My Little Pony

During my first week on the job I had to rush out to an early morning horse colic as the on-call vet was already at another call. Upon arrival I drove past several very flash cars parked outside a mansion of a house, stables that were more impressive than most houses in NZ, and a horse truck that I would be happy to call home. The horse in question was a stunning animal with a long history of colic episodes that had been treated surgically in the past. Luckily he wasn't too bad and responded well to the pain relief medication administered.

I had an inkling that there was a bit of money involved (wonder what gave it away?), but was glad that it wasn't until I returned from the call that the vet chose to inform me of how much the horse was really worth. Let's just say it's more than I would spend on a house...or two. So much for the "country hacks and pleasure horses" I was told I'd be treating!

It's the UK baby!

I apologise for the long delay on blog updates. I have recently moved to the UK to do the mandatory "Overseas Experience" all Kiwis and Aussies need to do at least once in their lifetimes. In the past month or so I've been rushing around organising my new job, bank account, insurance against angry clients and roof over my head. Then I had to get used to all the new drug names, procedures and, worst of all, COMPUTER SYSTEMS in my new clinic. It's been three weeks and I'm finally starting to get the hang of it.

Things I've discovered during my first three weeks in the UK:
- Just because some people speak "English" doesn't mean I will necessarily understand a word they're saying.
- When two kiwi vets go out to a farm together, we WILL be compared to the cast of "Neighbours"...they are AUSTRALIAN, people!
- UK TV is as rubbish as Kiwi & Aussie - same crap reality shows, different accents
- DO NOT wear a bright red ski jacket in central London unless you want to stand out like Rudolph's nose.
- Catching the tube is a piece of piss, just make sure you know how to get through the turnstiles when you get off.
- Cops are not amused when you take photos of their machine guns because "it's like being back in Africa".
- The cost of food is inversely proportional to the number of calories in it.
- Even teeny tiny towns will have so much traffic that at 5pm you will need a traffic light just to cross the road.
- It is possible to get stuck in a four-storey shop and not be able to find the exit...like a rat in a trap...
- I miss the sun, sea and surf already BUT the pubs are AWESOME and on a cold, wet day I now understand why everyone can be found in one of these warm sanctuaries of beer and pies...