Lucky

Day: 216 Stage three / total expedition days 607

Sunrise:
05:24

Sunset:
18:53

As the crow flies:
21,6

Daily kilometers:
28

Total kilometers:
6232 km

Temperature - Day (maximum):
39° degrees, sun approx. 59°

Temperature - Night:
19.3° degrees

Latitude:
22°00'59.6"

Longitude:
146°56'47.7"

New direction camp – 12/18/2002

With the first rays of sunshine, we say goodbye to our lovely hosts. John brings us another cup of tea to the camels, which we gratefully accept. “I’m looking forward to seeing you again in Clermont,” says John, who owns a house there with his wife Zoe. As Christmas is just around the corner and we didn’t know where we were going to spend Christmas Eve until yesterday, John invited us over as a surprise. “We’re happy too,” we reply, waving to the family as our camel train sets off.

We find our running rhythm again after the first few meters. With the knowledge that we finally have a concrete goal to aim for and that we have received an invitation from loved ones for Christmas Eve, we move forward inspired. According to my calculations, it is about 165 kilometers to Clermont. If everything goes according to plan over the next few days, we should be there in six days.

After 5 ½ hours, we have covered 28 kilometers and find a camp by a creek. We set up our warehouse as a matter of routine.

Because I still have some energy left in me from the rest days, I set about repairing Tanja’s camp bed. The sun has taken its toll on the tension fabric in recent years and it is only a matter of time before it tears. We have a roll of canvas with us to repair our saddlebags. I cut a strip with scissors and then glued it to the frayed areas with fabric glue. “What a mess. The nozzle of the glue tube seems to be blocked,” I grumble, squeezing the little plastic bottle with all my might. “Do you need a needle?” Tanja asks. “Yes,” I reply and a few moments later I push the safety pin through the tube opening. “I think I’m okay now,” I say and squeeze the glue bottle back together. But no matter how hard I try, not a drop comes out. “I think the glue has completely dried out in the heat,” I realize and grab another bottle of fabric glue. Despite brute force, I am also unsuccessful with her. Furious, I squeeze and squeeze the little thing brutally until the entire contents splash onto the mattress, my shirt, beard and face in a huge explosion. “Oh God, quick! I need water!” I yell, squinting my eyes. “Did you get something in your eyes?” Tanja asks worriedly. “I don’t think so,” I say, wiping my face with a damp cloth that Tanja has just handed me. “Uhhh, this stuff sticks terribly. Especially in my beard,’ I moan, rubbing the glue out of my hair. As if I’ve just cracked a great joke, Rufus looks at me with his tail wagging. “You don’t need to stare at me like that. You’re lucky the glue didn’t splatter all over your fur,’ I say a little harshly, whereupon he takes offense and disappears under the camp bed. It takes a long time to scrape the glue, which dries quickly in the hot air, off my face, shirt and bed. Luckily, I find another bottle of fabric glue in our spare parts box, which I use to successfully repair Tanja’s camp bed this time.

“And how is it lying on your repaired lounger?” I ask as the sun has already set and we watch the stars just before falling asleep. “No different than usual. Still, I feel better. At least now I know she’s not going to collapse at any moment.” “That’s good.” “Denis?” “Yes?” “I’m glad the glue didn’t get in your eyes. Who knows how that would have turned out?” “I’m glad too,” I reply wearily.