. We eagerly await this chance to learn more about the first people of Australia and hope that sometime in the future the Constitution of Australia is ratified to recognize them.
The Northern Territory outlawed the use of plastic shopping bags last year and one year later, it is nice to see everyone parading into the stores with reusable bags in tow. It shows that it can and should be done. Molly even takes an “esky” (cooler) when she shops for things that need refrigeration.
Our time back in the USA brought a visit from Australian friends who spent part of their 77-day U.S. holiday with us. We caught up with them in the Grand Canyon after we spent five days rafting down the Colorado River, sleeping under the stars and hiking the nine miles out. The grand finale of their holiday was five days with Kathy’s brother in New Jersey during Hurricane Sandy....with no electricity.
In the spirit of the holiday season, two turtle doves have built a nest in a palm tree just outside our window. What makes it unique is that this same couple attempted a nest here last year but it was blown apart by a typhoon. Hopefully, they will have better luck this year. To ring in the New Year we’re sailing Sydney Harbour aboard the
James Craig–a tall ship built in 1874. The Sydney fireworks spectacular is world-renowned so watch for us on your television news!
Happy Holidays & Happy New Year!
Kathy and Molly
Dr. Kathy Starkey (far right
) is an OB/GYN from Buffalo, New York who gave up a practice in the Finger Lakes region in 2007 to take her first locum assignment with us in New Zealand. She’s now on her 8th assignment–at the Top End of Australia in the Northern Territory (for the 2nd time) where they just arrived. Dr. Starkey says she’s sticking with locum work because she get to practice medicine–which she loves–versus working so hard at the “business” of medicine. Her partner in life and crime, Molly Evans (second from right) has been with her from the beginning and the pair’s locum adventures–which we tell often–have also taken them to New Zealand's North and South Islands, the Cayman Islands, Western Australia, and the Australian island state of Tasmania.
William Richard "Rick" Abbott, MD, is an ER doctor who loves a challenge. He met his wife, Jean, on his first day of medical school—when he was assigned to a cadaver with her—and 42 years later they're still colleagues, friends and lovers (TMI?). He's a clinical professor at the University of Colorado where, if our social media is anything to go by, he's very popular. He went to Tasmania on a locum tenens assignment for us and we've written about him in our newsletter. He put this experience into his own words:
When we last left Dr. Rick Abbott, he was telling us about participating as the “doc” on a charity bike ride through California and the fundraising efforts by the participants...
The charity facility - Velindre - has three cancer care “centres” at Cardiff in the south of Wales. Funded by Britain's National Health Service, it also has a fundraising arm. The charitable donations to Velindre have built a new hospital wing, funded research and provided niceties for patients—especially those without family support. It has also helped fund outreach programs for those living some distance from the centre, like remote chemotherapy infusion locations.
The required contribution to ride in this event was about $7,000 USD and as we rode along, I heard the stories of what people did to raise money: golf tournaments, music festivals, garage sales, auction off the kids to clean your house or weed your gardens, etc. Schools raised money by selling "no uniform days" for a British pound per day. One rider's wife is a professional opera singer and they "busked" (the term for what’s basically a street performance). In this case, the couple dressed up and did a funny show while she and her voice students sang—
a long way from her other gigs at the Met and La Scala.
One poker tournament with 1,000 pound purse raised 8,000 pounds and went until 4 a.m. There was a lot more, but what impressed me so much was that not one person I talked to came in anywhere near the required minimum $7,000 USD for the trip contributions—they all beat it!
Some of the participants were connected to the centre because family and friends had been treated there; some were employees of the centre; some were just there to do some good. We had Olympians and even a few Para-Olympians. Some of the riders were experienced cyclists; some had never ridden any real distances; and all reported this event was the hardest thing they'd ever done.
So, here's what struck me about all of this: There's a tendency for Americans to think of a National Health System as purely a governmental entitlement. In the UK, anyone can walk into a hospital or medical office and get care. No paperwork, no cost, no payments, no fighting with the insurance companies—just sit back and let them take care of you. But, this gang of Welsh riders taught me about a part of the NHS that had only previously been hinted at: There really is more.
The volunteers, contributors and other folks make a huge effort to do something for an important institution, and ultimately they make the institution far better: more user-friendly and up-to-date than it would be without the help. I liken it to a street that is installed by a city government: the neighbors plants flower beds, spruce it up with sculptures and even add some nice benches—all to make the basics better.
I was impressed by the whole concept and even more impressed by the individuals who made the effort (including the community back home who supported them). Oh, yeah, the scenery and the cycling were great, too.
If the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, then the way to the heart of a new city is through its cuisine. And if a locavore is the term for someone who’s avid about eating food that is locally produced, then a locumvore is our new term for a locum who has a passion for eating great grub.
We began the hunt for great U.S. locumvore spots based on recommendations from our doctors, who proved to us that fine fare doesn't always come with a Michelin star or Zagat rating. These restaurateurs aren't required to tend their own goats and make artisanal cheese or have a celebrity chef in the house. These are just places that prepare fresh, mostly local food you won't want to miss when you're in town. Ready?
1. Providence, Rhode Island
Our first stop is Providence, Rhode Island, where foodies have a “slanguage” all their own. Here, you'll enjoy things like “stuffies” (hard-shell quahog clams) and New York System “gaggers” (thin veal and pork franks topped with spicy sauce). The food and wine culture in Providence is a natural, given it's the hometown of Johnson & Wales University, which is renowned for its College of Culinary Arts. For restaurants, the city's many popular spots include Madiera (Portuguese) and Al Forno. The International Herald Tribune calls Al Forno the "number one casual dining restaurant in the world.”
2. Kansas City, Missouri
We head to the midwest now—to Kansas City—because we couldn't ignore a city with a nonprofit Barbecue Society (it's one of the largest groups of its kind worldwide). It's also the reason you'll find eateries like Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue, Oklahoma Joes, LC’s, BB’s and more than 100 other joints. But it’s not all about the BBQ in KC. The city is home to one of the last traditional pan-fried chicken restaurants in America: Stroud’s. Declared the place “Where Men Eat,” by Esquire Magazine, the review reads: The fried-chicken dinners are cooked to order in a black skillet, served with hot cinnamon rolls so good you’ll steal from your kid’s plate. Stroud’s was also featured on an episode of Man v. Food with Adam Richman who declared: “Today, KC stands for Killer Chicken.”
3. Boulder, Colorado
Leaving the land of high cholesterol behind, we head to the Rocky Mountains for the kind of high you only find in Colorado—Boulder, specifically—where the folks have found a tasty way to bridge the gap between food that’s good and food that's good for you. The town's brand of health-conscious eating has garnished the numerous foodie town titles, including "Best Small City for Great Meals" by the Wall Street Journal. The emphasis here is on seasonal, local ingredients, and Boulder’s farmers' markets consistently take top spots. There's always something to wash it down with in Boulder, too. The Denver Beer Triangle (a.k.a. the "Napa Valley of Beer") takes in the area between Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins, and Boulder is often called the "the Happiest (and Hoppiest) City in America."
4. Eugene, Oregon
If you prefer to sip versus chug, gear up for Eugene, Oregon. You know Willamette Valley is the state's leading wine region, but do you know the food you pair with the vino is just as delightful? The place is an organic food-lovers paradise with restaurants like Marché, where the chefs believe that "seasonal and local are where it’s at" when it comes to food sourcing. Executive Chef Rocky Maselli of Ox and Fin says, “I live in a chef’s playground.”
5. Portland, Maine
Last it's on to Portland...not that Portland, the other Portland...the one we love in Maine. Here, you’ll find “lobstah” and “chowdah” and at least 15 farmers' markets foisting lamb, scallops, potatoes and more onto food-loving New Englanders. In fact, fine food and drink is of such interest here that Rabelais books stocks tomes exclusively on that topic. From the mind to stomach, stop at the eatery known as Emilitsa for cuisine from every region of Greece. Standard Baking Company is heaven for bread-lovers where feather-light croissants, luxurious little pain au chocolat, biscotti, brioches and more arise from aromatic ovens. And local seasonal specialties are the highlight at the Back Bay Grill, where we recommend the Bangs Island Mussels followed by Spiced Rhubarb Crumble. Yum.
What's for lunch locumvores?
William Richard "Rick" Abbott, MD, is an ER doctor who loves a challenge. He met his wife, Jean, on his first day of medical school—when he was assigned to a cadaver with her—and 42 years later they're still colleagues, friends and lovers (TMI?). He's a clinical professor at the University of Colorado where, if our social media is anything to go by, he's very popular. He went to Tasmania on a locum tenens assignment for us and we've written about him in our newsletter. He put this experience into his own words:
I've had some great experiences doing things that came out of nowhere and were unplanned (and probably should have been thought out better). A couple of years ago, I took a "cold call" directed to my wife asking if she might be interested in a job in Australia. I said she wouldn't, but I might. About eight months later I was just north of Antarctica, working in Launceston—a former penal colony in Tasmania—at what is their finest hospital (in my opinion).
Then about a month ago Global Medical (the same folks who sent me to Australia) contacted me with a request: would I be willing to volunteer as a medic on a week-long bicycle ride for charity. Scott Wilson, the recruiter, knew I was an avid cyclist so a few calls and emails later I was ensconced as the "Doc" on the ride.
We rode from beautiful Yosemite Valley, through the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, across the windy flats of the San Joaquin Delta, out to the California coast, and then south to the highlight of the trip—across the Golden Gate Bridge. The scenery was incredible, the camping was delightful, the food was good...yada, yada, yada.
But wait! There's more...
There actually was some medical stuff to do. One rider used her face to do an imitation of a broom sweeping up the road and got rather colorful set of facial abrasions and bruises. One rider had a fractured radius and rode in a cast. And one who was three weeks out from a pelvis fracture and had to use crutches to get to the bicycle but rode for at least part of each day. By the way, the charity supplied a kit (which they use for all of their fundraising "expeditions) that included stuff for high altitude sickness and even a pregnancy test!
But wait! There's more...
Did I mention the group was from Wales? It’s one of the reasons that I was interested in this "job". My family emigrated from there in 1906 and it turns out one cyclist lives on the outskirts of the town where my family came from. Many of the riders knew the town well, explaining it recently underwent a “rehab” and is no longer a pile of run down old mines and slag heaps, but "green" and pleasant. I even learned how to say "Hi" in Welsh - though since I can't gargle well enough to speak Welsh words, the pronunciation of "shwmai" is a mystery to me.
But wait! There's more...
I knew basically nothing about the charity the ride was for—Velindre, a cancer care center (or "centre" as it were) at Cardiff in the south of Wales (much smaller in population and area than my home state of Colorado). Google helped me and the group helped even more, but that’s another story for another day. I will tell you this: the required contribution to ride in this event was about $7,000 USD and fundraising efforts covered the gamut...
The seasons in Australia’s “Top End” come in two distinct flavors: torrential wet and mud-cracking dry.
However, Kakadu National Park—the centerpiece of the Top End—sees seasons of such varied extremes that
the aboriginal inhabitants have divided the year into six distinct seasons: Gudjewg, Banggereng, Yegge, Wurrgeng, Gurrung and Gunumeleng (we won't ask you to pronounce them).
The year starts with the scent of blossoming paper barks overflowing into thundering waterfalls and dazzling lightning displays, then trickling into billabongs (small lakes) overflowing with feathered creatures and more. Kakadu has nearly 12,000 square miles/19,312 kilometers of spectacular wildlife habitat, including high-stone plateaus, rainforests, flood plains, mangrove-fringed estuaries, and coastal beaches on the Arfura Sea. The rugged, isolated nature of Kakadu means there are so many species that some have yet to be named by modern science.
Teeming with wildlife, you’ll find 60 species of mammals including kangaroos, wombats, dingoes, possum, bats and dusky rats. The Park is also famous for its reptiles like the awesome and dangerous Australian saltwater crocodiles (salties) that patrol many of the Park’s waterways. Watch for large monitor lizards (goannas) and colorful frill-necked lizards, too.
Kakadu is also a bird-lovers paradise. Billabongs that spring up during the wet seasons attract all kinds of activity from the stately Jabiru, to the aptly named Jacana or “Jesus” bird—so called because of the way it seems to walk on water. Osprey camp out atop termite mounds, Forest Kingfishers perch on branches above the still waters begging to be captured on film, and magpie geese congregate by the hundreds of thousands.
There are a lot of ways to experience Kakadu, depending on the season. Private cruise lines like Yellow Water Cruises are a great way to get up close and personal (safely) with some of the Park residents - especially the salties. There are also four-wheel drive safaris, camping and backpacking excursions, and for the truly laid-back adventure, car trips are a popular item, too. But the best way to experience Kakadu is the way the Aboriginals have for 40,000 years—on foot. You'll find a wide variety of paths and bush walks, from short and easy to those for the seriously fit. It's up to you.
The Aborigines here in Kakadu are descended from the longest continuous surviving human culture in the world. In fact, the name Kakadu comes from the mispronunciation of Gagadju, the name of an Aboriginal language spoken in the Park. Renowned for the richness of its Aboriginal cultural sites as well as its natural values, Kakadu is a recognized World Heritage Site.
They say change is the only constant in Kakadu. One Park ranger says, “At different times of the year you see completely different scenes.” But you already know that because Kakadu is up there on your life/bucket list—along with a locum in Australia. Just plan ahead. The Park covers a lot of ground and the seasons bring different experiences. Currently (and pretty much through March), the park is enjoying the Gudjewg (rain) season, and what they call "knock 'em down storms." The floodplains are starting to fill, waterfalls are flowing, native vegetation is vibrant, and dramatic storms and sunsets are common.
To start planning, sit back, put in your earbuds and take an audio Tour of the 7 Regions of Kakadu in the theater of your own mind.