Goodness it’s years since I have been in hospital but their rules are still the same. Wash – at 5am! Cup of tea at 6.30am. Breakfast 7.15am. I was allowed a light diet today – all I felt like anyway. Feeling much better, although still had slight temp. Not to get out of bed today! (That means bedpans!) Rest of morning passed uneventfully except for writing a lettercard to Rita. Sisters came in for routine temp. and pulse check. Lunch at midday.

Helen and Marye came in soon after and reported on their camping site etc. Fortunately they have found a reasonable spot. Then they went off and had lunch and returned later to say the man who sold them the journals (I think) told them about 20 mins. after they left their lunch spot a 4-ft brown snake was seen there!

The Sisters have been very kind to them too, giving them fresh water etc. Sister Ryan from the midwifery ward offered them a bath – which, of course, was wonderful. A day in bed doesn’t give much scope for diaries and the day was spent chatting or reading. We were bedded down at 8pm.

This morning I felt practically normal, especially when I got up for a wash etc. at 5am. This is really good – evidently the sulpha tabs are doing the job. Sat up and brought my diary almost up to date but ran out of pages so sent what I had off to Mother with a note saying I should leave here on Wednesday. Doc. came and was pleased with my progress but was still unsure of the cause of my illness. Girls came and we made plans for our departure on Tuesday after I had seen Doctor again.

Morning passed satisfactorily, had lunch while the girls were here and began to feel a bit tired. However, after they went I took 2 more tabs and soon after that bingo! Another attack. You could have bowled me over – well in fact I was! Up soared my temp. again, shivers first, and again I thought I would burst into flames. When I got really hot Sister gave me 2 tabs to break the fever, gave me a cold sponge and turned on the fan. After 30 mins or so I started to sweat it out, of course, I felt much better then. Poor girls fancy having to tell them. They came not long after my fever broke and, of course, were very surprised but very philosophical about it.

Recurrence of fever today has satisfied Doc. that I have malaria – which is something I guess – to know what it is. Naturally our plans for leaving had to be curtailed once more. Girls found an even better camping spot. Today Sister Stewart sent them off with a thermos of ice cubes so they are being pampered too. Sister Ryan also offered them some peaches. Girls make the most of their visits to me to use civilised toilets! In fact we’re all pretty much at home here – visiting hours just are ignored and the girls come just when they are ready and stay as long as they like which is rather nice for us. Now I am on quinine and off the sulpha.

Wrote another card to Mother explaining our delay etc. Mrs McCoy – only other patient in ward – had visitors again this evening but I didn’t feel too bright and went to sleep early.

Wash in bed again this morning but feeling much better again. This of course is my good day which went according to plan. (Sister?, don’t know her name) took my pyjamas (Marye’s) and washed them for me – sent them back this afternoon all nicely pressed. Terribly hot today – everyone complaining. The weather has looked stormy the last few days but so far no rain. I guess that will be our next hold-up!

Girls came laden with more reading matter and had another bath. Tonight they had another picture to see “Tarzan and the Slave Girl” and “Gunsmugglers“ – a free night for children! I shall be dying to hear their comments tomorrow. Another uneventful day, feeling quite well again. Matron brought me in a glass of milk and said she was intending to offer the girls some but they had just left. However, she told me to tell them tomorrow. No visitors tonight but the light was left on much later. Read some of Ellery Queen’s mysteries and then went to sleep.

Well today’s the day! No wash in bed but I got up for a shower, that’s really something. Feel quite O.K. again this morning but a bit dopey. Guess that’s the weather and the lazy life I am leading. It’s very stormy, in fact we had a few spots of rain an hour or so ago. Doctor has just been and, of course, it’s just a case of lie and wait. If I get through today safely we will know positively it’s malaria and also that the quinine has taken effect. Hope that’s so. I think it’s a bit like waiting for an Atom Bomb explosion! Everyone waiting with bated breath. However we’ll see.

Well I have come through safely. Everyone watched me like hawks as 1.30pm approached, even the girls wouldn’t go for their lunch until they were reasonably happy I was not going to flare up again. As a matter of fact the afternoon passed very quietly. We sat and read most of the time, each of the Sisters came in to check up on me. They really are a nice crowd here.

Sister Stewart said goodbye as she goes off this evening for 2 or 3 days before starting night duty. Think we have talked her into going to Darwin - think she would enjoy the life up there. Spent quite a bit of the afternoon copying out my comments into our “Universal Diary” to make up the lag. That’s the only way to get over that difficulty. Must go now and shower before they turn out the lights.

Today we hang on the Doctor’s decision. I feel quite well again and my temp. is behaving itself. Usual routine of a hospital day begins – 5.15am Temp and pulse. Now that I have graduated to the “bathroom brigade“ I do not have to wash at this uncivilised hour. Doze until 6.30am when our early morning tea is brought to us along with an uninteresting square of buttered (?) bread. Another doze or read or if it’s your turn, bathroom, and then breakfast. One look at mine was almost enough to bring back my fever – a plateful of porridge – milk slopped over into the inadequate tray – and by the time I have got through that – one cold, tough, chump chop – ugh! I hate meat for breakfast at any time, especially cold ones with cold gravy.

Then writing, writing, writing to catch up with our diary. At this stage I could pitch it straight at Jean wherever she may be! Morning tea – cocoa and 2 small cakes, then the awaited visit from the Doc. His statement was that I could get up for the day and if I behaved myself and was still “normal” tonight I could get away early tomorrow – that was really news! So without further ado I got up into Marye’s gown and joined Mrs McCoy and Barbara (two other patients) on the verandah. Spent all day out there, having an occasional walk back and forth to bed and bathrooms to get a bit of exercise. Girls spent their usual hour or so before lunch and after lunch, and had their usual bath with Sister Ryan’s compliments.

Girls had an unusual invitation to go to the pictures by a lass who evidently works at the theatre. We are evidently making quite a bit of local news - even the man in the shop asks after my malaria! Scribbled a card to Birdie asking her to ring me at Flanigan’s on Sunday evening which is where we hope to be by then. This planning our schedule is really exhausting. Must do a little more to “Our Diary“ and then prepare for bed.

This was the extent of diary keeping I had time for en route. After we left St George there was barely time to do all the necessary chores which crop up when one is travelling. Our time was limited and our visits likewise. We were continually trying to make 24 hours a day spin out to 30, and were also plagued with the thought of ‘No available plane bookings in Sydney’, which meant we did not want to delay any more than was absolutely necessary. Hence no time for writing.

Since returning South I have decided to try to complete the rest of the journey, but details will naturally be somewhat clouded in the old mind due to time lapse and subsequent events and the forthcoming paras will be an account of our days as I remember them, not as they impressed me at the time. However, to continue:-