AUSSIES ROCK !!

Full marks to the resilient Queenslanders for the way in which they coped with their recent flood disaster. Most of us Zimbos have friends and families in Australia and we have been with them with our hearts in our mouths at their plight.

The Brisbane River is no stranger to our family, SheHoo- Must-Run lived in an apartment a stone's throw away from the river, what that apartment looks like today I dread to think. We would run along the river every morning and often catch the River Cat across to South Bank. I wonder what it looks like now ? Southbank, once the epicenter of fine wining and dining in Brisbane was meters under water and many of the buildings and infrastructures were washed away by the raging torrent. Stories of bravery, heroism and caring came pouring forth from Australia's East Coast and as a Nation, they came through with flying colours.

We saw horrifying pictures of the floods, the total devastation inflicted on people and possessions, by the furious flood waters, but we also saw the outpouring of comradeship, friendship and empathy that the Queenslanders distributed amongst each other.

But within days it was "business as usual" - my own God Daughter worked in one of the tallest and one of the first to be flooded, buildings in the CBD. However the entire office staff of this prestigious of legal firm is now working comfortably in the Sofitel Hotel, which graciously opened its doors to the city folk. Sherrie, soon to be a mother, rather likes working at the Sofitel, as they ply the para-legals with all sorts of tasty delicacies all day long !

Elsewhere Queenslanders cleaned, carted, trashed and shoveled the mud from the houses, firms and warehouses, of their neighbours, friends or even total strangers. It would appear that the insurance companies were the only people to come out of it all with smelly mud on their faces !!

The Premiere of Queensland, Anna Bligh is to be commended, although no doubt her popularity will wane when the real brunt of the floods are felt. Talk of interest hikes, flood-tax and petrol increases does not curry favour with the folk on the West Coast, who have been on water rationing for a few years now !! But aid continues to pour in and Australia is lucky enough not to need to hold out a begging bowl to the international world.

Even the tennis players from the Australian Open (led by my favourite Andy Roddick), arranged a "Rally for Relief" which raised over two million dollars.

And as the floods venture further south we pray for all Australians and also for flood ravaged South Africa at this time.

Good on ya !! You Aussies rock !!