Kimberley 12 Silent Companions

The girls enquired after our shopping expedition.

Hapless Tom, by now the only unemployed camp store assistant in Broome, became the centre of his own story.

We left the Vinnie bit until last hoping it would pass unnoticed. Of course it didn’t and Vinnie the vampire travelled with us for the next two hours, a silent fifth passenger in our tight knit team. Luckily we were heading up the Gibb River Road, 1000 kilometres of remote corrugated dirt. We wouldn’t have mobile coverage from Derby to Kununurra.

Each night as we set up our tents, inflated our double mattress and squeezed our two stretchers into the Eco 6 tent we had the company of the full entourage: Trouble shootin Tim, Clickety Click Renee, Recently unemployed Tom, Beetroot Face and Vinnie the problem solver.

We slept like babies.

Kimberley 11 Tom and the beetroot

The last but one instalment of the very long Kimberley story. You'll need to go to posts back in September to get the other instalments.

And so..............

Back at the till Tom was busy with another customer. One of his offsiders stepped in. We told him the stretcher story.

‘We’re returning four stretchers and taking two in exchange. Vinnie will pay for the stretchers, we’ll pay for the rest’ we insisted.

Tom was called over. ‘We can’t put used stretchers back on the shelf to sell as new.’ He directed this information at Denis and I. ‘Tom said it’s be okay.' we smiled innocently.

‘What the f…k is this about?’ This time Tom got the spray from his, by now, beetroot faced boss. ‘You and me. In the office. Later.’ He began punching the keys of the register seeing Tom’s face in every letter and number.

‘Sorry’ I mouthed to Tom.

‘I don’t want to cause trouble but if we’d had the right sized stretchers in the first place…’ I sensed that this piece of advice was not helping me or Tom. I shut up. Tom fell silent. Beetroot face continued wrestling with the register, calculating a refund on the maxi stretchers, adding in the cost of the two replacements, and then punching in the mattress, the spout, sleeping bag cover, mantles and strap.

We watched as the pressure valve inside his head crept slowly towards its limit.

‘There’s nothing to pay’

Denis and I stared at him, looked at each other and didn’t argue. He’d charged everything to Vinnie and it had evened out. Four maxi stretchers equalled two mini stretchers, an inflatable double mattress and a counter full of other stuff. Amazing. I was tempted to ask to see the docket but something in Denis’ eyes caused me to pause. The thrill of an imminent explosion was enticing but…

‘Okay’ we chorused.

Denis and I, aware that Vinnie was about to receive a fax in his Brisbane office, took the opportunity to quietly load up and exit.

‘Let’s pick up the girls and get out of town.’ 'Out of mobile range.'

Vale George

George
George - son of a General was born in 1997 on the outskirts of Adelaide South Australia but spent most of his life in Queensland. George, who was a sibling to countless ex machina brothers and sisters, was particularly loved by his foster parents Pauline and Denis and loved and respeceted by his half brother Danny and his extended family.
George's family of origin had a proud history of achievements spanning over 50 years. Notable highlights included his family's triumphs at Mt Panorama and the impact on the world of his younger brother Ute and his flashy cousin Monaro.
George travelled widely, rarely independently, preferring the company of his foster family. He loved fishing trips, island holidays and camping. It was on one of these camping trips where he met his untimely end.
He had had major surgery two years previously and though it appeared he had fully recovered, he had an unexpected relapse outside Injune on the 27th September 2009.
He was aged 12, though his body showed signs of premature ageing and even tell tale signs of neglect - though family members refuse to discuss this (out of a sense of protecting his half brother Dan it is rumoured). Some felt that he had not been in the best of health. Their warnings sadly were not heeded and George himself insisted on accompanying Denis and his three mates on this much anticipated trip.
George died beside the Carnarvon Highway 15 km north of Injune of massive internal hemmoraging. Valiant ttempts to revive him failed and he was pronounced dead by RACQ Luke at 8am on Monday 28 September.
In a moving ceremony George was stripped of all his valuable assets (including a brand new roof rack which some in the family feel may have contributed to his demise) and laid to rest by Denis and his three travelling companions.
George now rests in peace at the Roma Automotive Service Centre.

"Kings would call his name in honour of his clan" Shakespeare's The Tempestuous

An hour after his sad burial George was replaced by this little Toyota Hilux twin cab beauty who was much more adapted to the harsh life of the west. (not meaning to imply that George was a wuss)

The sad relatives hold a wake at an aptly named Carnarvon Gorge site -'Big Bend"

Boowinda Gorge - Carnarvon

11 kilometres from the commencement of the track this beautiful curved and sculpted gorge winds its way back from Carnarvon Creek.

At midday the sun penetrates this space. Light plays with the curves to create patterns which add to nature's sculpture.
Marvellous. Magic.

Carnarvon - men on a mountain

Steve, Nick, Denis and Mike after 900 steps to the top of the Gorge. Not such a feat really, as some tough granny's made the climb with us.

Carnarvon Gorge rock art - Women's Business

Women of the local tribes carved an image of a vulva every time a child was born here. The cave wall was overwhelmed with these carvings.

Carnarvon rock art - Men's business

Back from Carnarvon Gorge minus our car but plus some great stories and photos.