Caustic Soda Burns

Not meaning to gross people out, but I have to share these photos of a pair of caustic-soda burns I had recently. A few weeks back I cleaned my shower, not realising the caustic soda I’d put down the drain a week earlier had not dissolved. The soda mixed weakly with the vinegar and bi carb I was using, and when I washed my hands I didn’t wash my arms. A few hours later red splotches appeared; within a day two tiny blisters had appeared; by two days my arms were a motley array of scabby blisters, including a 5cm square one on my right wrist. It was a short healing period: within two weeks the last silver bandage came off. Now I have arms that are splotched the colours of neopolitan icecream (!). The colour will take time to fade.

Some of the early photos are a bit urky.

Right arm, hours after. At this stage, it’s just a rash.

Left arm, hours after.

Two small blisters appear, one day later.

The monster blister appeared two days later.

Right arm, in full blister. I called this the ‘pizza’ stage.

Wrapped up: I called this the ‘poodle arms’ stage.

First dressing change: the big blister was removed. This was incredibly painful: never let anyone put DuoDerm on a burn blister, it’s dreadful to get off.

Second dressing change, oxidation of the silver nitrate from the Acticote stained my skin brown, and left silver particles.

My left arm by this stage was mostly healed, with a few flaky blisters still going.

My left arm, once all the blisters had healed: the light catches the light pink scar tissue.

Blisters healing on my right arm.

Neapolitan icecream stage: the dark skin is the colour of chocolate icecream, the new skin from healed blisters is the pink of strawberry icecream!

The big blister, bandages off, strawberry pink.

All healed, 3 weeks later. Now I just have to wait for the colouring to fade and even out.

Mount Gambier Crater Walking

I’m heading into the fourth month of training for the Inca Trek. It’s been unfocused and slow going, but my fitness has improved greatly. I’ve progressed from short 2km incline walking on a treadmill to 8km treks up and down the craters at Mount Gambier. I’m currently aiming for a 13km trek along the cliffs at Cape Bridgewater, near Portland in Victoria.

I started out doing 30mins a morning on my treadmill but now I prefer to do a once weekly long trek. Not ideal for weight loss, but ideal for building my calves!

Mount Gambier Craters

I live near Mount Gambier, a large town in the South East of South Australia, famed mostly for its volcanic craters and the Blue Lake which sits in one of them.

I’ve been walking along the tops of the craters: there are several set walks maintained by local groups. They’re ideal for training as there’s a couple of decent staircases and the views are brilliant. The flies less so (but DEET takes care of them). You can see the walks on the tourism website: http://www.mountgambiertourism.com.au/

The 8km trek I’ve been doing is a combination of both the Mountain trail and a circumference of the Blue Lake. It’s hilly and the ascent up to Centenary tour is a bit challenging. Eventually I plan to train by starting at the base (at Valley Lake) and walking up to the summit.

Mount Gambier Blue Lake

Edge of the Crater

Valley Lake from the Saddle.

Centenary Tower.

Valley Lake from near Centenary Tower.

The most picturesque seat in Mount Gambier.

Stairs leading down the side of the crater, with Mount Gambier city l in the background.

Centenary Tower, at the highest point of Mount Gambier.

Looking back towards Centenary Tower.

View over the fields.

Map of the Mountain Trail.

I’ve also been walking the pine forests: it’s a big forestry area around here. The dogs saw their first kangaroo.

The CARE Australia ‘Walk in her shoes’ campaign went well: it turns out a typical schoolday is 6000+ steps, so I had to head out into the streets or into the pines to get the last 4000 taken care of. On one day I did the full 10,000 steps just at school! Teachers move around a lot!

Inca Trail trek training: CARE International’s Walk in Her Shoes Campaign

As part of my Inca Trail trek training, I’m participating in CARE International’s Walk In Her Shoes campaign. The idea is I’ll walk 10,000 steps over two weeks in March, and do fundraising activities ti raise awareness and funds for Care International, a non-religious not-for-profit aid organisation which focuses on the needs of women and children.

I’m doing this program for two reasons:

One, I like Care International: I personally believe aid and charity work in developing countries is extremely important. While brilliant organisations, World Vision and most other aid groups usually have a religious imperative behind the good work they do. I’m also quite supportive of organisations which aim to help women in developing countries.

Two, I am desperately unfit, and even with a couple of months training I have a long way to go! I’m looking for encouragement from friends and family (and blog readers) to get my butt into gear!

From the website:

“Imagine if you had to walk at least 10,000 steps or eight kilometres a day in the blistering sun or torrential rain while carrying 20 kilograms on your back or head. This is a reality for millions of women and girls in developing countries who are burdened by hours of walking each day to collect food, water and firewood for their families. What’s worse is that hours spent walking reduce the time women and girls have to overcome poverty by going to school, accessing health services and earning an income.” http://www.walkinhershoes.org.au/facts

If you’d like to contribute a couple of dollars, my sponsor page is here: https://walkinhershoes2013.everydayhero.com/au/kazzamerlot

Unoccupied; Inca Trail plans

Although I’ve been teaching professionally full time for three and a half years, this is the first summer holidays I’ve had where I’ve had nothing planned. Last summer I was in Asia; the two summers before I was moving house; and the summer before that I was freezing my arse off in Lille. Next summer I plan to be in South America so I don’t have to bear how painfully dull having no responsibilities can be.

I do have a lot of memories and photos of travel which I’d like to share: so to fill the summer holidays I’m going to focus on recording what I do remember of my travel experiences.

Between then and now …

My last post was about Turkey while written in Krakow. That was three years ago! I never finished posting blogs about my further travel experiences, which disappoints me as I have probably forgotten much of the detail and these blogs act as my diary. Ho hum. I came back and was employed straight away. Teaching is an all-encompassing profession so I disappeared mentally for at least 2 years.

When I finally emerged, I travelled again, making the immense mistake of leaving two days after school finished and returning a day before it started. Never again. I ended the year in a mild panic and began the year so desperately unprepared it took two terms to catch up. My house remained uncleaned for that long. Imagine what carpets look like when they haven’t been vacuumed for six months.

Inca Trail Preparation: Couch to 43km Mountain Trek

It started as a whim, and has expanded into a fancy which then extended into a plan. Next summer I will visit Peru and Bolivia and do the Inca Trail. Given I haven’t exercised or dieted formally since 2008, this is an interesting choice. I’ve got a year to build up my fitness and endurance. My new hobby is collecting trek-training plans and learning about hiking equipment. My current dieting plan and  training regime has been relatively easy to fulfill now my time is my own but we’ll see how I go once the holidays end and I’ll have to get up at 6:30.

The digital resources I’m using …

Weight Watchers Pro Points

The last time I successfully lost weight (2007, while still a student) I was using Weight Watchers Points system. It cost a bucket to join and go to the meetings, so once I’d purchased the calculator and gotten the starter books, I stopped going. I liked the system because of the simplicity: big numbers converted to easy to remember points.

Anyway, a few months ago I looked into the revamped system (‘Pro Points’) and was impressed: instead of just kilojoules and fat the new system includes carbs and protein. The diet that resulted tended to be low carb and high protein and I did lose weight with it. Even better I managed to avoid meetings or paying the ludicrous subscription fees Weight Watchers demand of their online system by a few quick Google searches. Computer nerds have figured out the algorithm Weight Watchers use for Pro Points, so there are a myriad of calculators which will tell you your daily allowable points, and to calculate the points of foods for you.

Even better there are apps that have the calculators built in: the one I used was iTrackBites.  This ugly but well designed app worked as a food diary and Pro Points calculator all in one. However, I stopped using it because it only has Imperial measurements. Given there are only two countries out of 200 that use Imperial still, I think that’s a bit blind of the developer, but there you are.

Easy Diet Diary

Oh blessed App of genius. I love love love love this app. Easy Diet Diary was developed by Xyris software as a personal version of their Food Works software, which is used by health professionals. It is a food and exercise diary designed for Australians, including a database of common Australian foods. Its best feature is the barcode input: it is somewhat delightful to hear that satisfying ‘ping’ and see the nutritional data immediately inputed of each food you’ve eaten. It’s also beautifully designed. And it’s free. I am loving this app.

Do It for Charity

There are countless Couch to Trek fitness plans available. The one I’ve liked best is Do It For Charity’s Trek Training Guide which outlines stretches, toning exercises and a 16 week fitness plan. I’ve been using the stretches and toning exercises and doing 30 minutes a day of various incline programs on my home treadmill. I plan to move into the fitness plan closer to the trip.