Last day before setting off for the coast
N 23°22'32.9" E 150°24'01.3"
Day: 261 Stage three / total expedition days 652
Sunrise:
05:36
Sunset:
18:46
Total kilometers:
6897 km
Temperature - Day (maximum):
39° degrees, sun approx. 59°
Temperature - Night:
24°
Latitude:
23°22'32.9"
Longitude:
150°24'01.3"
Paradise Lagoons-Camp – 01.02.2003
Tomorrow is the day on which we will tackle the last 70 or 80 kilometers to the east coast. We get up at 5:30 a.m. to prepare for the last stage of our crossing of Australia. As we have decided to leave Sebastian, Edgar and Jasper behind, we only need three saddles and the necessary equipment for the finish. We put everything on the back of the old truck and transport it to the camel enclosure. We routinely line up the three saddles one behind the other and neatly arrange food, water bags, cameras and everything else next to the saddles. Tanja has written a loading plan of what belongs in which bag. We use the spring scales to balance the load to within one kilogram. Even on the last few kilometers, we don’t want one of our guys to get a bruise due to uneven loading.
Sebastian sits in the shade of the tree while we are there. His body looks worn out and sunken. Sometimes he struggles to get up and staggers back and forth for a few meters. Due to the lack of water and apparently the stomach ulcer tablets, he sways like a drunk on unsteady legs. We interrupt our work and look over at him. “He looks worse and worse,” whispers Tanja. “Yes,” I reply, also barely audible. “I hope he survives the next few days.” “Me too,” I say as our camel leader sets himself down again in obvious pain.
In the evening, we sit on the back of the truck and watch the stars. Large clouds stretch across the dark canopy of the sky, obscuring the flashing diamonds of the night from time to time. “I’m glad it’s starting again tomorrow,” Tanja breaks the silence. “Are you no longer afraid of crossing the city?” I ask. “No.” “That’s good. The police have promised to send us an escort vehicle. They’ll stop the traffic behind us. That way we’ll get across the bridge safely,” I reply…
