Monday, 2 Sept 2024 after resting… I’ll try for an early start at 6 am .. then rest feet two or three times in the day, to try to minimise blisters.
Yup up at 6, dressed, about to head off, bit I can’t find my hat!! Looked everywhere I could , borrowed Dad’s cap & left a note asking him to look as he packs & if he can’t find it, to buy one if he can. Off at 6:45. Lovely morning about 16°, but due to have a high of 31°C today. Thank you to the maker of days!
Less than 50km to …
Some progress..
Danny from Vanuatu, (& an older mate, maybe his old Dad) stopped in this car and offered me a ride to Mareeba.
I thanked him very much. Explained my situation and we smiled back into our days.
Walking by the road reminds you of your own mortality in many ways.. Helps put the model worlds (made up in our heads) that we live in, back into perspective with a harder, or maybe less comfortable, though ultimately “realer” world. Seen many, many times on the side off the road in N.Qld:
There is a village which marks 11km for me - according to Google
Might call in for a breaky cuppa, & put my feet up - right foot is a bit tender..
John P. saw me walking on his way to work in Atherton (from Dimbulah), & did a U-ey, to offer me a lift to Mareeba..
what a legend! I explained my situation, but thanked him very much. Thanks John! - and thanks to those who helped influence the raising of John P., & humans like him!
Soon after 11am David, also from Tonga, stopped to see if I’d appreciate a lift to Mareeba.
What a legend! I explained I need to walk it.. but… Thanks David. And the community who helped raise this man.
Some things come up that reminds one of home… they often come from left field, and someone else might not even recognise the link, like this Street sign…
I live on Algona Cr. In Orange, NSW. Thanks for the way reminders (& our brains) work!
Rob Allen also did a U-ey to give me a lift to Mareeba, on his way to an eye Dr.’s appointment in Cairns.
I explained like I normally do, and he told me he had travelled extensively up around Cape York… Rob warned me this was the wrong time to be heading up to the Cape. We said our Goodbyes, glad to be sharing the world with thoughtful interesting humans, with a blessing of “safe travels”. He did another U-ey, we waved, & we were off again.
I’m starting to get the picture that it might be wise to stop at the end of the bitumen. Have to check out how far that is… from the Mareeba Golf Club house - (which I should be able to leave from on Wednesday am), 264km to Laura, () & 184km to Lakeland () …
Some good time on the phone with a friend of a friend who rang to bounce ideas off me. A lot of fun connecting. Thanks Bill.
~5pm - Antonio & Seth (Fijian - Taveuni Island boys) stopped to offer me a lift.
Have you noticed anything about the folk who have offered a lift to a stranger walking by the side of the road? Any patterns? Any thoughts/ suggestions?
~5:20pm, Vaimelie Afu from Vava’u in Tonga, passed me, did a U-turn & pulled up to pick me up & take me to Mareeba.
I declined his very generous offer, but asked him to please keep infecting our country with that islander community or brotherly- looking-out-for- others that Aussies are losing, from fear, or anxiety, or incapacity. It is too beautiful to lose from this large island.
At 5:45pm… I have an indication of how far out of Mareeba I am…
We park the motorhome on the edge of a sugar cane farm, then talk with the owner who it turned out grew up very close to my Dad, but the next generation, around the Childers/Bundaberg area.
Chris Bella was fine with us parking there but after 30 min of talking I am sure we made him late for his rounds of the irrigation before sunset. He owns farms on one(, or both) side(s) of the road for 11km. Amazingly the thin sugar cane now has double the sugar content of the old days when my Dad was a boy.
Dad cooked dinner while I put my feet up and showered. Then we washed and talked, & hit the sack before 11pm…
28km walked on the way today.
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