Hobart RHH

A week after I got back from Melbourne, it was off to Hobart. I've been Tassie before last year on a spontaneous family trip, where I organised a trip for over 10 people, catering 1yo to 90+yo. It was a super short trip from Launceston to Hobart. This time I didn't rent a car since too expensive for just 2 people, and insurance cost a lot, so wasn't able to explore parts of Tassie which I didn't get to do last time, or go out at night and try to catch the Southern Lights (not that I missed any this week according to the fb group).

This was 100% the most relaxing placement ever, where you literally don't need to use your brain, and nothing is marked. Just observing, or doing VAs, IOPs and VFs together as a pair. Only the first day was busy, but Tues-Fri was pretty much finish between 11am-1pm, and then you only see 2-4 patients, and some days you just watch the optom do stuff. Probably not good to have something this chill at the end of the year since it doesn't stimulate your brain. It's nice to relax before internals next week, not that I can relax since I should study up for it but haven't yet...Not looking forward to 9am starts and 8pm finishes.

Some thoughts on Hobart:

- Royal Hobart Hospital has a specialist clinic building where the eye clinic is, it's relatively new and has a nice view from the 11th floor.

- I feel like they have a lot of funding since the iCare probs they use once for each patient, which is $1 a probe...but I guess it's a hospital so must be hygienic 

- Hobart wasn't as 'dead' as I remembered. Maybe because I arrived on the weekend of a large winter festival Dark Mofo. Apparently it's some electronic music festival thing, and shows som really deep/dark stuff around Hobart. I don't really get it, but went stumbled upon a massive food night festival. Saw some other stuff like people playing music 24/7 for 7 days, and they all rotate and you can go into the building to watch. 

- Would recommend MONA. Lots of modern art and stuff they remade from old art. Well did the same thing as a previous artist. Really liked the current exhibition featuring James Turrell stuff with lots of trippy lights. 

- The Airbnb I stayed at was pretty big. Room was bigger than the photos, and host offered to pick me up from nearby hotel so didn't have to drag luggage up a 6m elevated hill, approx 40deg. It was super duper steep, 2x steeper than my street. They even left food in the fridge for us. Kitchen was well equipped with stuff including so many spices, and even a hand held cake mixer lol. Not that I cooked anything fancy for did baking.

- Room like 3x my room at home. I always wondered why people need bedside lamps, then I realised when you have a bigger room, you don't want to trip from closing the main light to go to your bed. Whereas in my room it's so small, I close the light and my bed is just one step away, so you can't trip in the dark.
- Discovered the tv had Netflix on the last night lol.

- Going to miss all the half days.

- Hobart itself is a very chill/relaxing city. 

- It wasn't actually that cold, most days around 10deg, some mornings were 6/7. In NZ, it was mainly 4deg in morning but also went to double temps. Sometimes I find Sydney at 12deg colder, cause of the wind.

- Manage to escape the rain, only started to rain a bit when I was waiting for the bus to go to the airport.
- The traffic lights are the same in Sydney, even the pedestrian button. They change super quickly the flashing red, unlike Melbourne which stays green for a long time. You have to press the button in Hobart even in the tiny CBD, but it changes really quickly. I think Brisbane also uses a different button.
- There are no public transport officers, unlike Melbs where they wait for you outside the free tram zone and police and also check your ticket, and Sydney officers boarding the train/bus is quite common.

- I feel like every time I catch a Jetstar flight, I have to add an extra hour cause of flight delays. I guess Sydney airport is a busy airport, and they probs prioritise Qantas planes.

- Didn't really go out to eat a lot since there's not that much food, and been to fancier places last year. 

- So many food posts to do but ceebs since need to continue planning for travel, oh and also study.