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It started off as a coast-to-coast four-wheel-drive odyssey across Australia's top end.

4WD Odyssey

Nickjenkins
2003-11-20 16:52:02

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Charles for over a year and it was as inhospitable as I've ever known the bush to be. Deciding survival took precedence over sightseeing we liberated one of the water containers from the back of the truck and rigged up a tarpaulin over the cab for some shade. Sitting in the shade sipping water we read our books and contemplated the scorched landscape.

To keep us entertained the park produced wildlife in the form of Philip the Lizard. This little beggar scampered around our feet devouring ants which came out every time the sun went behind a cloud. To keep his temperature down and his belly off the hot sand, Philip scooted across the sand on his hind legs in a kind of bow-legged sprint. He'd snap an ant or two from in front of us and then do a U-turn and race back to the shade of a nearby tree to cool off. (Don't ask me why he's called Philip - why are you called Martin or Deborah or, god help you, Moonbeam ?)

Eventually the sun crept behind the peak and a long shadow dropped over the truck. It was now cool enough to set up the tent and organise dinner. Dinner that night was a no-frills affair of sausages and beans, made more than a little difficult by the hordes of bush flies that decided we were the only fluid-bearing creatures they'd seen in months and attacked us with gusto. To give you an indication of how hot it was, we worked out that between us Richard and I drank about twelve litres of water in four hours, and that was sitting the shade.

To cool off before bed and to give us an even chance of sleeping through the still sweltering night we rigged up the bush shower. Normally the shower, a large black plastic bag with a hose attached, is left in the sun to warm up for a couple of hours but this time we forwent the pleasure of a warm shower in favour of a much more welcome cold one. We designated one corner of the camp the bathroom and hung the bag from the highest, stunted ...