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AusDoc prize winner Dr Caroline Burge has returned from her allinclusive luxury African safari with a simple ambition : to go back at the first opportunity .
The trip was a life-changing experience , says the Queensland GP . Even her patients have noticed that she has been more energised than usual since her return .
Dr Burge loved everything about the Amaco Travel small group tour to Tanzania . She enjoyed the three
half-days of engaging CPD education and was grateful that the group was small enough for all the doctors and pharmacists to get to know each other .
The prize came completely out of the blue for Dr Burge , who had never won a competition before .
“ Tanzania wasn ’ t even on my bucket list . When I won , I had to get the map out and look up exactly where it was .”
Now Dr Burge is learning Swahili
' It was a completely lifechanging experience . It was so unexpected and utterly brilliant . I ’ m doing everything I can to keep the memories alive .'
– Dr Caroline Burge , AusDoc safari winner
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in preparation for her next visit and savouring every memory until she gets there .
The prize valued at $ 18,000 included daily safaris with five guests per vehicle , 12 nights at luxury game lodges and an abundance of tasty food .
Dr Burge will never forget the first animal she saw on her first game drive . “ It was a giraffe 200m away in the distance . But who cares , we were all very excited .”
She was smitten with every one of the dozens of animals she and her companions spotted from then on . Each was a thrill , from families of warthogs with cute piglets in tow to the elephant herds , various monkeys or the two lions they witnessed feasting on their prey .
“ Our guides were incredibly
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enthusiastic and kept things interesting by sharing their deep knowledge . We could ask them anything about the animals and birds we saw , and they would know the answer .”
For Dr Burge , the standout meals were the three bush lunches . “ We would arrive to these massive chefcooked feasts laid out in the middle of nowhere .”
Dr Burge focused on slowing time down and relishing each sight , sound , smell and feeling .
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“ It was a completely life-changing experience . It was so unexpected and utterly brilliant . To get to my age in my late 50s and to have a life-changing experience , that ’ s really saying something .
“ Now I ' ve got this big urge . A real hankering to go back , which is just amazing . I ’ m doing everything I can to keep the memories alive .”
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