Mozzies are worse than leeches (and other words of wisdom from Obie)

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Or how what should have been a simple walk in the forest turned into a five hour ordeal involving snakes, leeches and a call to 000.

But I digress. Let's start from the beginning...

Sadly there are no visual images to accompany this crazy story but this link will put you in the picture: http://www.grandstrzeleckitrack.org.au/

The tranquil camping spot in the Tarra Bulga National Park located in the Tarra Valley is beautiful. Lots of bush, wildlife and very few people. A great place to relax and catch up on some reading. The boys (Obie and Dean) were keen on doing a walk in the morning but I didn't think it sounded like a pleasant Sunday stroll. Details were sketchy, there was mention of leeches and it might involve some steep climbing and/or descending. So I drove them up the hill, dropped them off and went back to the van with the kids. About an hour later they returned, brimming with enthusiasm. There was another walk further up the hill which began at the Grand Ridge Road and was 5kms along what Dean and Obie claimed should be similar terrain to the walk they had just completed. Easy. Okay - we had lunch and then set off for what shouldn't have been a taxing time in the forest.

(With apologies to George Wyle and Sherwood Shwartz (who wrote the Gilligan's Island theme lyrics))

Just sit right back and you'll hear from Obe,
A tale of a fateful walk
That started from the Grand Ridge Road
And left us feeling sore.

Obe was Mr Optimist
Dean was brave and sure.
Jane, El and Harry also set out that day
For what should have been, a two hour tour...

The sun was shining brightly,
Not a grey cloud to be seen,
For 500 metres the climb was steep
But the next 5 ks were easy, said the navigator, Dean

We came across a long black snake
Lying by the side of the track
It quickly slithered into his hole
He wasn't coming back

The grass was getting longer
Our nerves were slightly frayed
Curled up in the middle of the sunny path
A brown snake was in the way

Just another obstacle to pass along the route
But what to do
When the markers dropped out
Nobody really knew

Obie and Dean, the optimists
Did their very best
To find the way back out
Of this Tarra Forest mess

Blundering around for three hours
The five were getting tired
No food, no water and fighting off
The leeches who were wired

We're 100 percent not going to
Spend the night out here
Said Obie with a smile on his face
I couldn't hide my fear

At 6 o'clock it was looking grim
The sky was overcast
Phones at less than 10 percent
Let's face it, we were lost

The call to triple zero
Was not as easy as it seems
Told to stay where we were, don't separate
Things were looking bleak

But before we settled in for the night
Dean took a call of nature
Although he'd dropped his glasses
He spotted an orange marker!

At 7:30 we finally
Stumbled out of the trees
A bedraggled sight to be sure
The police had heard us in the breeze

Giving us water and some chocolate
We eagerly gobbled it down
How the hell did we get lost?
Said Obie with a frown.

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Comments

[Nicky stitt]

LOST !
What an experience Jane; ! - Saying that I havn't stopped laughing and thanking my lucky stars i had work last week or we might have ended up doing "the walk of doom" aswell.. Poor you (Did you see any crazy men in kilts blowing bagpipes, think Id be more worried about bumping into them!)

[AndrewFamily]

Bagpipes in the forest
I would have kissed every one of them if they had appeared out of nowhere.

[Tracy]

Note to self
So, here's what we have learnt. NEVER EVER go on a hike with Dean and/or Obie as the leaders.

[AndrewFamily]

Lessons
Yes Tracy, that was definitely one of the lessons.

[RENanDREW]

So glad that ended well!
It shouldn't be a funny story, but it did make me laugh. Really wish you had photos :)

[AndrewFamily]

The story of our lives
There are so many times where I wish I had thought to pack a camera! And this is one of them. Also water, mozzie repellent, long socks, some food, even a map!!! Yes, it is funny now but I wasn't looking forward to spending the night in the forest. I am just thankful I didn't get to see a massive spider. That would have topped off the day really.

[tamandfamily]

oh bugger!
but funny stuff...locals getting lost so to speak :) You'll have to remember the satellite phone next time lol!

[AndrewFamily]

fun times
Next year I am going to walk it from the other side - wearing repellant, long pants and long socks! Maybe even take a bottle of water, a map and some snacks...I am still thankful that we didn't have to spend the night on the side of the mountain and then have to face a news crew once we walked out.

[Brad]

Burke and Wills
If Captain Cook had Worm and Obie's navigational skills, where would any of us be today? Can I attend their lesson about Burke and wills? Aborigines reckon they died of famine and dehydration in a candy shop but I think there just weren't enough orange markers