Stranded

I have come to the end of my two-week holiday in Australia. It has been a strange period of time for me. I have gone from the challenges of rural Africa to a week back in the UK that absolutely epitomises the intensity of Western Life, and then before that was even concluded; headed out on another marathon journey to end up here in Australia. My mind is somewhat confused not really knowing whether it is coming or going. That is probably in part exacerbated by the jet lag – an exhausting reality that I have never properly experienced or appreciated until now.

Signpost at the end of Busselton Jetty

It has been a lovely, albeit full-on (childers do that), two weeks though spent with friends. Australia is a beautiful country and the climate has been delicious – their autumn is very much a British ‘Indian Summer’. Having not seen even one of the ‘90% of the worlds most dangerous creatures’ that live here, it feels a lot safer too than one might playfully contrive. Although you do need to be sensible. I now completely understand why many Brits are emigrating here. With the current cultural climate in the UK so pressurised, it really does feel very different. It is difficult to be specific, but it is very apparent. 

We had many great adventures visiting caves, coastlines, beaches, jetties, aquariums, vineyards and breweries to name but a few things. I was also able to up my running and have really enjoyed exploring ‘on foot’. They have so many dedicated running and cycling paths here – it’s great!

My mind has never been very far from Tanzania though as I try to work out what my role in its future might be. Regularly in touch with my colleagues there, I have received a number of very encouraging messages and pictures giving me updates on the patients I left behind recovering (now outpatients, they are all doing really well). The team continues its efforts to consolidate the services we developed, and I am delighted to report that they have now done a further six mesh hernia repairs. They are also committed to the mesh registry we started, so hopefully we can continue to accrue meaningful and encouraging data.

But my mind is stranded in a place of confusion, not knowing exactly how to continue my global health interest for the future. My dreams are vast and ambitious. Although equally, from a clinical perspective, what I envisage could be done to rapidly raise the standard of healthcare, is actually quite straightforward. So my mind is awash with ideas of fundraising, setting up charities, developing networks of interested parties, raising the profile of Global Surgery and trying to campaign for a raised interest / agendas at national levels….. Not much then. Whilst I have made some tentative steps towards some of these things, I need to be clearer what I can and want to do.

I am about to start on a very important stage in my professional life as a newly appointed consultant. Those responsibilities are substantial and I am completely committed to being the best that I can be in that regard. Indeed, part of my appointment was the opportunity to drive forward the development of an exciting new service at my NHS hospital. A project that will require a great deal of effort and time I am sure.  But I equally feel absolutely committed to the road I have started to tread, down the less developed paths, the muddy and dusty tracks, where I feel so much can be done to dramatically improve global health.

Clearly it will be about finding the right balance for me and collaborating as widely as possible to maximise those efforts. I really do believe that a little bit of effort, even from a few people, in the right direction and in a joined up fashion could have a huge impact. 

Perhaps it’s a good job then that I’ve got some unexpected extra thinking time; I am stranded at Perth Airport. Separated from my family once again, I have just waved off my wife and three daughters to board ‘our’ plane home. Unfortunately, in the shenanigans to reschedule flights to return to the UK for the interview, my homeward bound flights from Australia were somehow also cancelled. Clearly this was completely unknown to us until we got that look from the check in clerk. An absolutely delightful lady, her face however told the story. That look that tells you there’s a problem. That look that changes from ‘there’s a problem’ to there’s a major problem’. Was this really happening?! Could we not have one simple leg of our journey?! You couldn’t make it up. 

But remarkably, I remained calm. I was surprisingly unfazed about the situation. At least the girls could get home. Sorting out a flight for one is much simpler than for five. It turned out that I could get on the flight to Singapore, that would cost just $600Aus, but the problem was the connection to Heathrow. The onward Qantas flight is overbooked by 18 (some unhappy joining customers in Singapore I suspect) and the only other available BA flight would be $8,000Aus – clearly not an option then. So we looked to other options. It turns out that there are seats on the non-stop Dreamliner flight from Perth to London tomorrow. Whilst far from cheap, it was possible. I booked my seat. A credit card makes the pain of that transaction negligible. I completely ignored the money I’d just spent. We can sort that out next month!

Furthermore, I was also told that there was an outside chance I might be able to get a standby seat on tonight’s flight – apparently, although it’s fully booked there is a reasonable chance that someone won’t turn up. So, I am waiting for seven hours at Perth Airport to find out. It’s all very pleasant though (its cool, there’s no dust, there’s food and drink and a nice place to sit, read and think). Ironically, if I were to get a seat on tonight’s flight, I would arrive at Heathrow an hour before my wife and children.

Fingers crossed.