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Detailed travelogue on Australia and New Zealand

Detailed Travelogue on Australia and New Zealand

Larry
2006-05-27 03:23:16

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in the cities. These are only observations --
take them only for what they are.

I didn't spend too much time in Alice Springs. I parked the car, and
walked along the Todd Street Mall (the main shopping area). It was hot, and
a lot of people were sitting on the grass, listening to an impromptu
Christian evangelical presentation, as people talked about how Jesus had
saved them personally. At the entrance to the indoor shopping mall, a young
part-Aboriginal girl was playing Christmas melodies on the violin, to no
doubt get some practice, and a little spending money too. I dropped in a
few dollars (knowing what it was like), had a quick look around, then went
back outside to walk around some more.
After looking around Todd Street, I drove to the Alice Springs office of
the Royal Flying Doctor Service to visit their museum. The RFDS -- still in
service today -- is an organization of doctors that fly into remote parts of
the country to give medical help to those in need. Since so much of
Australia is arid, isolated land, it's amazing that the RFDS covers the
territory it does.
The RFDS was founded by a Presbyterian reverend named John Flynn in 1928,
realizing that the answer to medical help for those in isolated areas was
using radios and aircraft. The Flying Doctors were born. But by 1933, the
Flying Doctors had outgrown the resources of the Presbyterian Church, and
Revernd Flynn oversaw the transfer of the organization into what he called
"an organization of national character" -- the Royal Flying Doctors Service.
Throughout much of the RFDS' history, radio was used, both to ask for a
plane in a medical emergency, as well as for just calling a doctor to get
some general medical advice. Today, as satellite telephones in isolated
regions become more widespread, most people use a phone to call in for
advice ...

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