Feast for humans and animals

Day: 228 Stage three / total expedition days 619

Sunrise:
05:25

Sunset:
18:56

Total kilometers:
6402 km

Temperature - Day (maximum):
36° degrees, sun approx. 56°

Temperature - Night:
19° degrees

Latitude:
22°48'30.2"

Longitude:
147°39'08.3"

Clermont-Camp – 30.12.2002

Today is the day again. We worked out the route planning for the next 400 kilometers, arranged interview appointments and fed the website with new stories. Well rested, full of energy and full of expectation as to what adventures, challenges and encounters the coming week will bring us, we drive our equipment to the camel enclosure. Although we’re not leaving until tomorrow, we want to sleep with our boys tonight. This way we can get up at 3:00 a.m. as usual to pack everything up and load the camels.

We are just about ready to distribute all the equipment next to the saddles when Denise, the wife of the Sergeant of Clermont, appears. “Marg, the manager of the supermarket, gave me a few treats for your boys. She thought the camels would enjoy them before the upcoming running days,” she says happily, pointing to the trunk of her car. We look in amazement at three large crates. Heads of lettuce, oranges, bananas, apples, tomatoes, watermelons, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, pineapple and other fruit and vegetables promise a huge feast. “The supermarket is getting a delivery of fresh fruit and vegetables tomorrow. They can no longer sell this green stuff. It’s about to tip over,” explains Denise. “I think we should wait for the others to feed. They’ll have a lot of fun,” says Tanja. “It’s a good idea,” replies Denise.

It’s not long before Zoe, John, Marg, Peter, Betty, Ray, daughter Ross, grandchild Kalita, her grandma and her heaviest come to see us off. Everyone brings a delicious meal, which is quickly served on the loading area of a Ute and on a few tables. Before we tuck into the feast, we call the camels. “Tuckertime! Tuckertiiiime!” (feeding time) echoes across the grounds. It’s not long before Sebastian, followed by the ever-hungry Istan, break through the bushes to walk to camp. The other four also follow at loose intervals. They now know that the food call is connected with a happy event and are in no hurry to miss anything. When they all stand together next to us and circle their eyes around curiously and expectantly, we scurry them down next to each other like schoolchildren. Then we unpack the heavy fruit and vegetable crates and each of our visitors can feed the animals as they please. There is great joy and laughter. “Look, Istan is scarfing down the watermelons like a garbage disposal…! Oh, that’s funny. Do Hardie’s big lips always swing back and forth like that…? But Edgar is picky. He likes carrots best…! Ha, ha, ha, Jasper has spat out the huge head of cabbage again…! Sebastian is a real glutton. He steals the food right out of the others’ mouths…! No wonder Jafar has such a huge pot belly. He can eat like a monster,” the happy voices shout in confusion.

After our insatiable mates have filled their bellies to the brim with around 50 kilograms of fruit and vegetables, they rise ponderously and trot off. Now is the time for people. We sit down in a large circle in the camp chairs and enjoy the delicious food. We talk about our expedition, the successful Christmas party and the route ahead of us. To make sure we get enough sleep, the guests leave us at 21:00. Once again, we say goodbye to everyone, hug each other and wish each other good luck.

Suddenly there is peace again. We lie down on the camp beds, watch the glittering sky and fall asleep with a smile on our faces.