A small cause, a big effect

Manmanning-Camp — 2000-06-11

Before we start, we insert the saddle pads that Jo has newly stuffed into Sebastian’s saddle. Then we load the animals and set out, this time without any incidents, at 11:30 a.m. The weather is brilliant again. The sun shines and it is nearly windless. Tanja is suffering from severe back pain, which is why we decide to attach her photo camera, too, to Sebastian’s saddle bag. It is the same as in the past expeditions when, after walking some hundred kilometres, she started suffering from hip and back pain which worsens with time. This is usually caused by carrying the cameras which is a single-sided burden in the constant walk. Although each of us should have a video and a film camera ready at all times in order to document the unforeseen quickly, we are forced to change our view in this case. As I’ve said before, our health has top priority, and Tom’s saying that the smallest unobservance during an expedition can have uncontrollable consequences confirms our experience.

Sometimes, the narrow path next to the tracks leads into a wide gravel road. In that case, Tanja brings up the rear in order to warn us from any approaching vehicles. I spend the afternoon philosophising with Jo about God and the Bible and before we know it we reach, situated in a thick eucalyptus forest, our Camp 13, near Manmanning. Unloading Sebastian we notice that the bruises on his back has not worsened. We are happy about the new saddle pads and confident to have solved the problem. The sun is now casting its mild rays onto the golden-brown tree trunks and turns the site into a fairytale place which I hardly find the words to describe. After sundown, we dine in the moonlight on macaroni, canned ham and carrots with tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese.