Our Red Earth Expedition will continue

Temperature - Day (maximum):
approx. 32 degrees

Anna Plains Station – 28.04.2001

I use the morning to look at the maps I had already bought in Perth. It looks like a bomb has gone off in our large living room because the map sheets are scattered everywhere. I kneel on the floor and lay the sheets next to each other so that they end up forming an oversized map. So I can get an idea of the route that lies ahead of us. Then I mark the Kidson Track with a highlighter and look for entries that indicate water holes or windmills. Even if parts of the track are supposed to be under water, long stretches can be completely dry on the way there. As we are not traveling by jeep, detailed planning is extremely important. I ponder over the map material and ask myself where we can get the information I urgently need to even begin to know what lies ahead of us. I need to know where the floods are? How long can it take for them to evaporate from the extreme Australian sun? How can we get around them in an emergency? Whether and how we bring our supplies into the eternal sea of desert and much more.

At 1pm we set off as agreed with Luke yesterday to meet up at his house. He also greets us in a very friendly manner and invites us in. We sit down at the table and talk a little about ourselves and our plan to get from Europe to South America by land and sea in 30 years. Luke and his young partner Sally listen attentively and keep asking new questions. We talk about Mongolia, the Taklamakan, India and before we know it, an hour has flown by. So as not to get into the night, we break off our stories and join Luke in the ute (Australian name for a vehicle with a loading area). We talk about Anna Plains, the beautiful piece of land, the many cattle and his plans to double their number from 15,000 to 30,000. After an hour we drive along the dirt road that leads us to the part of the farm called Rockys. “I saw them around here a few days ago!” he shouts over the loud engine noises. “Look, there are their tracks!” he says, pointing to the slope in front of us. “Like many animals, they seem to prefer walking on a track to running through the bush,” I say with a laugh. The Jeep rumbles around a long bend. Tall bushes block the view. Tanja, Luke and I look intently into the thicket, because they must be here somewhere. “There they are!” Luke exclaims happily and abruptly slows down. Tanja’s and my hearts are pounding with excitement. In fact, there are 7 camels standing there, curiously turning their heads towards us to see what’s coming. Luke stops. We quietly get out and walk towards our boys. We expect them to run away at any moment and move as if in slow motion. “Come ooone! Come ooone! Come ooone! (Come here) Tuckertiiime! Tuckertiiime! Tuckertiiime! (meal time) we both call them to camp or to eat, as we did almost every day during our expedition. Sebastian, Goola Badoola, Hardie, Jafar and Istan look at us curiously, while the two newcomers shyly take a few steps away. Suddenly Goola and Sebastian take the initiative and run towards us. Jafar, Istan and Hardie also follow their mates. We can hardly believe our luck when they are with us a few moments later, obviously to greet us. There is no sign of shyness. Tanja gives Sebastian some carrot peelings and leftover salad that she has brought with her. He immediately bites into it carefully and eats from her hand. Goola also wants a piece of the action and pushes his way in just like before. Of course, the other three don’t want to miss out and form a semi-circle around us. My God, what a feeling it is to be back with our camels. To have them around us, unharmed and in good health. Tanja’s eyes moisten with joy and I feel sick to my stomach with happiness. I gently stroke Sebastian’s nose and give him a huge kiss on his hairy mouth. We carefully slip a halter over his head. Goola and Jafar also get a halter and we are delighted that they are not against it. The two newcomers watch the welcoming ceremony from a respectful distance. They can’t seem to believe what’s happening, their eyes are wide and they run back and forth nervously. As they are completely wild and won’t let humans touch them, and were caught by them a few months ago, we are glad that they don’t just run away. Thank goodness their herd instinct is so strongly developed that they don’t run off without their new companions. Since last December, they have had the opportunity to grow together as a team and a herd.

We slowly lead Sebastian and Goola around a wide fence to a gate. As in the past, they allow themselves to be guided without resistance. The newcomers follow them at a safe distance. Even through the gate, they stay on the heels of their comrades. While I lead Sebastian to the end of the enclosure, which is perhaps 500 × 500 meters in size, Tanja closes the gate and so our 7 boys are back in a manageable, small enclosure without the slightest difficulty. Luke stands at the edge of the fence and watches us in amazement at how tame and sweet our boys have behaved and allowed themselves to be caught. “That wouldn’t have been possible with horses,” he calls over to us. Before we drive back to the farm, we stroke our expedition partners a little. Tomorrow we will load them onto a trailer and take them back to the homestead. Tanja and I sit happily and contentedly in Luke’s Ute and drive towards a glowing sunset. Our Red Earth Expedition will continue and we will experience more adventures in Australia. I’m already longing for the crackling campfires in the evening, the smell of freshly baked bread, the clear starry sky and the endless strange sounds of the outback.