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Unconventional Conventions

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25.01.2022 In times like these, we really can't afford to lose our mind. One of our regular client's daughters founded Mindful in May which could help you - it is now the world’s largest online mindfulness fundraising campaign. The idea is simple, you make a small donation that goes towards providing clean drinking water for impoverished communities around the globe, and in exchange, you will receive education, tools and support so you can build a sustainable meditation routine to bec...ome mentally fit in one month. We encourage you to sign up today for only $49 (plus GST). Registrations close this Friday. https://www.mindfulinmay.org/

25.01.2022 Another classic

25.01.2022 Twenty-year-old Kleon Papadimitriou had flights cancelled three times, causing him to rethink his travel options.

25.01.2022 Great short film from two of our regular Antarctica expedition guides

24.01.2022 Let's see how we get on with this

24.01.2022 We can all reach out and provide support to our mates, loved ones, colleagues and neighbours going through a tough time. Learn how at www.ruok.org.au/how-to-ask #RUOK #RUOKDay #RUOKEveryday

23.01.2022 Today we’re sharing the work of photographer Nick Brandt as part of a #SundaySeries. Every Sunday for two months we’ll share the work of a photographer who has ...seen impact of the global wildlife trade with their own eyes. Week 3: Nick Brandt Line of rangers holding tusks killed at the hands of man, Amboseli 2011. Elephants walking through grass, Amboseli 2008. I wish that I had never had to take this photo. I wish that it had never been possible to take this photo. The rangers photo was taken as a visual echo of Elephants Walking Through Grass, a very different world - a vision of paradise and plenty - taken only a couple of miles away, three years earlier. The herd in that photo is being led by a wonderful matriarch. Photographed in 2008, she was 44 years old at the time. The following year, she was killed by poachers. In the rangers photo, the 22 rangers are holding the tusks of elephants killed at the hands of man within the Amboseli/Tsavo Ecosystem. The tusks of the elephant at the front? I think it’s safe to say there is barely an elephant left alive on the continent of Africa with tusks that size. However, there is hope. The rangers holding the tusks are some of the 300+ rangers employed by Big Life Foundation, the organization that I co-founded in 2010 to protect the animals and ecosystem of this region. Today, these rangers protect a 1.6 million acre area straddling Kenya and Tanzania. Since Big Life was founded, the incidence of poaching has dramatically dropped, to the point that zero elephants have been poached in the last two years. We hope this series will help create urgent change for wild animals, people and the planet. Together, we can #EndWildlifeTrade. Forever. Sign the petition to the G20: http://ow.ly/LYLy50BShAU

22.01.2022 When 97-year-old Bob McDermant became a paramedic in 1947 he didn't have much more than bandages and antispetic. Back then ambulances were little more than taxi serivces but he helped to change that.

22.01.2022 So last week I started working on a covid-19 positive ward, where patients have either been rescued or transferred from care facilities around Vic. My mum took... this photo of me through a inch wide window, in a door separating the covid ward from the theatre department where she works. Seeing me in full PPE, through a locked door that’s been sealed with hazard tape, (and all other covid things going on) was all too much. She is proud of me, but she is scared. Naturally, I tried to smile under my mask, give the thumbs up and show her I’m okay. But as I see the tears roll down her face the seriousness of the situation we’re in hits home and I find myself tearing up too. I want to rip off my gown and mask, jump through the door and hug her to make her feel better. Instead, I put my hand to the glass and she does the same as more tears roll down her face. I hold back my own because in this area, you don’t dare touch your face at any point. I also know that for me, this period of not being with my family has an end date. For some of the people I’m caring for, they haven’t physically seen or touched a family member since February, and some may not get that chance again. These people have been kept isolated in their rooms for months, they’ve only seen masks and gowns, only touched gloves, and only heard their loved ones voices through devices for a few minutes a day. It’s heartbreaking to hold their hand while they cry and see their daily struggle, so I won’t shed a tear for my situation, because in this PPE I can’t even shed a tear for theirs. The PPE is horrible; the plastic gowns are hot and sweaty and they stick to your skin. I have pressure sores in between my thumbs and index fingers from where the thumb holes have been pulling because the arm lengths are too short. But as soon as you take one gown off after being with a patient, you’re not comfortable again until you’ve put a fresh gown back on and feel protected again. Our hands are turning raw with the constant hand washing and sanitising. The N95 masks are claustrophobic, cutting into our skin and giving us pressure sores on our noses, cheeks and ears, rashes on our faces, yet we pull them tighter because they’re our saving us from the same fate as our patients. We see each other hurting yet we don’t complain, one look at our patients and we don’t feel any of our own pain anymore. People ask how I drew the short straw to work here....I didn’t. I offered. These people, our most vulnerable people, have been let down by a greater community not heeding the warnings. They have done nothing wrong, yet they pay the price of Victoria ignoring the seriousness of this virus. When we ask ourselves years down the track, ‘what did I do to help when covid spread across the world?’, I can say that I actually used my training, and directly helped. For you, the public, staying home and wearing a mask is the very small thing we ask of you to help. So please, don’t complain about those soft masks across your face that you wear for 30mins when grocery shopping, and cherish the time at home knowing the air you breathe is clean. If you are one of the people planning secret gatherings and preaching your own personal ‘rights’ over everyone else’s safety, you need to take a long hard look at yourself, or better yet, our patients. Take a walk through any hospitals covid ward and then tell us about how much this pandemic has inconvenienced you, I dare you. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Be less shit, this pandemic is not about YOU. ADDIT: Firstly, I want to say a massive thank you to those who have said a kind word and a thank you. To the people I call friends and family, and also those I do not know, your comments have been read, and I, and my nursing family are ever so grateful that the majority are being sensible, and are standing with us to help get through this pandemic. I did not expect this post to blow up as it has AT ALL, but seeing so many beautiful responses has really put a smile on my face. Secondly, I want to make a shoutout to all the nurses, doctors, PCAs, orderlies, police officers and ANYONE involved with helping during this. Hang in there, you've all seen and experienced some horrible things, but we stand together, no matter what. Lastly, and always lastly...to the people who have commented something negative to this feed: your ugly comments are not welcome here. Im sorry that you feel me telling my experience, has personally offended you all, but if you felt the need to attack someone for such a thing, you're probably not someone I want to associate myself with anyway. Just know that if any of you or your loves ones become sick, whether it be covid related or not, now or years down the track; a nurse, possibly even me, will still treat you and your loved ones with the same respect and uphold your dignity, despite you making negative remarks and comments about me, us, and our profession. We will work around your ignorance and snide comments to respect your belief system, and give you the best possible care, despite the fact that you believe this is all a lie. For those being kind and doing the right thing, thank you To the minority being rude and selfish, refer to the original post; be less shit, it's not about you!

21.01.2022 Congratulations to Dr Troy Byrnes who has been recognised as a Griffith University Sciences 2020 Outstanding Alumni. Dr Byrnes was a guest speaker at our conference in The Philippines last year and we wish him all the best.

21.01.2022 Ode to Corona: COVID nineteen Who could have seen The changes you’ve brought ... That none of us sought. Work meetings on Zoom, Must tidy the room. Cook fresh, healthy meals, Or become elephant seals. A walk in the park, Is no longer a lark. A stray cough or sneeze A deadly disease. More time with one’s spouse, Need a much bigger house. Must keep spirits up, Suggest gin in a cup. We’re in this together, not really alone, With great friends like you on video phone. By Dr Margot Cunich Got a poem to share? Send it to our team via messenger.

21.01.2022 The maths of masks:

21.01.2022 The most detailed model of ONE human cell to date, obtained using x-rays, nuclear magnetic resonance, and cryoelectron microscopy data sets. Aren't we all just ...so filled with magical possibilities? Most recent estimates put the number of cells in one body at around 30 trillion. Written out, that's 30,000,000,000,000. Source and Credit: Transformation of the Cellular Landscape through a Eukaryotic Cell, by Evan Ingersoll Ingersoll Gael McGill ~ Digizyme's Custom Maya Molecular Software Biología Al Instante

21.01.2022 South Africa’s Kruger national park is in lockdown and the lions are enjoying the break

20.01.2022 Vaccine delivery by drone in Ghana !!

20.01.2022 A Barcelona opera reopened with a performance of Giacomo Puccini's "Crisantemi" for a full house of plants.

19.01.2022 We’ve always believed travel can help local communities. Indigenous peoples, women, youth anyone who had traditionally been marginalized or undervalued. Because there’s incredible power in being part of something bigger than yourself. Today, our definition of community tourism means that the communities we impact ripple far beyond our destinations. To us, it includes our employees, supplier and agent partners, small business owners, customers, social followers, and travellers just like you." - Bruce Poon Tip, Founder of G Adventure. Read Bruce's essay's on the impact of COVID on the world of travel here: http://unlearn.travel///2020/05/Unlearn-Bruce-Poon-Tip.pdf

19.01.2022 Communicating with each other with vulnerability and listening with compassion is the best medicine we have for health professionals. So, crack open a bottle and share a story. https://youtu.be/myqyrT81aYM

19.01.2022 Join us in 2021 as we cruise the Kimberley Coast with Coral Expeditions. https://unconventional.com.au//kimberley-cruise-2021-dent/

19.01.2022 We encourage all FACEMs to COTE YES to update the College constitution to include the following addition: Strive for excellence and equity in emergency care for Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Mori communities in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, through a commitment to the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in Aotearoa New Zealand, the process of Reconciliation in Australia and the intent of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Voti...ng ends 22 July. FACEMs can vote here: https://acem.org.au/vote See more

17.01.2022 5 years ago today.

17.01.2022 Do you want one key?

17.01.2022 Diego, a Galapagos giant tortoise, has had so much success with the ladies over the last 50 years, he has saved his species.

17.01.2022 Download the COVIDsafe app now from the Apple store or google play. #COVID19 https://www.covidsafe.gov.au/

16.01.2022 Genius. We need this ASAP

16.01.2022 Now you can have beautiful jewellery made from a loved ones teeth. What better way to remember the dearly departed I’ve had a lot of requests asking where you can get these from, I’ve no idea I’m afraid. I simply shared the image

16.01.2022 Grandkids’ Christmas presents sorted: Check out this new hilarious illustrated medical textbook for 8-12 year olds:

16.01.2022 Monday 7 September. 75 cases - NSW 10, Vic 63, SA 1, Qld 2 No new cases in ACT Tas NT WA . Oh poo , viral fragments of coronavirus in the sewerage don...’t appeared by magic. Where there are fragments there’s at least one case. The current poo list: Apollo Bay on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Airlie Beach in the Whitsundays & in South Australia (Bolivar and Angaston Barossa Valley Treatment Works). Vic: 63 cases, 5 deaths. The Reff is back up to 0.93. Case numbers are halving every 18 days, which is too slow and slower than predicted. I suspect the reason is the number of infected aged care and hospital staff. It is still too dangerous to open up again. Qld: 2 cases, both with known source. One is a nurse NSW: 10 cases, 4 travellers, 4 known source, 4 mysteries. New cases include 3 school students One for the girls today Boys tomorrow

15.01.2022 When I was 15, my family moved from Mumbai to the Gold Coast for my dad’s business. At first, it was a massive culture shock. But I had always been a very socia...l person, so I just decided to dive in and give everything my best shot. Many people said it would be difficult for me to fit in at school, but I didn’t have any problems, and actually ended up becoming House Vice Captain. After school, I accepted a scholarship to Sydney University to study Medical Science, and my family moved to Sydney to support me. Although I enjoyed research, I really wanted a job where I would interact with people and be more hands-on. So after I finished at Sydney, I decided to go back to the Gold Coast to do Dentistry, because I felt it was time to live away from my family in order to grow as a person. While there, I became involved with the local Rotaract club, as well as with the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience program as a student mentor. At that time, some friends and I did a charity project with a local indigenous group delivering oral health information, and the outcomes were remarkable. I found I really loved community work, so when I finished my studies, rather than just developing a city practice, I decided to take a job in the public dental service in rural Victoria, in Shepparton. That was an amazing experience, but I was shocked by the low level of dental health literacy I found there. As a result, an optometrist friend and I started Shepp-Health, a project to help primary school kids understand more about eye and dental health, in the hopes there would be a ripple effect through the community. We also started a free health service for people who weren’t getting the help they needed through the public system. In that time, I was named the 2017 Goulburn Valley Young Professional, as well as the 2017 Griffith University Young Health Alumnus of the year. Those awards really boosted my confidence that I was on the right track and achieving something worthwhile. By this time, I was married and my wife was expecting, so we decided to move to Sydney. Although I started working in a private practice, I still wanted to continue to work in regional areas, so I started regularly driving the three hours to Dapto and back to do pro-bono community work. In 2019, I was part of a team within Dapto Dentists who launched Project Smile, offering free dental care to those in need. Word spread and next we started doing tele-dentistry, where people in rural areas were making phone calls and sending us Facebook videos asking for advice! At the same time, I realised people were travelling long distances from elsewhere in regional NSW to see me in Dapto. So I decided to take a shot at something different, and contacted the Royal Flying Doctor Service to see if they would partner with me to do community dentistry in those areas where people couldn’t access dental care. They said they’d never had a request like it before, but they agreed to try it! So far, we’ve been to communities in places like Bourke and Lightning Ridge, visiting the Aboriginal Medical Service and Public Health Clinics there. The people we see have often been waiting a long time for help, and I love that I can use my profession where there is real need. At university, I had a mentor, Dr Brent McParland, who said, ‘If you ever have doubts about what you’re doing, close your eyes and ask yourself: Am I doing the right thing? And if the answer is ‘yes’, you should go for it!’ I’ve never forgotten that. Mohit India Arrived 2004 New Humans of Australia is brought to you free, with . Please help support my work by buying the NHOA coffee table book - both heartwarming and inspirational, it makes the perfect gift for Christmas! Now offering special prices for packs of 2 and 5 books, so you can get all your shopping done in one click. *Due to COVID-19, Auspost advises buying gifts online before November this year. www.newhumansofaustralia.org/shop Thank you to my patrons for their ongoing support of my work. #migration #inspiration #India #Goldcoast #Melbourne #Australia #newhumansofaustralia #storiesnotstereotypes

15.01.2022 We can’t travel overseas right now but we can tour Canberra !!

15.01.2022 This time last year, when we lived in a different world, we spent an unforgettable week in paradise. So grateful to have been able to do this and have these memories to look back on. We'll be back there one day!! Atmosphere Resorts, The Philippines.

14.01.2022 You're about to witness mother nature at her best. #9News has #EXCLUSIVE vision of a whale surfing, and even the experts are in awe. #9News | Nightly at 6.00pm

14.01.2022 The only flight simulation game where players can experience the intense excitement of being an economy class passenger on a long-haul flight:

13.01.2022 Lockdown Card Game recommendation: OrganATTACK seamlessly blends medically accurate terminology with immature potty humour, creating a semi-educational and intensely-gut-busting experience. In the fast and fun game, players use affliction, Immunity and other tactical cards to inflict or repel disease and bodily harm. Give Gallbladder gallstones! Afflict Thyroid with thyroiditis! Subject Bowels to the wrath of a day-old burrito from a back-alley food cart! The goal is to remove opponents' organs before they remove yours. The last person with at least one organ remaining is the winner! https://www.bigw.com.au/product/organ-attack-game/p/21548/

13.01.2022 During a trip through Wagga Wagga our Director caught up with clients, Roger and Helen, who’ve been travelling regularly with Unconventional Conventions since 2006.

13.01.2022 Dr Fudle's friend, Douglas, reading the most recent issue of Unconventional Magazine.

12.01.2022 We caught up with Dr Bob, who put on a slide show of his favourite images from his 9 trips with Unconventional Conventions. Brought back some great memories.

09.01.2022 Our director isn’t going to let the travel restrictions prevent him from flying.

09.01.2022 Great little hack from Dr Logan Marriott in WA to help extract aerosols that may be transmitting SARS-CoV-2 from sterile surgeries and to help protect our health care workers.

09.01.2022 Very interesting move. What are your thoughts on this proposed change?

08.01.2022 We’ll be back one day

08.01.2022 The latest issue of Unconventional Magazine is out now. You can view it online by clicking on the thumbnail on our site and subscribe for a hard copy of the next issue.

08.01.2022 Some great shots here (Just scroll past all the ads)

08.01.2022 Thank you for all of the supportive messages during this difficult time. We look forward to seeing you all again for more adventures on the other side of all this.

06.01.2022 Take a moment over the weekend to check in with someone using specific questions:

04.01.2022 The Zambia to Botswana bridge is nearing completion. No more ferry crossings with huge delays.

04.01.2022 Please scream inside your heart

03.01.2022 Our group was supposed to be in Africa this week but the conference has been postpone until 2021. Director, Mark Cunich, went on safari in outback NSW instead.

02.01.2022 Highly recommended watch:

02.01.2022 *2020: The year the Earth paused.

01.01.2022 Weekend science experiment