Visit from Aboriginal women

Temperature - Day (maximum):
approx. 26-30 degrees

Anna Plains Station – 31.05.2001 – 07.06.2001

As always, time flies when you’re having a good time. We have now been on this wonderful farm for almost six weeks. Camel training has become a routine. Edgar and Jasper continue to make slow progress, but we are convinced that they will only become calmer on the trip and get used to a routine. Tanja and I are now busy with the final preparations every day. We check all saddles and re-tie all panniers. Loading the saddles onto the camels to analyze any weaknesses or pressure points. Make the remaining bell straps. Seal frayed ropes with the flame of a candle. Replacing rubber bands that have become brittle from the sun and, and, and.

I’m busy typing time codes for our movies into the computer when suddenly there’s a knock. “Sorry to disturb you, but there are some Aboriginal women with your camels. They really want to talk to you,” says Sandy, John’s housekeeper. “We’ll be right there. I just have to switch off the computer,’ I reply. A little later, we greet four women. Tanja shows them all the camels, which they stroke happily and giggle. Annette, the teacher from the Lagrange Aboriginal community, accompanies the four women and is delighted with their visit. “We are here because I wanted to see where my mother was born,” one of the women tells us. Annette shows us a weathered pencil drawing made by a German doctor in the 1950s. “She’s the reason we’re here,” says Annette. Yes, I wanted to know if I still recognize anything of my birthplace,” agrees an older Aborigine, pointing to the faded paper. “This is what it used to look like here, but unfortunately everything has changed apart from a few old buildings,” she says with a smile. We talk for a while and I tell the attentive ladies about our life, touching Mother Earth and the life of our dream. “It would be wonderful for all of us if you could come to our school and tell the children about your trip. Can you arrange that?” Annette asks. Tanja and I look at each other and nod. “We want to go to Broome before we leave. If you like, we can drop by Lagrange and tell the children about the Australian expedition,’ I reply, to which the Aboriginal women are clearly looking forward. We shake hands as we say goodbye. “When you come, we’ll bake a fresh damper (bread baked in hot campfire sand) for you,” they say.