How scary were the floodwaters in VIC - apparently it's the worst in 15 years!! I saw pics and many towns were submerged and cars were floating on the floods... seemed catastrophic! This happened over the weekend before I headed down to Melb - so not too long ago. Wouldn't want to be in that situation with the floods, although it could be interesting to experience it first-hand provided there are SES crews around!! Which actually reminds me... TY and I experienced a storm before. This was when we went to Apollo Bay and there was a massive storm... Some guy died that year at Torquay... not sure if some of you Melburnians knew about that storm up that way... but when TY and I went up to Apollo Bay, we had to drive around big huge boulders. The night the storm struck and some people had died from fallen trees/drowned - we were out driving really slowly through the town to grab late dinner. It was certainly foggy and stormy. We didn't realise the storm had struck until the day after when morning came. The sea was brown, the town was somewhat flooded, and there were big boulders on the roads and trees uprooted, and branches and twigs everywhere! The cops were also about in the helicopters above... Even locals were talking about it being their biggest storm in a few years. Go see some of our pics on FB - Apollo Bay trip... Yeah, it was pretty scary...
Anyways, back to the VIC floods and apparently one of the worst affected areas was S-h-e-p-p-a-r-t-o-n. I was actually so close to taking a job with another company in S-h-e-p-p-a-r-t-o-n, when I declined it and accepted B-e-n-d-i-g-o instead. But just recently, I heard that the c-l-i-n-i-c-i-a-n-s at the B-e-n-d-i-g-o centre also go to S-h-e-p-p-a-r-t-o-n to fill in. But the S-h-e-p-p-a-r-t-o-n centre for this particular company is okay because it's somewhere in the middle of a hill where floodwaters would not really get to. So that's good!
When I reached Melb, the floodwaters had passed, but the floods were still around - and still around today - but in the midst of receding... although it is gonna rain again this weekend and some areas are on flood alert.
Well got a friendly email to visit the B-e-n-d-i-g-o centre where I will be starting work at next year in Jan. So went to B-e-n-d-i-g-o and everyone was really warm and welcoming. It was a pretty big centre - seemed like a medical facility. I even got to select my room and the c-l-i-n-i-c supervisor there was really accommodating. She took us out for lunch at this really nice cafe and even showed us around. I was certainly not expecting to climb an observation platform of about 5 flights of stairs to see the view of B-e-n-d-i-g-o, but yeah, it was worth seeing - but rather cold and windy at the top. Apparently the area has a really rich history and would be gd to explore when I start working there. I will be going to other visiting centres as well... the furthest is about 5 hrs drive, but the company would prob fly you up and put you in some accomm with meals. The visiting sites are actually gd - a different experience and new challenges, and it'd be nice to sometimes have a change too. =) I would not have been able to say that, but it's because today, I went on my first visiting site - and I actually really liked it. Am on p-l-a-c-e-m-e-n-t at the moment in A-l-b-u-r-y, and today, went to C-o-r-o-w-a (about an hour out) in the company's car. Although it was lugging the entire office with you, it was a really nice drive and even the setting at the rental consult room up in C-o-r-o-w-a was really nice. Passed a town called H-o-w-l-o-n-g - and it had a lot of millionaire-looking properties - apparently owned by doctors... And also lots of canola plants along the way and lots of birds. Saw a magpie chasing a cyclist actually, for quite a few traffic lights - it was quite funny cause he was trying to get rid of it by riding faster, but that didn't work - magpie kept pecking at his helmet... lols! (sorry, shouldn't laugh... but it is uncommonly seen... poor cyclist...). A-l-b-u-r-y btw is a really nice little town. Everyone has been really nice. And the c-l-i-n-i-c is set in a little house which makes it a really nice homely feel. =) People have said it is cold up here in A-l-b-u-r-y cause of the snow and mountains nearby, but the first few days were really pleasant and sunny. Today was ultra cold though and it started raining towards evening. But am back to Melb on Sat. TY is coming up with CH on Fri and we're all gonna have a little roam around before heading back on Sat. =) I met this other student from P-e-r-t-h on Wed at the c-l-i-n-i-c. She's also studying a-u-d-i-o-l-o-g-y and is a local from A-l-b-u-r-y itself. She was really nice and she gave me a few nice eating places to explore. =) Just added her to FB and I just found out that she's a Christian too. =) She's only in her first year, so she's got another year left... but I'll definitely be keeping in touch and perhaps exchanging notes with her. =) Placement has been good, although I kinda wish I could do more and take over in a lot of situations, but can't compete with my s-u-p-e-r-v-i-s-o-r who often plans out what he would like me to do... Everywhere u go is different though - some s-u-p-e-r-v-i-s-o-r-s would actually let you do everything, some would give u bits and pieces, and others would just get u to observe. Thank goodness I don't get to observe - always feel that if I do something, it gets me practicing my skills rather than observing. I'm not an observer... more a doer... so glad that most of my p-l-a-c-e-m-e-n-t-s have been getting me to utilise those c-l-i-n-i-c-a-l skills. Another early one and full day tomorrow... so need to sleep soon - it's 9:45pm... and have to get up at 6:30am... Will write soon... *yawn*
No comments:
Post a Comment