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Spear Creek… all good things must come to an end. Par 10

Spear Creek… all good things must come to an end. Par 10

Well, it would appear that the fault was more serious than first thought. I was up and showering yet again at about 5.45am after not a lot of sleep at all. Very unpleasant to wake with my hair plastered to my skin feeling wet enough for me to think I had already had a shower. I decided there and then that it was time for me to move on. The predicted heat wave was upon us and without air-conditioning in my room my sense of adventure was being tested to the full.

By the time Sharon came and saw me at about 8am to say that word had been received that it could be 11am or better before power is restored I was already almost completely packed up. She encouraged me to move on as she assured me that it was only going to get hotter and there would be no respite. At least she and Graham have a generator which they can run and use their air conditioning. As we stood and chatted the last of the vans from the camping area trundled past us; it seemed that I was not the only one looking for cooler climes.

I felt it was rather a sad way to leave my little haven. I would much have preferred to leave with an ache within because of having to leave it behind although it was nice to have been able to make the choice with a positive outcome to look forward to… at this stage the positive outcome may only have been a trip in the air conditioning in my car but anything was better than the prospect of another day in the heat with no respite.

After yet another cold shower I finished off my packing, which I might say went extremely well considering that I had bought a new sizable esky. I was a little concerned that when it came time I may not have been able to fit everything in again but by then the ice had melted away to just iced water and the esky could be used as storage for all those bits and pieces that you seem to accumulate which don’t have a home.

I snapped off a couple more shots of Spear Creek and once again sent a thought of thanks to my friend for suggesting it to me as I drove over to the office to settle up my rent for the past 6 nights. Oh, of course! There is no power and so there are not electronic payment options and who, in this day and age carries cash on them? No worries, Sharon is happy it take my details and charge my credit card when the power eventually comes back on. She is also very generous in discounting last night by over 50% because of the lack of air-conditioning. Good old country hospitality.

As I drive out with the dust billowing behind me I wonder where to from here. Do I go Melrose, one of my favourite places in South Australia for a night or two, or maybe even stop at the Mt Remarkable National Park and see if there is a camping space available there. I head in to Port Augusta to grab a quick bite to eat and contemplate my options. It is such a relief to be driving on the rough road and have no rattles accompanying me.

After a quick Macca’s breakfast I set off again. Mt Remarkable National Park seemed like a good option to me, if a relatively cool spot is available. As I drove, very careful to stick to the speed limit after receiving my first ever speeding ticket on my way out to Port Augusta the previous week, I relived the past week in my mind. How fortunate am I to have the ability to just pack up and do as I chose to do, at least while I am on leave from work anyway. Wouldn’t it be heaven if I could live somewhere out in the country again and spend my time writing and taking photographs? Something to aim for in the future. As I approach the turn off to the National Park I see a hand written sign stuck under the road sign saying that due to the extreme conditions the Mt Remarkable National Park was closed. Well, the decision has been made for me. Adelaide, here I come.
As I drive through Lochiel I stop to photograph the salt lakes there. It is disappointing that they are not bright pink or mauve as they often are when I drive past but they are still worthy of a picture anyway. Further on down the road I see dust swirling through the air. The wind is blowing hard and the top soil of the recently worked paddocks was being blown goodness only knows where. I did not stop to photograph it unfortunately, I wish now that I had.

As one adventure drew to a close I knew in my heart that there would be more to come. I have my tent and the rest of the gear required now to camp whenever I can get away from work. I have made a promise to myself that I will get out of the city and find other areas where I can experience the solitude of the country side. Now that I have taken the first step so much opens up before me. With a light and easy sense of freedom I head back to my suburban life, knowing that now I have taken the first step in a new and exciting journey.

Thank you for joining me in my experience. I look forward to sharing many more with you in the future. My friend assures me that there is another place which I will love even more… stay tuned, hopefully I can share it with you also.

Spear Creek… the sauna (Part 9)

Spear Creek... the sauna (Part 9)

31st December 2013

Yesterday evening I photographed the sunset from the rise above my room. A young man from Melbourne about my son’s age came and watched it also. It was hot, the ants were particularly friendly and found my feet and legs a great place to explore. Much and all as it was nice to have a companion to watch the sun glide behind the clouds and ultimately behind the ranges, it would also have been great to have been alone so that I could whip my sarong off and give it a good shake to get rid of those ants who were a little more adventurous than their friends.

Today is the last day of the year; a day of contemplation for me as it is for many others. Looking back at the previous 12 months was an interesting indeed. What a journey we are all on and how lovely to be seeing the year out doing something that brings me such a wonderful sense of peace.

As I sit out on the deck having my morning coffee it is very warm already. The dappled sunshine through the canopy of the bush has a sting in it which promises that the predicted heat wave is indeed on its way. Even the birds are a little quiet and lethargic this morning. I have a sense of sadness that I will soon be leaving this beautiful place. I have not decided yet what I am going to do from here. Will I go on to another place, or will I head back the city? I know which my heart prefers though I must be practical and consider finances.

I am a little disappointed that I’ve not seen any lizards, goannas or snakes. I am sure they have been there but I’ve just not been aware of them, after all I did manage to miss seeing a roo under a bush a couple of days ago, didn’t I? I hear the echo of “city girl” in my mind, a name a dear friend uses to taunt me.

As the day progresses temperature soars. I do not wander too far today, content to stay tucked inside my room, watching some tennis and soaking up the air conditioning. At around 3.30 disaster strikes…there is a power outage. At around 4 I take a walk to check and make sure that it is not just my room which has no electricity. Sharon tells me that she has had a call saying that the power will probably not be back on until about 1am. 1am!!! What?? It is the fourth time since Christmas that the power had failed so she is pretty certain that they are just covering themselves in saying it will be that long. The other outages had not been that long. As I talk to her 2 vans pull out of the park. Obviously they are not too keen on being in this heat without power.

The young man who watched the sunset with me last evening came over to join us. He asked Sharon if you she had any recommendations for where he could stay in Coober Pedy the next day. She looked at him as though she thought that he had totally lost his marbles. “You do realise that they are predicting around 48 – 49 degrees for there tomorrow, don’t you?” He assured her that yes he did know that but he was on a fairly tight schedule and if he wanted to fit all he planned in he needed to keep moving. She shook her head at him, speechless. Yep, he had obviously lost his marbles.

The afternoon crawls slowly into evening. The heat is increasing, the wind hot and blasting. It is hot and uncomfortable on my deck but even worse inside my room where there is absolutely no air movement whatsoever. I am not too concerned, as I expect that the power will come back on any moment. I prepare my New Year’s Eve celebration dinner of porterhouse steak, new potatoes, coleslaw and tomato. I thank the bush in a toast with a nice cold whiskey and coke. Still no electricity.

After dinner is finished I walk up the rise to watch the sunset. Below me the lights of Port Augusta twinkle back at me. Well at least someone had power! The air is so still it feels like it is closing in on me. The mosquitos are starting to buzz around me. I think back to the days when we used to collect cow manure and burn it to keep the mozzies away. Anything to occupy the mind.

Back on my deck I fix another drink and use my torch to read by. The insects swarm around immediately. Well, that is not an option then. Eventually I decide that it is better to be inside in the sweat box and able to read than outside in the mozzies. The room is stifling. It is a lovely room, don’t get me wrong, but it is designed to be used in conjunction with air conditioning. I have my first cold shower. Before the night is over I have another 2. I decide to write some of my blog on my laptop… the battery needs recharging. My phone battery is getting low also. The wonders of technology!

Eventually at around 11pm I decide that there is nothing else to do but try to sleep. I have another cold shower and lay down on my bed willing sleep to come quickly. Of course, it doesn’t. Midnight comes and goes, no power; 1am, no power eventually at around 2am I manage to doze.

Oh, by the way, Happy New Year……….

To be continued….