Locums for a Small World Blog

Packing for a locum Down Under: forget the fear & loathing

Posted by Saralynn White

If we've seen it once, we've seen it a million times; doctors who locum Down Under get caught up in the grips of a grueling affliction known as fear and loathing of packing. Despite months of planning, these doctors and their families preparing for locum assignments are left staring at their suitcases for untold amounts of time, unsure about what to take and what not to take. Symptoms include melancholy; fear of exorbitant airport charges for overstuffed luggage; fear of not having their Aquafresh toothpaste in Refreshing Ice Mint flavor, and more. They become morose, ill-humored, broken or really "pack the sad," as they say Down Under. Dr. Kathryn Starkey, a veteran locum for Global Medical, and her partner, Molly Evans, have experienced the effects of this disorder first-hand and have offered up a fine solution: The Starkey & Evans Definitive Guide to Packing for a Locum Adventure Down Under.

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From tall trees, to deep caves, to fine wines: more adventures with locum doc Starkey

Posted by Saralynn White

On January 4, 2010, Dr. Kathryn Starkey and Molly Evans left Australia and headed for their 5th locum assignment, this time on the South Island of New Zealand. In a previous issue of Hemispheres, the ladies told of an upcoming trip to Margaret River - including a the possibility of a tree climb. We asked for an update, and we got it. Just prior to their departure for NZ, they sent this:
                                    
Dear All,

Before we head to New Zealand, we wanted to tell you about an area the Aussies call "our little secret." The Margaret River, in the southwest corner of Australia, is a beautiful, unspoiled world of history, nature and a spirit of all that is important in life...family, friends, food and wine. It features the Gloucester Tree, the highest working fire lookout in the world. Ignoring our age, we climbed its 153 rungs (actually reinforcement bars) to a height of a 20-story building (>200 feet) to the lookout platform. American litigators would have a heyday with this liability prone public amusement. Still in the climbing mood, we ventured to the coastline, driving through majestic Karri and Jarrah tree forests and climbed the Cape Leeuwin lighthouse, built in 1885. It is Australia's tallest at 56 meters (184 feet) high - there are 186 steps - and still supplies a nightly safety beam of one million candlelight power via the 1000-watt halogen bulb and original prism glass. This overlooks the meeting of the Indian and Southern Oceans which clearly is visible in the water and can be seen over 25 nautical miles away.

Our last adventure (before enjoying the wine tasting and a lovely long lunch) was exploring a series of 100 underground caves along a coastal ridge. It was definitely a lost primeval world with crystalline beauty. Back on terra firma, we found the Brown HillVoyager, and Brookland Valley wineries - with fabulous Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot blends, Shiraz and Chardonnay. You may not be able to find any wine from this region at home, but we recommend it highly!
 
As we do our final packing, we find it quite bittersweet. We have enjoyed living and meeting new friends in Western Australia.

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Forget the Turkey: Try Some Bush Damper & Morten Bay Bugs

Posted by Saralynn White

It's the eve of Thanksgiving in the States. Although the first Thanksgiving was celebrated to give thanks to God for helping the pilgrims survive the brutal winter, it's now a non-secular holiday with no gift-giving or guilt, unless you count overeating. Which brings me to the three important F's - Food, Family and Football. Yup, we stuff the turkey, stuff ourselves and then hit the couches and recliners to watch football and more football in a tryptophan-induced daze.

Naturally, a lot of locum doctors and their families who are living in Australia and New Zealand like to celebrate, but it's not always easy to find a Turkey dinner with the trimmings. One says forget the turkey! They stuff themselves with Barramundi (a delicate fish) and Morten Bay bugs (or Bay Lobster) - and try not to think about missing the pumpkin pie while they celebrate with their new "makeshift family."

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Australia's Red Center: Where fly netting is fashionable, women ride camels & the stars are otherworldly

Posted by Saralynn White

We finally realized our dream to travel to the Red Center of Australia known as Uluru-Kata Tjuta! These 600 million year old monolithic rock formations hold both a magical and spiritual connection for indigenous people and tourists around the world (see more here).

Yes, we took and wore our fly netting and made it around the 10K trail walking, and at times, dragging our feet! We also enjoyed an evening dinner in the desert - where all light was extinguished and constellations burst forth. Perhaps you know the stars are different down under. The "Southern Cross" is the most famous. A camel ride was top on my list and followed by time in the swimming pools at the resort. One million wild camels now run wild in the bush. We learned more about the Aboriginal culture and bought a desert dot painting, our second. The Aboriginals have lived here for over 10,000 years! (See more art, and buy your own here and here).

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