Human Soup

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DAY 239


I have been struggling to get out of bed for the past few mornings, I feel tired so just happy to be given a cup of tea and ease myself into the day, nonetheless I got up by 8.00 and as soon as I was up the new toaster was plugged in and before long Andy and I were tucking into a slice of toast, his with peanut butter and mine with a nice helping of Bovril (well, I cannot find any Marmite - the British version of Marmite that is!).

Miriam and Dave appeared, yesterday we agreed to help them out, they need to get the remainder of their belongings from their crashed Toyota Landcruiser, we also wanted to see if we had any chance of towing the Landcruiser away from its current location. So we arranged to meet at 10.00 once we have tidied away our breakfast things and showered.

In the meantime Miriam and Dave have to move their campsite from a powered site to an unpowered site, as usual they are cramming people in here, I see them both moving their belongings to a site a few metres away so we are going to be neighbours, the next thing I see is a tent walking past with two legs poking out from underneath, I think they decided not to collapse the tent, they just took the pegs out and walked it over to its new location.

We set off down the road and found the Landcruiser which was parked on a garage forecourt, right next to the Landcruiser Ute that they hit, we realise that it must have been quite a force as the towbar on the Ute is pointing down towards the ground and looking at Dave and Mirjams Landcruiser the roo bar is pushed back over the bonnet, it looks as if it will be a write off, and there is no chance of starting it so we just unload their personal affects into ours and leave the Landcruiser until they decide how to move it.

We drove down to Stokes Wharf for a look around, it is not very busy, yet it is the height of the season here, it is hot and the people that are around we find sitting in the shade drinking latte’s or eating icecream. So we all indulged in an icecream, there were so many different flavours to choose from but I had “Top End Banana” and “Coffee Chocolate Chip”, Andy had “Spicy Apple” with “Cookies and Cream. Mirjam just loves ice-cream with a real passion, well ok so does Andy, given half the chance both of them would be looking for opportunity to steal mine and Dave’s.

We enjoy our little venture out onto the Wharf, we then follow the coast road around to the World War II Quarantine Anti-Aircraft battery site, which is the only complete gun site of its type in the Darwin area. This significant design is unique to the Northern Territory, and were built in September 1942 and used to defend the South West section of Darwin Harbour and acted as back up for Berrimah Station.

We see a sign for the original site of the leprosarium, but it is all fenced off and looks as if the site is about to be developed into industrial units so we do not really know a lot about it.

Back at camp Dave and Miriam disappear to get themselves sorted out while Andy and I sit down to enjoy a well earned rest in the shade, I hear a noise in the trees by the side of me, just as I look up I see a little lizard drop out of the tree from the height of the fence (about a metre high), it seemed startled as it raised its long neck and ran like crazy in front of our trailer and into the lagoon of palm trees next to us, its little legs seemed not to touch the ground as it ran. Nothing was following it so I am not sure what startled it.

After lunch and a short rest, we grabbed our towels and a chair to go and sit by the swimming pool, we figured that it would be too busy to be able to get a sunbed and we were right so were quite glad that we took our chairs with us. We lounged by the pool for a while just watching and then decided to take the plunge, the water feeling slightly warmer than yesterday, it seems easy to glide into the refreshing water.

We swam and messed around for a while, it was busy in the water today, we got talking to a couple from Tasmania, they are out and about for 5 months and just planning when they will leave Darwin to head for the East coast, we spoke for ages, we started to look like prunes and were feeling a little cold, so Andy suggested that we get out of this “Human Soup” and go grab a cup of tea. I was game on for that so we wished each other luck on our journeys and got out of the pool.

Tonight we pop out for some dinner as we are going to the cinema to see the Boy in Striped Pyjamas. Andy has wanted to see this film for a while but somehow the opportunity to get to the movies has not presented itself easily, I think this will be the first time since we were in Narrabri in January.

The evening is once again quite humid, we don’t dress up to go out just wear the usual shorts and T-shirt with flip flops, there does not seem to be anyone around that has dressed up so we are not out of place.

It was great to watch the trailers for upcoming movies, we now have a long list of films that we want to see, and both agree that we should come to see a film next week too!

I won’t spoil the film details for anyone who has not see it yet, but it was excellent and very moving, you know when you get caught up in the story and can really feel the emotion and you sit there open mouthed at the ending and the credits roll with the emotional music and you leave the cinema really feeling that you were part of the film, familiar with that? Well it would have been great to experience that final emotion however as soon as the credits started to roll the screen went blank and loud pop music blared out.

I love pop music as much as the next person but there is a time and a place, by doing this they took the very soul of the film away. This was so unfair, apart from that we actually like to see the credits and know who the actors were, but it angered me that I was so caught up in the emotion of the film and had no opportunity to sit and digest the ending or indeed feel the mood that it had created. You don’t just pay for the movie you pay to be a part of it in the cinema and the mood and the emotions, that’s what film makers want, I am sure they do not want the mood to be changed by the cinema just because someone is in a hurry to go home.

There was no one around to complain to when we left, so a letter or a daytime visit to speak to a duty manager is in order, so for now we get back to camp and jump straight into bed.

I did not sleep very well, I think the film played on my mind for a while, and then every sound I heard managed to keep me awake, probably only the possums crashing around outside, but eventually I nodded off, Andy as usual had no problem and was herding the pigs in!

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Photos

Damaged Cruiser
Dave and Mirjam's damaged Land cruiser

The Culprit
This is the Ute they ran in to

Missed Picture
This is a picture we missed putting in when, Richard, Dave and Mirjam came over for curry

Aboriginal Art
On a fuel storage tank

Old Site
East Arm Leprosarium

Old Implacement
Once where Anti Aircraft guns defended the skys

Comments

[Helen Sheridan]

Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
I am glad to hear you enjoyed the film, I have recently read the book and cried floods of tears so wasn't too keen on the movie. However now I think I would like to see it without the loud pop music at the end. Love Helen

[kangaroojack]

Boy in the striped Pyjamas
Hi Helen, Oh do go and see it, it was fantastic, we both loved the film, it was subtley gripping, without being to violent. I might give the book ago. Hope you and Robert are well, along with the gang of 6, and the chooks, how's is the farm, anymore rain yet. Our love. Andy & Caroline