I can’t go at 5 or 6am, because I have to “fix it up in the morning” re my $20-$25 camp fees.
How good is that!
So, I lie in my tent learning as I reflect & write up yesterday’s blog (which during the day somehow got lost in the Internet Ether).
Better get up it's 8:05am…
Got talking to Murray;
whose wife, like mine is backing his solo attempt to make it to the tip.
Mac served me, and asked if I wanted my battery charger and battery (in my hand) plugged in… (thanks!)
while I sat etc… and paid my $25 for my unpowered campsite, bought two pies, and a flat white coffee (with one sugar), and internet for 2 hours. The next spot to stop that might be good beak between here and Bramwell (in 42km), might be a truck pull over spot at a dip in the middle, water on both sides. We’ll see. I’ll have to decide whether to stay for an extra night here, or push on by around 10am. Might depend on whether it’s overcast today or not. Can I leave that to you, my senior walking partner, to sort out?
The folk here help me think of how I might refurbish my trolley lid in tatters,
and give me some of their gorilla tape to do it (both sides), so I decide to stay for the day, and fix the lid… (carefully cleaning both sides first).
The plan is, that after fixing the lid, I’ll follow the thread, and maybe even loll about writing and posting this blog, and try to head off early tomorrow morning..
In this process, Chris & David (left to right) from Melbourne walk by, to say G’day…
We might meet as they return? [Rats! I missed hearing much of their story… (a lot to learn there. Help me grow - thoughtful commitment, please.)] Thanks men for a bit of your time.
Johnny from Cawarral near Rocky, said G’day. I was a Rocky boy - 50 yrs ago.
Johnny managers MTQ, which makes turbo chargers for big diesel equipment in the mines around Central Queensland (e.g. Blackwater, Moura etc).
Thanks for stopping to talk, and share a bit of life together.
He’s in a convoy going to the tip with his Family [I’m still learning to actively listen. One step at a time. A good time connecting as we pass by. ]
(6 cars & vans driving out, and someone-else’ car in the foreground,- with my tent and trolley in front of that in front, middle):
I find an amazing book:
Compact, plastic sleeve covered, it is amazingly full… and in full colour, e.g.
Small, and easily worth the $30.00, but heavy… I bought it, but now wonder what I’ll do with the additional weight.
I’ve got thread, but no needle to sew my plastic “snakeskin” cover onto the cardboard trolley lid. The lady who owns the lease for the store, Wendy, gets a needle for me to sew them together:
I’ll also need a set of pliers (which I have, in my multi-tool), then black electrical tape (which I found looking for stuff this morning) to cover the sewing…
How good is that.
Lunch time, here at the kiosk… (with tent in heat, in background)
I'll try a pie with peas, and sausage roll. And another coffee, or a cold coffee, if they have one(?)
Grumpy (christened Guy) and Kerry, who work as helpers to Mike and his wife who run this lease (with the help of their grandson Mac for some time each of the last five(?) years), were very helpful, and brought an extra box to help with the lid…
Kerry got me two needles, and I taped and sewed the plastic cover to the cardboard box.. not to bad really. An all day job, along with meeting the blokes mentioned above and Ken from Perth… [sadly I missed getting a pic of Grumpy& Kerry, and Ken.]
Managed to get Mac with his granddad Mike:
A good time catching up with Ash from Melbourne who has done this trip with family about 5 times now.. I got his word on me taking my trolley on the Old Telegraph road from Bramwell. .. Not fully against it, but he thinks it would be hard to take the trolley..
Thanks for your time Ash.
I hope to get going early in the morning to minimise dust… wouldn’t it be nice if it rained lightly tonight? We’ll see.
After ringing my lady late, I went for a shower and met (talking over the shower cubicles) Gerard:
from Sydney who is with 5 car-loads heading from Sydney and Brisbane, to The Tip, and he offered me his own Our Lady’s Scapular - a small piece of thick cloth with writing on it, on a neck band, to protect me “from eternal fire” it said on it. He was very fine if I’d rather not take it. I wanted to honour his thoughtfulness, yet I felt like I couldn’t wear it with integrity, so I declined. But afterwards I realized that this time with Gerard could have been a chance for me to ask him what it means to him & how he uses it? And this may have led to me understanding him and his stance better (no promises, but the option I took may have been a push away, rather than a response to grow understanding). Rats! Another missed opportunity to connect in reality. Please thoughtful commitment and creative love give me another chance in the next 24 hr.
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