Today we are back in our 4-man team out on the ground and have 3 taskings, all hard, physical work.  And again the mercury is up in the late twenties and I’m applying the sun block every 2 hours.  I didn’t realise but the ozone layer is thin over here which is why the sun… Read More »

That weather changes today becoming a little more like I imagine an Aussie summer to be; windless, cloudless, sun beating down.  The mercury goes past 30 and I feel it.  We go on task not just as a four-man team today but with 9 volunteers from the local community, though when I say local I’m… Read More »

Last night’s banter in the FOB continues this morning. It is good natured though, funny even (sometimes) and I have to confess more than a little tamer than I imagined.  It’ll probably ramp up as the week goes on though… The weather continues to be English Spring-like and we get some showers during the morning,… Read More »

Up at 0600, first brief at 0700. I’m privileged (again) to be asked to lead one of the 3 teams of 4 ‘out on the ground’.  We pack our ‘ute’ with kit: chainsaw, brush cutter, saws, axes, shovels and other tools for groundwork and head off to our first job.  It is difficult to describe… Read More »

So here I am at our final pre-deployment brief and then off to Heathrow for the flight(s) out. Thank again to the Team and their negotiation and persuasion skills to get Flightlink and BA to donate our seats to Sydney.  Reflecting on the purpose of our trip, I have no problems with the cramped seats,… Read More »

It is now Saturday arvo (local) we left HQ 35 hours ago, I got out of my bed 45 hours ago and as we walk up the ramp from the plane at Adelaide airport, we spot our contacts. Brilliant, they came through security to meet us, even before we get to the baggage hall.  Handshakes… Read More »

I thought I’d be packing this weekend, but then I’ve accepted a double header with my Best Man and his wife (sadly haven’t seen them for way too long); Chinese New Year dinner followed by Burns Night on Saturday.  Mostly good fun, but a bit overwhelming meeting so many new people at the Burns Night… Read More »

Only half a day left to pack now with working away during the week, so I kept off the whisky at Burns Night last evening, well mostly.  Packing is quite straightforward: since starting on the journey to becoming a Disaster Responder I have been putting likely bits of kit in a big storage crate that… Read More »

 A few messages come in; flights are proving a little tricky, there will be a delay – it could be a couple of days, it could be a week.  Stand-by.  It’s not simply a case of booking flights and going.  The charity has limited funds and so there are a number of aspects to consider;… Read More »

Tuesday 21 Jan, late morning.  Phone call, there’s dodgy reception in the office so I skulk outside.  “Can you make it, are your family and work OK with it?”.  Yeah, no problem. “See you Thursday morning for a pre-brief then and you’ll fly out Thursday night”.  Great.  But mmm.  I’m excited to put all the… Read More »