Ambulances, Star Gazing and Car Crashes

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 11 August 2005 14:08:01

Yesterday was so surreal, it was unbelievable.

It was my last day at work (YAY! i'm now on holiday!) and I managed to arrange to go on a transfer, in an ambulance to Aberystwyth! It was great - I spent most of the day driving around narrow country lanes in an ambulance. On the way back they missed a turning and we ended up going via Cardigan! - tow sides of a big triangle, basically! The driver, though was going rather fast round incredibly windy and bumy lanes, and in the back of the ambulance we were getting thrown around all over the place, and myself and the other nurse were feeling a bit sick! Luckily we were alright.

To celebrate finishing my last shift on my placement, i went to the pub last night with some friends. It was good to see people again, even though i made a complete foul of myself by tripping up and landing on my knees in the middle of the pub floor! At closing time we went home and we realised how amazing the stars were looking - it was a completely clear night and you could see loads of stars. Becky suggested that we drive out to the Gower to get a better view, away from all the street lights. Tom and I declared we were up for this adventure and quickly put on some warmer clothes - I put on long rainbow coloured socks and picked up my rainbow coloured fleecy blanket! We drove out to near Cefn Bryn, parked up and walked across to Arthur's Stone (a local landmark). We spent the next hour or two lying down on a big rock, gazing up and the stars. It was amazing! We saw loads of shooting stars, which I had never seen before. Unfortunately - because I had been up since 6am - I drifted in and out of sleep quite a lot - Becky made a very comfortable, warm pillow!, so i missed quite a lot, but it was still incredible.

After realising that it was now 1.30am, we decided to head back to the car and go home. Using Tom's torch we made our way back to the car (i discovered climbing down off rocks isn't the easiest of things to do when you've just woken up!). On the way home, I was again enjoying the time to have a little snooze, when I heard Tom say to Becky "was that a car?.....i think we ought to stop". I opened my eyes and realised we had just driven past a scene of a car crash - there was debris all over the road and the remains of a car on the grass at the side of the road. I woke up instantly. My first thoughts were something along the lines of: "there might be a car full of injured people and we're the first people on the scene.......CPR - two breathes, five compressions, i think.......argh! really don't want to do CPR for the first time at 2am in the middle of the Gower.....my rainbow fleece will be ideal for anybody suffering from shock....." As soon as the car stopped, Tom leaped out and ran back to the scene with his torch. I decided to wait for Becky to secure the car, as I didn't want to leave her on her own. We made our way after Tom quickly to the wreckage. Thankfully Tom quickly confirmed that the car was empty, though it was still warm, so it had obviously occured recently. Half of the car was completely compressed in, all the windows were smashed and there were various parts of the car and clothing scattered around the wreckage. The car was a complete rite-off. Becky pointed out that it could have been joyriders and they could be in the proximity, so we decided it would be wise to get back in our car and head home. We were all completely shocked by it. Its really not what you expect to find in the middle of the Gower at 2am. When Becky and I got back we stayed up talking about it - debriefing ourselves - and even then I couldn't sleep for ages.

I'm going away for a couple of week, with limited internet access, so may not be able to post at all. But I will be back before Greenbelt (2 WEEKS!!!!!) and promise a detailed account of this years Greenbelt afterwards. Talking of which, all my travelling plans for the weekend seems to have fallen through all at the same time! I did have everything organised and now I don't have a clue what im doing. But i will be there - even if i have to walk!