[thechat] Looking for a Florist in New Zealand

[Tara Cleveland]

Hi all,

I was hoping that there is a lovely list member from New Zealand that could
recommend a florist in New Zealand that will deliver to Christchurch
(preferably *in* Christchurch). I also have some general questions about
hospitals and the health care system in New Zealand and I was hoping there
might be someone who would be super great and volunteer to answer them
(offlist of course!).

<tip type="travel emergencies (long)" author="Tara Cleveland">
If you are travelling on an extended vacation/trip there are some very
important precautions to take that will make your life a lot easier if you
have an emergency.

1. Get very good health/cancellation/theft insurance. Spend the extra money.
Make sure that your insurance provider will pay for a relative to come take
care of you if you are seriously injured. Even if you are travelling with
others this is still important as you may all be injured together (in a car
accident for example). Try and get extended coverage for a long trip - see
if the insurance company will pay for follow-up care. For example, if you
are travelling for a year and break your arm, you may not want to return
home, but there will be costs associated with follow-up like getting your
cast off, physiotherapy etc, and many regular travel health policies only
cover emergency treatment.

2. Photocopy all of your documents before you leave and give them to someone
that you can count on in an emergency - important in this pile of documents
is your insurance policy number and a phone number to contact the insurance
co.

3. Keep your passport with you at all times. If you are in a serious
accident, you may be transported to another country or far away from where
you are staying and you may never see your baggage again - make sure your
passport is not in the bags that get left behind.

4. Along with your passport, keep the phone number of your country's embassy
in the country you are in. If you do get in an emergency situation, call
your embassy and tell them you are in need of consular services. This is
what they are there for. They can help you with: police, getting proper
health services, extending a visa because you can't leave the country when
hooked up to an IV, local law and settlement after an accident, retrieving
baggage, contacting your family at home, translation etc. etc. etc. They may
become your lifeline and the sooner you get in touch with them the faster
things will get better.

5. If you are travelling for an extended period of time expect that you will
have health problems while on holiday. Before you decide to go on a long
trip, have a very thorough check-up to make sure there are no long-term
illnesses that you really wouldn't want treated abroad.

These tips come from personal experience. My parents (50-somethings) are on
a year-long round the world trip. First they were in a terrible motorcycle
accident in Thailand. They both had fairly serious injuries and I had to go
take care of them in Thailand (not my idea of a fun trip in the sun!). It
took two months to recover before they could continue on their trip. They're
now in New Zealand and my mom has discovered that she has gallstones and now
has to have an emergency operation to remove her gallbladder. She's in
Christchurch, New Zealand. A long way from home (Toronto). As my mom wrote
in an email they are "INTREPID travellers" and still have a sense of humour
about it all. My mom jokes that she's doing research by trying out the
health care systems in all the countries she visits to see which type of
system is best!

Be careful out there. Be prepared for the worst and expect the best. Oh
yah.. and have fun on your holiday!
</tip>