Home-fries, chook
eggs, and vegemite on bread
For the
first time in Australia we were going to have an easy day with no big
plans, just hanging out, writing, cooking, drinking. We got up early
enough, but after coffee I sat around writing while Diana busied
herself with camp chores. Then around 8 I cooked up home-fried
potatoes, fried eggs from Kim's chooks, and some bread with Vegemite.
After breakfast I wrote some more while Diana did dishes.
As the
sun passed smoothly through the clean blue sky a ute style camper
pulled up and a happy couple came over and greeted us. They looked
about our age, the man a burly handsome guy in jeans and shirt, the
woman smilingly attractive with brown hair. We hit it off almost
immediately. We started talking about outback camping and they
willingly showed us their rig. With a red open kayak strapped to the
top of the fold out tent assembly, the body of the camper had
vertical doors on each side. The left side opened up to create an
awning over a complete kitchen set-up, with stove, containers for
utensils and food, and a 12 v frig. The other side had other
compartments for storage, as well as another frig just for beer.
Outback Safari
A word
here about the difference between Aussie and Yank camping. First of
all, there are almost no pick up trucks. While many people camp with
trailers, they are all pulled mostly by Land Cruisers, Nissans Patrols, or
various other 4WD utes. The largest trailers you see would only be
in the mid-sized ranged in the US. No fifth wheel giants, none with
pull out rooms. And over half of the trailers have high clearances
with big knobby tires and steel plating on the lower half to protect
them from thrown rocks. You can watch them being towed through the
most amazing terrain on YouTube.
Second,
no monster RV's. There are a few converted buses on the road, but
they are much smaller than the Greyhound conversions yachting around
the US.
The
three most common ways of camping are; the ute fitted with a tent
assembly that opens up and remains part of the vehicle, a solo 4WD
with roof rack loaded with supplies, or a 4WD pulling a small utility
trailer filled with gear. Often two of these methods are combined.
I call it expedition camping. The
idea is to find a good spot in the bush, set up your tent and tarps
and tables and chairs, get a good fire going, and then grill food and
drink beer. The goal is to live outside as much as possible, with
all the conveniences of a well supplied safari. It's a very
attractive way of travel, and one that fits this big, hot, open
country with all it's rough outback tracks, quite well.
A Cheese-head in Oz
Back to
our new friends. Bob and Mary own a trucking business in Victoria.
Bob has been a driver and a mechanic, but now owns his own fleet of
Peterbilts and Kenworths. He loves American made trucks, saying that
Japanese and German trucks, while elegantly engineered, are
temperamental, expensive to fix, and short-lived. He gets 3 million
km out of his trucks, adding rebuilt engines. Mary does bookkeeping
for the business, but is also a retired music teacher who now teaches
piano out of their home. They've got three or four grown kids and
four or five grandkids scattered around the country.
And Bob
is a Cheese-head! He is passionate about the Green Bay Packers. He
knows about the history of the Packers, was fascinated when he found
out that they're owned by small time shareholders. He tried to buy
shares in Lambeau field when they came up for sale but was
disappointed when he found out foreigners couldn't own them. He
dreams of going to Wisconsin to see them play some day.
He also
knows more US history than many Americans, is well-versed in birds
species, and has strong opinions about how things are going on in the
world. You can see why we got along so well. Besides, he carries a
frig just for beer on his rig!
After
sitting around talking for a couple hours, we all agreed that we
ought to get on with our vacations. But just as they were about to
pull out, he walked back over and asked if we were going in to
Silverton that day. I said I didn't know yet, that I wanted to drive
around on some of the old roads looking for abandoned mines. He said
that if we were going into town he'd shout us a round of his favorite
beer, Carlton Draughts, and I said, that's exactly what I had
planned. So we drove to the only pub in town, and each bought a
round of 'stubbies'. It was nearly 5 o'clock when we pushed back
from the table and said goodbye. I promised to buy him some good,
affordable Yank beer when he comes to the states.
Diana
and I walked around town for awhile, then drove to the Mundimundi
Overlook to watch the sun set over the arid flat plains to the west.
Then back to the same place we'd stayed the night before for leftover
lamb couscous and to bed.
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