Well four full on days of Uni are done… World Voice Day is beginning to wind down… “Mr 50Something” has arrived in Wagga Wagga (down the road from Gumly Gumly) and its time for some road trippin….time to get out there and absorb real regional Australia.
Funny how we all jump at the chance to fly the globe and see what the big wide world has to offer … while right here on our doorstep, there is so much to see. I must admit to being guilty as charged to an extent, however this little sojourn will retrace one of my early life adventures….
My talent for causing all sorts of medical curiosities began down this way some 42 years ago while on a family caravanning holiday. I became ill on Christmas Day in Swan Hill.. and was rushed into the local (and VERY regional) hospital where they managed to drag the local Butcher (oops I mean Surgeon) away from his pork crackling to come and remove my appendix.
That in itself is a reasonable story …but add the fact that it was 43 degrees and my family (and other travelling companions) were stuck in the local caravan park for 2 weeks while I went on to develop a massive infection, and have my belly explode open….(SPLATT!!)… made it quite an adventure.
OOPS! Swan Hill WAS meant to be an overnight pit-stop.
I have vivid memories of Dad visiting daily ‘to keep me company’ wearing his dark sunglasses and finding the comfy chair in the corner so he could be cool and have a snooze. More power to him I say … because I STUNK… I mean like rotten meat (damn that butcher), He always was my hero !! 😉
Anyway all these year later , and by a series of very odd ‘coincidences’ I discover that the hospital is located on “Splatt St” … So what??? I here you ask .. Well Splatt is my Mum’s maiden name (and, lets face it, not exactly Smith or Jones)… something tells me I need to visit… so here we go with a sense of adventure and fingers crossed..
Tags: adventures, country life, memories, nonsense, regional Australia, road tripping, writing
Wonder Years 