The Adventures of Cyril Betsy and Lilly

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DAY 420


The sun was bright and shining directly into the tent, I could not hear movement from Jason and Kristy’s tent, but I was getting warm and thirsty so got out of bed, I could not put the kettle on as we found yesterday that it was broken so I filled a billy with some water and put that on the gas ring instead.

It was not long before Andy appeared, closely followed by Kristy and then Jason. We sat in the shade from the trailer tent, it was already a hot morning and it was still only 8.00, it is New Years Day, it is hot, we have a fabulous view, now what could make it better, except Pancakes and bacon for breakfast!

I soon had breakfast well underway, we ate bacon and pancakes with a helping of barbecue sauce or maple syrup, and then I had to use up the rest of the pancake mix, so I just kept turning out pancakes until all of the mix had gone.

Nancy turned up during breakfast, she wanted to check that we were ok and enjoying our lovely surroundings, we offered her some pancake and bacon, but she said not as she was heading back home to bed. Explaining that she kept the pub open until 2.00am and then cleaned the pub, checked on some stock, went into Wagga to check on some other stuff and finally wanted to get to her bed, mentioning that one of her house guests had got up this morning, had two glasses of wine and went straight back to bed again, Nancy said that she probably wouldn’t see anyone until well into the afternoon.

After Kristy and I washed up the breakfast things, the only decent thing left to do was to go for a swim, Jason had already headed out into the river, he swam across the channel to an island in the middle. Andy got the compressor out (the one that we use to blow up the tyres after being off road) and we blew up some floaties, yes floaties! Two lilo’s and a crocodile who very quickly got named, Cyril the Crocodile, Betsy the Bed and Lilly the Lilo. Andy was in next battling with Cyril the crocodile in the warm waters of the Murrumbidgee River, followed by Kristy and then a little bit delayed but I did finally get in.

I was not worried about the water temperature, it makes a change for me as I hate cold water and this does feel cool to start with but it is warm once you get in, I was only concerned as the water is quite murky and you cannot see the bottom, there is a current that runs down the middle of the river and I was not sure how deep the river was, but I was soon out there enjoying the water and headed right over to the island in the middle where the others were on a sandbank.

Well ok, that sounds good but the truth was that Jason swam over and grabbed the lilo (Lilly) that I was hanging onto and I found myself propelling through the water to the other side.

Jason told me that there was gold on the island, I did not believe him but I think it was his way of making sure that I got over there, it was true though, there is gold on there, but it looks like fools gold or something, it washed away too easily, I was going to get my gold pan and start panning but I thought that might look desperate.

We spent a while in the water messing around, Andy “Dundee” is now a fully fledged crocodile hunter as he fought for control over Cyril. Kristy and I bobbed around with Lilly and Betsy.

It turns out that we were in there for a good two hours, it was not until we were sat in the shade of Jason’s awning eating lunch that we realised just how long it was and looking at each other realised that there were a few burnt patches of skin.

By now it is a really hot day, the afternoon just gets hotter and one by one everyone disappears for a nanna nap, I try and type some of the blog but it is too hot so I grab my book (now reading Sara Henderson - The Strength in Us All) and head for the trailer and a lie down out of the sun.

It is sweltering inside the tent, and only improved by an occasional cool breeze that comes through the exposed mosquito netting. I suddenly found my eyes getting quite heavy so I closed them briefly, a while later I realised that I was so tired that I could not possibly read, so just closed my book and put it to one side, I looked over at Andy, he was fast asleep but the sweat just rolled down his back and the sleeping bag where he was lying was soaking wet.

I actually went to sleep, but awoke feeling refreshed so carried on reading, there was not a single sound outside, no one stirred for a long while, it was just too hot to do anything.

Eventually I see Kristy and Jason go and get in the river to cool down, I get up and start to tidy a few things up, but we soon all sit around chatting, it is turning out to be a really easy day, I think we had hoped to do a little bit more but the heat just prevented any interest.

Jason and Kristy popped back over to Merriville to feed the chickens and dogs, I edited the blog that Andy had finished, then when Jason and Kristy got back we got down to cooking some dinner.

The generator was started up again we had 3 bright halogen lamps blazing so no problems with being in the dark, the barbecue did an excellent job again so with satisfied tummies we sat around chatting.

A couple of friends of Jason’s joined us during the evening they both live in Wagga, but Michael tells me that he came from England with his parents when he was 18 months old, more than anything he would like to go to England to see snow, his parents used to live in, Buckinghamshire and have told him stories of how the snow was so deep it would be as high as the hedges. I am not entirely sure how often the snow is like that in England now, but then we have missed the last two snowfalls in England so perhaps it was as high as the hedges.

Local tales were recounted by the light of the halogen, I cannot say by the light of the campfire, which although sounds far better, we are on a total fire ban at the moment so it would be impossible.

Eventually we could not keep our eyes open any longer, it was already midnight and so we headed off to bed, not long after everyone else dispersed, the lights went out and silence reigned over this blissful and now moonlit scene.

Our first day of 2010 is now over.

Until tomorrow.

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Photos

Alpaca
One of Nancy's Residents

Our Pitch
On the Murrumbidgee River

Andy with Cyril
The Crocodile