Friday 4th September

The fish woke us splashing in the river and the sun turned the sky all orange and the river reflected the sky with clarity. The frogs went back to bed and the birds got out on the hustling's with a vengeance.

Well we are all laid back for a lazy departure and turns army Jim and his six mates - army Jim has shorts and no shirt - he needs us to see that he has another six pack than the one in his esky.

They have driven for an hour to take up their site at 9am - unfortunately they are booked into our site. We pack up and after about 30 minutes we toot and horn to let them know we have vacated.

We drive to a location where Mal has fallen in love with a certain forest of thin trees.

We rive to the new ranger station where we are able to get mobile coverage.

We talk with a chap that has just come out of 12 mile - the online blurb says only accessible by helicopter or fully kitted six wheel drive army truck - he comes out in in Colorado towing his camper trailer with tinny on top - roads fine mate.

We book and after we have done our Internet penance - 3 hours of the dam stuff - we enjoy the 15k drive into our last night at Lakefield.

On the way in we stop and pick up some fire wood - we don't have a special spot for firewood - so Sue pops some in on one side and I fit some in behind the driver's seat. The road in to 12 mile is one of the prettiest sections of road in Lakefield we have seen - we don't hurry.

We find our campsite - no 2 - we get Vicki up on her platform soles - vain young lady she is and then we start to get the firewood out. b***** one piece has fallen in behind the lock on the back tool box - can't unlock the box - Mal goes to the nearest public phone box, slips his underpants on the outside, tightens his cape and flies to the rescue. Some careful blows with the hammer and a block of wood and he is in. Lois looks on with her small hands clasped to her breast and mutters softly and sincerely, "my hero".

Then Mal wakes up from his phantasy - but the toolbox is open without damage so all's well that ends well.

The trees here are really tall, huge paper bark that would be 30 meters tall - so the birds are in the trees but sue would need an astronomical telescope to get a good photo - so we sit down near the fire and read some of our book. The light fades in the West and another fantastic day says a fond adieu.

We retire into Vicki for a shower and some cooking.