Out and almost about

Coming out of a severe chest-cold-virus thing (I think the closest thing Iv'e ever contracted, was the one I had while singing Carmen at NYCO)... This time around, it was some Kiwi germ my body didn't quite know how to deal with. (Everybody in the chorus was coughing for 2 days then feeling great for the next rehearsal, only *I* got knocked out in a fetal position shaking aching and popping pills in bed).
The entire week before this, I was taking my Ying-chiao and "wellness formula" (thank you to the reader who recommended this to me a few months ago!), and I have been a good girl, still, I got the evil germ, and had to go to the local Doc (PS America, get this: for only about $30 USD a visit, without "insurance" and a REALLY nice doctor, too!) and get myself on equally evil antibiotics.
Getting better, slowly, I am trying to find my voice again, after a few days of aggressive coughing (couldn't be worst on the poor vocal chords), and at the moment, I sound like a boy soprano...
Rebuilding the voice after sickness is an art by itself. It's a delicate physiotherapy wrapped in patience and stripped of expectations. (If you listen to what comes out expecting to hear the usual, you are about to get hysterical).
I mostly just slide the voice gently downwards over an octave, adding no vibration, just letting the natural sound come out by itself, and I do trust, that it will take a few good days until I regain my power, so I will not sing out in rehearsals until my voice is absolutely back to normal.
And while I am waiting, (feeling a bit better now), I can tell you that it is very nice to be out here, even though Christchurch has the taste of a small town, (and I am a New York City kind of gal), still it is sweet to be here, taking part in the birth of a completely new opera company, and working with some good people ready to give back a good show.
As an added bonus, the surrounding vast nature around us is truly magnificent,(Yea, "Lord of the rings" mountains, snow tops, rivers. It's no lie!) and on each and every day I don't have to rehearse, we made a point of making day trips, to have a look at New Zealand, the land, and have some kind of vacation parallel to my work time. (if you take into consideration the fact that my only *real* planned, no-work vacation over 4 years, and this includes a honeymoon, was a weekend trip to Venice), I feel this is a fair game: work around the world, but at least get to see it somewhat. So, better hurry trash that cold, for all good reasons.