I can see for miles and miles….
This song appeared on the soundtrack for today as supplied by Jack and just seemed appropriate.
We left Broken Hill today, after saying goodbye to Lavine and Kevin from Bribie Island (near Caboolture), who have camped next to us for the last two days. Kevin’s engine in their Ford Futura blew up just outside Broken Hill, and will take a week or more to fix, so they are spending their time in the Caravan Park. Kevin buys a $2.40 bus ticket each day to visit the Futura. He got quoted $4200 to fix it plus or minus $20 from 4 different repairer’s. “There all in Kahootz” he told us, and is probably right. Lavine was in a bit of a tiz as we were packing up, Kevin had lost his false teeth last night. She asked us to check the toilet’s as Kevin is not the best in checking places (they asked the right people, didn’t they, Yola), but luckily as we were pulling out, the false teeth turned up in Kev’s Stubby holder. All’s well that end’s well.
Today we did about 400km to Tibooburra, along the back roads, close to where B& W went. I think we are nearly always within about 15 km of their path, the difference occurs because we are on roads, and their latitudes were slightly out due to inaccuracies in their chronometers. By this time the Expedition party was a shambles, Burke and Wills had taken 7 people ahead, and then further split this at Cooper creek (near the dig tree) where he left four people, and he , Wills, King and Gray headed for the Gulf. Becker was in the final group first split at Menindee and now trying to make their way north to meet with the rest of the expedition.
Becker was very unwell (after all a horse had trod on his foot and he was 53 and had to paint all the time) and two others, Brown and Purcell were extremely ill.
We were in much better condition as we made it to Tiboburra, it has a great pub with Drysdales, and and Clifton Pugh paintings on the wall as they used to stay there.
We are going there for tea tonight.
See ya.
November 16, 2009 at 10:36 am
Sounds like poor Kevin and Lavine might be staying a lot longer than a week in Broken Hill to pick up some part time jobs to pay for the Futura. I hope you are looking after the Pajero REALLY WELL! A note to Jack: Remind Dad to look after the car keys, we wouldn’t want him to loose them as I have the spare key at home. Maybe he should safety pin them to his pants, as his pockets have holes!!
A little disappointed with the photos you are taking of the paintings. Couldn’t you have taken easle and paints and created your own original and individual version of the same thing? Hang on, I have seen your creative ability ……. better take the photo’s!
Enjoy the expedition and be safe – Yola and Sarah
November 16, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Taking the photos are hard, as we are generally there in the middle of the day (poor light) and time has had an affect. Poor old Kev, he was so well prepared, he said he had spare hoses and belts, had the car fully surfaced, brakes done, about the only thing he didn’t pack was a spare engine.