It's been a long, long time!
Jan 7th 2005, 8:55 pm
#61
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Bunbury, Western Australia
Posts: 188
Re: It's been a long, long time!
Originally Posted by TheCrone
This is what passes for a Yorkshireman's sense of humour.
But you learn to live with it.
But you learn to live with it.
and also we beat the southerners hands down when it comes to being able to pull a decent pint! ;-) -slightly off topic, but I had to mention it!Jamie
Jan 8th 2005, 1:56 am
#62
been there........
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Perth, WA
Posts: 349
Re: It's been a long, long time!
Originally Posted by Jamiem
I resent that! It's a special brand of humour I have yet to encounter elsewhere... Home to the most sarcastic and droll people on the planet
Jamie
Jamie
Jan 8th 2005, 2:24 am
#63
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: It's been a long, long time!
Originally Posted by TheCrone
I wasn't resenting, claht-'ead, I was applauding!
I'm gerrin blue ere wiv holdin me breath
Jan 8th 2005, 3:35 am
#64
been there........
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Perth, WA
Posts: 349
Re: It's been a long, long time!
[QUOTE=Phoenixuk2oz]Ge up arguing ye two and gerron wiv it
Darn it! The screed I've just spent an hour typing has disappeared into cyber-space.
Sorry, guys, will have to wait till later.
Darn it! The screed I've just spent an hour typing has disappeared into cyber-space.
Sorry, guys, will have to wait till later.
Jan 8th 2005, 7:10 am
#65
been there........
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Perth, WA
Posts: 349
Re: It's been a long, long time!
As a complete non sequitur, I don’t suppose you’ve given much thought to the difficulties a lady encounters when she
needs to pee in this situation? No, I thought not............
It was okay for M, of course. All he had to do was shuffle around a bit, hang his - appurtenances - out in the wind
and rain; me, I had to strip to the buff in a very confined space, get down and crouch in the mud until I’d done the
necessary, then crawl back into the cab, leaving my feet outside for a little while so they’d be relatively clean before I
could come inside and have another stuggle to get dressed. Sometimes - not often, but sometimes - there are decided
disadvantages to being female!
But to continue..........
Dawn broke and we unglued our sticky eyelids to find that the rain had stopped and we were in an area with small
trees and low scrub. We spent an hour gathering fallen and broken branches and clumps of spinifex, which we
packed as tightly as possible under and around the rear tyres. Eventually, with much engine-revving and even more
swearing, the tyres gained purchase and we were able to drive out. South Hedland, then still in the early days of its
construction, wasn’t exactly a prepossessing town; but the showers at the service station were as close to Heaven as
I’m likely to get.
Then it was back on the road again. We reached HC a couple of days later, without further incident.
I wrote earlier that we’d made commitments in the town. M.was that year’s Secretary for the Kimberley and
Goldfields Amateur Jockey Association, the organising body for the annual races. We substituted for the owners of
a service station, a store and the town’s telephonist while they took annual leave. But when those jobs were done, we
were faced with a dilemna. There was no chance of either permanent accommodation or employment, so we’d have
to move on. Where would we go next?
M.’s sister had written to us some months earlier, saying that her son’s SIL and family were emigrating to
Queensland. They were travelling by ship, which would berth in Freo harbour for a day - and wouldn’t it be nice if
we could meet them and show them around Perth for the day? We had to explain that asking us to go there was like
asking us to drive from Moscow to London; some of these Poms just have no idea of the distances involved!
Now we received a letter from them, saying how lonely they were finding it without family or friends around them
and how much they were dreading Christmas. If we weren’t too tied into what we were doing, would we consider
joining them? They’d bought a business and could offer both work and accommodation.................
Well, this seemed like a good idea to me, though M took some convincing. But eventually, the truck was loadedw ith
all our gear and we were ready to go. Except that..................
I’d bought a second-hand ute once we’d got back to HC. Relaxed though our cops were, they wouldn’t have been
able to turn a blind eye to me zoomimng around town in the truck, especially as they knew for a fact that I’d had my
driving licence for less than a year. We were living in a small caravan 4 miles out from town, where our only power
supply was a little Honda generator, which only ran for an hour after being refuelled. - and it was dark by 5pm. It was
mid-November now and the heat was increasing daily. I’d drive into town each day to collect V.(younger daughter)
from school, but as soon as I got back, M. was into the ute and off into town, from whence he was guaranteed to
return by 7am the next morning so I could take V to school.
After 10 days of this, I heard a car pull up outside about 9pm one evening and my friend maggie walked into the van.
She was obviously as angry as I was! Seemed her husband Neil had been M.’s constant companion during the last
ten days and she was sick of them rolling into her house each evening as drunk as skunks; seemed M. had spent the
nights sleeping on her couch. I explained that I didn’t have a spare set of keys for the vehicle and hiding keys was
pointless anyway; M. could start any vehicle in two seconds flat, keys or no keys. So we drove into town to the pub,
where mggie faced down M. and demanded the keys...he was reluctant, to say the least, but my friend had something
of a reputation as the town termagent, so eventually he handed them over. It was back out to the caraven, climb up
on the truck and remove anything that belonged to me or V., loading it into the ute, making sure I had both the
cheque book and the passbook, then, with a sleepy seven-year-old beside me, I headed for the Northern Territory
border.
needs to pee in this situation? No, I thought not............
It was okay for M, of course. All he had to do was shuffle around a bit, hang his - appurtenances - out in the wind
and rain; me, I had to strip to the buff in a very confined space, get down and crouch in the mud until I’d done the
necessary, then crawl back into the cab, leaving my feet outside for a little while so they’d be relatively clean before I
could come inside and have another stuggle to get dressed. Sometimes - not often, but sometimes - there are decided
disadvantages to being female!
But to continue..........
Dawn broke and we unglued our sticky eyelids to find that the rain had stopped and we were in an area with small
trees and low scrub. We spent an hour gathering fallen and broken branches and clumps of spinifex, which we
packed as tightly as possible under and around the rear tyres. Eventually, with much engine-revving and even more
swearing, the tyres gained purchase and we were able to drive out. South Hedland, then still in the early days of its
construction, wasn’t exactly a prepossessing town; but the showers at the service station were as close to Heaven as
I’m likely to get.
Then it was back on the road again. We reached HC a couple of days later, without further incident.
I wrote earlier that we’d made commitments in the town. M.was that year’s Secretary for the Kimberley and
Goldfields Amateur Jockey Association, the organising body for the annual races. We substituted for the owners of
a service station, a store and the town’s telephonist while they took annual leave. But when those jobs were done, we
were faced with a dilemna. There was no chance of either permanent accommodation or employment, so we’d have
to move on. Where would we go next?
M.’s sister had written to us some months earlier, saying that her son’s SIL and family were emigrating to
Queensland. They were travelling by ship, which would berth in Freo harbour for a day - and wouldn’t it be nice if
we could meet them and show them around Perth for the day? We had to explain that asking us to go there was like
asking us to drive from Moscow to London; some of these Poms just have no idea of the distances involved!
Now we received a letter from them, saying how lonely they were finding it without family or friends around them
and how much they were dreading Christmas. If we weren’t too tied into what we were doing, would we consider
joining them? They’d bought a business and could offer both work and accommodation.................
Well, this seemed like a good idea to me, though M took some convincing. But eventually, the truck was loadedw ith
all our gear and we were ready to go. Except that..................
I’d bought a second-hand ute once we’d got back to HC. Relaxed though our cops were, they wouldn’t have been
able to turn a blind eye to me zoomimng around town in the truck, especially as they knew for a fact that I’d had my
driving licence for less than a year. We were living in a small caravan 4 miles out from town, where our only power
supply was a little Honda generator, which only ran for an hour after being refuelled. - and it was dark by 5pm. It was
mid-November now and the heat was increasing daily. I’d drive into town each day to collect V.(younger daughter)
from school, but as soon as I got back, M. was into the ute and off into town, from whence he was guaranteed to
return by 7am the next morning so I could take V to school.
After 10 days of this, I heard a car pull up outside about 9pm one evening and my friend maggie walked into the van.
She was obviously as angry as I was! Seemed her husband Neil had been M.’s constant companion during the last
ten days and she was sick of them rolling into her house each evening as drunk as skunks; seemed M. had spent the
nights sleeping on her couch. I explained that I didn’t have a spare set of keys for the vehicle and hiding keys was
pointless anyway; M. could start any vehicle in two seconds flat, keys or no keys. So we drove into town to the pub,
where mggie faced down M. and demanded the keys...he was reluctant, to say the least, but my friend had something
of a reputation as the town termagent, so eventually he handed them over. It was back out to the caraven, climb up
on the truck and remove anything that belonged to me or V., loading it into the ute, making sure I had both the
cheque book and the passbook, then, with a sleepy seven-year-old beside me, I headed for the Northern Territory
border.
Jan 8th 2005, 9:24 am
#66
Banned
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,048
Re: It's been a long, long time!
Beckoning:
Jan 8th 2005, 12:07 pm
#67
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Bunbury, Western Australia
Posts: 188
Re: It's been a long, long time!
Originally Posted by TheCrone
I wasn't resenting, claht-'ead, I was applauding!
Ha! It's been a while since I've been called claht-'ead! fantastic
Jamie
Jan 8th 2005, 12:11 pm
#68
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: It's been a long, long time!
Feeling the need to hold a car boat sale to sell up and buy a one way ticket to the outback!!!
Keep it coming!
M
Keep it coming!
M
Jan 8th 2005, 12:49 pm
#69
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: It's been a long, long time!
[QUOTE=TheCrone]As a complete non sequitur, I don’t suppose you’ve given much thought to the difficulties a lady encounters when she
needs to pee in this situation? No, I thought not............
It was okay for M, of course. All he had to do was shuffle around a bit, hang his - appurtenances - out in the wind
and rain; me, I had to strip to the buff in a very confined space, get down and crouch in the mud until I’d done the
necessary, then crawl back into the cab, leaving my feet outside for a little while so they’d be relatively clean before I
could come inside and have another stuggle to get dressed. Sometimes - not often, but sometimes - there are decided
disadvantages to being female![Quote]
Ewwweeee....to much "girlie" detail Crone [only joking]
Keep it coming.....it's better than "Corro"
needs to pee in this situation? No, I thought not............
It was okay for M, of course. All he had to do was shuffle around a bit, hang his - appurtenances - out in the wind
and rain; me, I had to strip to the buff in a very confined space, get down and crouch in the mud until I’d done the
necessary, then crawl back into the cab, leaving my feet outside for a little while so they’d be relatively clean before I
could come inside and have another stuggle to get dressed. Sometimes - not often, but sometimes - there are decided
disadvantages to being female![Quote]
Ewwweeee....to much "girlie" detail Crone
[only joking]Keep it coming.....it's better than "Corro"
Jan 8th 2005, 3:31 pm
#70
been there........
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Perth, WA
Posts: 349
Re: It's been a long, long time!
I drove for a hundred miles or so before I needed to pull off the road. A mixture of emotions had taken its toll and
this was the first time I’d driven alone at night. When the anthills began to look like cattle, about to gallop into the
road and the cattle looked like stationary anthills until they did begin to move, I realised I needed a break.
I woke after a couple of hours, just as picaninny daylight began to break so I was able to see the Carr-Boyd ranges in
their full splendour.
I doubt if I can convey how beautiful they are. In the light of the setting sun, they’re white, pink, silver and the palest
of greys. In morning light, they’re lavender,lilac and maroon, with dark grey shadows . Whatever time of day I saw
them, they had the ability to lift my heart......which at this particular moment stood sadly in need of it!
I headed for the police station at Wyndham, as the sergeant there and his wife had been frequent visitors at the camp.
After a shower and a hearty breakfast, both of which were readily forthcoming, V. and I were prepared to carry on.
But before we left, I gave Jim a message for M., knowing that he wouldn’t be too far behind me and he’d also stop
there.
“Tell that b*****d I’ll wait two days for him in Katherine. And if he’s not there then, I’m going to Queensland!”
The worm had turned with a vengance!
On our first trip North, we’d had my eldest (of six) step-son Mike, and his wife with us. However, when we reached
Darwin, Lyn had announced that she was pregnant and that she and Mike were staying there. Since that time they’d
moved to Katherine, where Mike had set up a frozen food business, so I was assured of at least a bed for a couple of
days. I hadn’t anticipated, though, the time it would take me to cover the distance. The NT Gvt. had embarked on a
programme of bitumenising roads and from the border just past Kununurra to Timber Creek, half the road was
closed , while the supposedly driveable half was a quagmire, and a nightmare for a novice driver. I drove and slept,
drove and slept throughout the next 24 hours. It was 7.30am when we pulled into Mike’s yard. It had taken me
almost 30 hours to cover a distance which, under more normal conditions, I’d have done in about 10 hours.Lyn and I
with the two small girls went for a walk down Katherine’s main street, then back to the yard for coffee. Sitting there,
cup in hand, I heard the roar of the truck’s engine. No, he hadn’t been far behind me!
“Where’s that b****y silly bitch?” he yelled. Then, coming through the door, he roared “I knew it was a mistake
letting you drive! I’ll sell that ute right here and now if it’s the last thing I do!”
“Yes, dear” I said meekly, knowing only too well that he couldn’t do so, as my name was on the rego papers.
this was the first time I’d driven alone at night. When the anthills began to look like cattle, about to gallop into the
road and the cattle looked like stationary anthills until they did begin to move, I realised I needed a break.
I woke after a couple of hours, just as picaninny daylight began to break so I was able to see the Carr-Boyd ranges in
their full splendour.
I doubt if I can convey how beautiful they are. In the light of the setting sun, they’re white, pink, silver and the palest
of greys. In morning light, they’re lavender,lilac and maroon, with dark grey shadows . Whatever time of day I saw
them, they had the ability to lift my heart......which at this particular moment stood sadly in need of it!
I headed for the police station at Wyndham, as the sergeant there and his wife had been frequent visitors at the camp.
After a shower and a hearty breakfast, both of which were readily forthcoming, V. and I were prepared to carry on.
But before we left, I gave Jim a message for M., knowing that he wouldn’t be too far behind me and he’d also stop
there.
“Tell that b*****d I’ll wait two days for him in Katherine. And if he’s not there then, I’m going to Queensland!”
The worm had turned with a vengance!
On our first trip North, we’d had my eldest (of six) step-son Mike, and his wife with us. However, when we reached
Darwin, Lyn had announced that she was pregnant and that she and Mike were staying there. Since that time they’d
moved to Katherine, where Mike had set up a frozen food business, so I was assured of at least a bed for a couple of
days. I hadn’t anticipated, though, the time it would take me to cover the distance. The NT Gvt. had embarked on a
programme of bitumenising roads and from the border just past Kununurra to Timber Creek, half the road was
closed , while the supposedly driveable half was a quagmire, and a nightmare for a novice driver. I drove and slept,
drove and slept throughout the next 24 hours. It was 7.30am when we pulled into Mike’s yard. It had taken me
almost 30 hours to cover a distance which, under more normal conditions, I’d have done in about 10 hours.Lyn and I
with the two small girls went for a walk down Katherine’s main street, then back to the yard for coffee. Sitting there,
cup in hand, I heard the roar of the truck’s engine. No, he hadn’t been far behind me!
“Where’s that b****y silly bitch?” he yelled. Then, coming through the door, he roared “I knew it was a mistake
letting you drive! I’ll sell that ute right here and now if it’s the last thing I do!”
“Yes, dear” I said meekly, knowing only too well that he couldn’t do so, as my name was on the rego papers.
Jan 8th 2005, 3:40 pm
#71
Loving it in Bundy
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Bundaberg, Australia
Posts: 1,775
Re: It's been a long, long time!
Originally Posted by TheCrone
Well, folks, I have an anniversary coming up. On Jan 4th, it will be 36 years since I migrated to Australia with a husband and 2 daughters, one 11 year-old and a 3-year -old.
We arrived in Perth, but only stayed here briefly. Since then I have lived and worked in Toodyay,Geraldton, Northampton ,Carnarvon, Derby and Halls Creek in Western Australia; in Katherine and Darwin in the NT; in Cairns, Atherton,Topaz and 10 kms north of the Daintree in FNQ.
I have worked as an hotel receptionist, airline cook, manageress of a hostel for Aboriginal school children, book-keeper; and caretaker at a mining camp, 50 miles out from Halls Creek. I have picked tea, house-sat, worked for Telstra, and the Commonwealth Departments of Defence (Army), Education, Housing and Construction.
Along the way, I and both my daughters achieved University degrees.
My husband succumbed early to the dreaded Australian disease of alcoholism - more prevalent then than now, I think, especially in the NW - so effectively I was a single mum.
I have been reading your posts for quite some time now and it seems that so many of you just want to recreate an English life with sunshine, near the sea. But hey, Australia is so much more than a beach-side suburb. It's an adventure!
Do, please, see as much of it as you can, and enjoy it!
We arrived in Perth, but only stayed here briefly. Since then I have lived and worked in Toodyay,Geraldton, Northampton ,Carnarvon, Derby and Halls Creek in Western Australia; in Katherine and Darwin in the NT; in Cairns, Atherton,Topaz and 10 kms north of the Daintree in FNQ.
I have worked as an hotel receptionist, airline cook, manageress of a hostel for Aboriginal school children, book-keeper; and caretaker at a mining camp, 50 miles out from Halls Creek. I have picked tea, house-sat, worked for Telstra, and the Commonwealth Departments of Defence (Army), Education, Housing and Construction.
Along the way, I and both my daughters achieved University degrees.
My husband succumbed early to the dreaded Australian disease of alcoholism - more prevalent then than now, I think, especially in the NW - so effectively I was a single mum.
I have been reading your posts for quite some time now and it seems that so many of you just want to recreate an English life with sunshine, near the sea. But hey, Australia is so much more than a beach-side suburb. It's an adventure!
Do, please, see as much of it as you can, and enjoy it!
What a great post, you are definitely a girl after my own heart... "Glass always half full not half empty" Welcome to the forum.
Sarah
Jan 9th 2005, 12:17 pm
#72
Dutch expat/Aus citizen
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: South East, Perth (was Holland)
Posts: 5,789
Re: It's been a long, long time!
Wow! Brilliant!
Especially since I know many of the places you mention. Though my experiences are less, and more recent, they're still very special to me, because I also see this as the 'real' Australia(cities/suburbs are more or less the same the world over, for me)
I've lived in 2 aboriginal communities up north, but only 10 months in each, in 91/92, Bidjadanga/La Grange and Nullagine. My dad was Building coordinator at Bidjadanga and he was the coordinator for ATSIC in Nullagine. I was only 9 then, but I've heard about/remember some of the drama's/adventures, though about the reasons we left are vague, but I know there was all sorts of stuff going on...
Hmm, why am I typing this again? I already did a thread once!
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=186857
First bit's about us leaving Holland, but after that it's where we lived, and in following posts some stories (reading back now, interesting Larissa asked about Mt Hawthorn! We are now living there, and have met her cousin, and herself and the kids! Ended up north because my friend lives in Leederville (was also just reading your advice about Perth suburbs in another thread, about Mt Lawley etc around here!!))
When we were living in Bidjadanga, my dad got appendicitis.. I think he drove himself to Broome, but they couldn't operate there, so he had to travel in the back of a bumpy ambulance to Derby(couldn't lie down, cos there was someone else in there too...)
Oh, here's another thread I came across in the search for mine:
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=202114
And here:
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...=205313&page=2
And of course the famous Nundle thread:
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=221179
Anyway, keep posting!
Btw, my parents and brother are moving back to Perth in August. Once my brother leaves home(he's 21), I can see them living a bit remote again... maybe. They've always wanted to have a caravanpark.. Actually, not they, my dad, mum's not that keen..
Especially since I know many of the places you mention. Though my experiences are less, and more recent, they're still very special to me, because I also see this as the 'real' Australia(cities/suburbs are more or less the same the world over, for me)
I've lived in 2 aboriginal communities up north, but only 10 months in each, in 91/92, Bidjadanga/La Grange and Nullagine. My dad was Building coordinator at Bidjadanga and he was the coordinator for ATSIC in Nullagine. I was only 9 then, but I've heard about/remember some of the drama's/adventures, though about the reasons we left are vague, but I know there was all sorts of stuff going on...
Hmm, why am I typing this again? I already did a thread once!
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=186857
First bit's about us leaving Holland, but after that it's where we lived, and in following posts some stories (reading back now, interesting Larissa asked about Mt Hawthorn! We are now living there, and have met her cousin, and herself and the kids!
Ended up north because my friend lives in Leederville (was also just reading your advice about Perth suburbs in another thread, about Mt Lawley etc around here!!))When we were living in Bidjadanga, my dad got appendicitis.. I think he drove himself to Broome, but they couldn't operate there, so he had to travel in the back of a bumpy ambulance to Derby(couldn't lie down, cos there was someone else in there too...)
Oh, here's another thread I came across in the search for mine:
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=202114
And here:
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...=205313&page=2
And of course the famous Nundle thread:
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=221179
Anyway, keep posting!
Btw, my parents and brother are moving back to Perth in August. Once my brother leaves home(he's 21), I can see them living a bit remote again... maybe. They've always wanted to have a caravanpark.. Actually, not they, my dad, mum's not that keen..
Jan 10th 2005, 7:01 am
#73
been there........
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Perth, WA
Posts: 349
Re: It's been a long, long time!
After four days of short sentences and that kind of icy politeness which is a barrier to any form of genuine
communication, M. looked up from his dinner plate and said “You want to go to Queensland? Okay, we’ll leave in
the morning!”
“Great!” I thought. “And not another word about selling my ute!”
The reason became obvious as he continued, “We’ll go and buy a couple of 44 gallon drums of fuel, which will sit on
the back of the ute. That should be enough to take us to Brisbane without having to pay outback prices for petrol.”.
So, loaded with fuel, plastic tubing and a couple of funnels, we were on the road again by 9am the following day
headed for Three Ways, where the road splits,continuing South to Adelaide or, by turning left, to Queensland. It was
late when we reached there and the only building was a truck stop/service station. We had a meal and went back
outside to find ourselves in the middle of a monsoonal deluge. We put V. in a sleeping bag across the truck
seat,while M and I made ourselves as comfortable as possible in our respective vehicles, dozing until the rain stopped
or the sun rose, whichever came first.
I’d imagined our trip to Brisbane would be like the first trip north; leisurely, relaxed, plenty of time to stop and look
at the strange, the different, the interesting. It wasn’t like that at all! This time it was “Four thousand k’s? Should
do that in five days, no problems!” That, for those of you who are not mathematically inclined, meant driving 800kms
a day. And while it’s possible to maintain an average speed of 100kph on good roads with a reasonable car, it’s
NOT possible over dirt roads, especially ungraded dirt roads.............especially wet , ungraded dirt roads!.
I learned more about road surfaces on that trip than anyone should be required to know; if they’re not involved with
the engineering of making new ones: red clay, black soil, corduroy roads, where the corrugations ran horizontally in
front of you and you had to find a speed which enabled you to skim across the tops of the ruts. Roads with pools of
standing water, where you had to creep around the edge because you never knew the depth. Red clay roads, a couple
of days after the rains, where, for no apparent reason, the rear wheels wanted to go in a different direction from the
front ones... and washed-out roads, clearly marked “THIS ROAD IS CLOSED. NO VEHICULAR TRAFFIC
BEYOND THIS POINT”. And, of course, there were your normal, dry, dusty roads, where M. insisted on
preceding me and I had to drive a couple of miles behind to avoid being smothered by the dust kicked up by the
truck’s twelve wheels. And M. was fully focused on getting to Brisbane as quickly as possible.. No side trips, no
sightseeing tours - and if the road conditions were slowing us down, we’d just have to drive longer, wouldn’t we? So
except for necessities, we drove from sun-up to dusk . Camoweal, Mt. Isa, Cloncurry passed in a blur; most of these
had at least some bitumen roads running thnrough them, so why stop when you could make up time? The first place
of which I have any clear recollection was Charteris Towers, where we actually booked into an hotel for the night.
Again, a hot shower seemed like heaven.
communication, M. looked up from his dinner plate and said “You want to go to Queensland? Okay, we’ll leave in
the morning!”
“Great!” I thought. “And not another word about selling my ute!”
The reason became obvious as he continued, “We’ll go and buy a couple of 44 gallon drums of fuel, which will sit on
the back of the ute. That should be enough to take us to Brisbane without having to pay outback prices for petrol.”.
So, loaded with fuel, plastic tubing and a couple of funnels, we were on the road again by 9am the following day
headed for Three Ways, where the road splits,continuing South to Adelaide or, by turning left, to Queensland. It was
late when we reached there and the only building was a truck stop/service station. We had a meal and went back
outside to find ourselves in the middle of a monsoonal deluge. We put V. in a sleeping bag across the truck
seat,while M and I made ourselves as comfortable as possible in our respective vehicles, dozing until the rain stopped
or the sun rose, whichever came first.
I’d imagined our trip to Brisbane would be like the first trip north; leisurely, relaxed, plenty of time to stop and look
at the strange, the different, the interesting. It wasn’t like that at all! This time it was “Four thousand k’s? Should
do that in five days, no problems!” That, for those of you who are not mathematically inclined, meant driving 800kms
a day. And while it’s possible to maintain an average speed of 100kph on good roads with a reasonable car, it’s
NOT possible over dirt roads, especially ungraded dirt roads.............especially wet , ungraded dirt roads!.
I learned more about road surfaces on that trip than anyone should be required to know; if they’re not involved with
the engineering of making new ones: red clay, black soil, corduroy roads, where the corrugations ran horizontally in
front of you and you had to find a speed which enabled you to skim across the tops of the ruts. Roads with pools of
standing water, where you had to creep around the edge because you never knew the depth. Red clay roads, a couple
of days after the rains, where, for no apparent reason, the rear wheels wanted to go in a different direction from the
front ones... and washed-out roads, clearly marked “THIS ROAD IS CLOSED. NO VEHICULAR TRAFFIC
BEYOND THIS POINT”. And, of course, there were your normal, dry, dusty roads, where M. insisted on
preceding me and I had to drive a couple of miles behind to avoid being smothered by the dust kicked up by the
truck’s twelve wheels. And M. was fully focused on getting to Brisbane as quickly as possible.. No side trips, no
sightseeing tours - and if the road conditions were slowing us down, we’d just have to drive longer, wouldn’t we? So
except for necessities, we drove from sun-up to dusk . Camoweal, Mt. Isa, Cloncurry passed in a blur; most of these
had at least some bitumen roads running thnrough them, so why stop when you could make up time? The first place
of which I have any clear recollection was Charteris Towers, where we actually booked into an hotel for the night.
Again, a hot shower seemed like heaven.
Jan 10th 2005, 4:40 pm
#74
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 463
Re: It's been a long, long time!
This is an excellent thread, I'm finding it very inspirational.
Thanks for sharing your stories with us all.
Thanks for sharing your stories with us all.
Jan 19th 2005, 8:37 pm
#75
kneading my cushion
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Perth
Posts: 743
Re: It's been a long, long time!
I'm bumping this back up to the top in the hope of prompting The Crone to add the next installment. I've been logging on daily (ah hem twice daily) to check. Come on! Its been the best thread since I joined up!!!!!
Go, Go, Go!
Go, Go, Go!