Return to civilisation

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I was up later than normal today, having stayed up late with Lee last night setting the world to rights. As soon as I had poked my head through the tent door I could see that Keith and Lee had already set about packing things up and loading the trailer. Keen to help I packed my bags, rolled up my sleeping bag and threw my things into the back of Lee's truck. Folding up and trying to stack the various bits of equipment as neatly as we had done when leaving home was a tall order. I wondered why it was that nothing, no matter what your doing, ever fits as well as it does when you do the return journey. None the less we soldiered on under Keiths instruction until it was time to stop for breakfast.

We wolfed down the last of the bacon and eggs with what was left of the bread before getting stuck into it once again. Although it had been luxury compared to most of the camping trips I'd done back in the UK, the vast amount of equipment that we had made it more like a military operation to clean up from rather than a camping trip. With most of the cooking utensils and camping extras packed it was time to start on the tents. Mine was by far the easiest to pack and was done first. Lee and Carmen's tent was a little more taxing as it was covered by a huge tarpaulin that the boys had put up on their recon trip the week before. Lee and I started with the tent itself, carefully unhooking it from the support poles and working our way back. Our progress stopped abruptly however, when Lee discovered a huge Huntsman spider sat on the inside of the liner and refused to help anymore - leaving me to finish the job on my own. Both Kemton and Keith found this highly amusing and needless to say, it prompted another bout of pomey jibes which Lee took on the chin, pointing out that we can't all be 'Bear bloody Ghrylls'.

We were finally done and driving back along the beach by 1pm having said goodbye to everyone who was staying for an extra day or so. I had forgotten just how long the trip up the beach had been on our arrival and it seemed to go on forever! There was nothing but ocean lined beach as far as the eye could see with wispy clouds hanging overhead breaking up the brilliant blue sky. Once off the beach the winding track through the thick bush lead us back to the ferry, where a queue had started to form. We waited patiently in line for ages whilst Lee and Keith used the time to re-inflating the tyres on the two cars. We didn't clear the other side of the ferry until just after 3pm. The long drive ahead of us back to Loganholme didn't fill me with joy, but luckily my trusty fall asleep in the car mechanism kicked in and I had soon drifted off in the back of the car.

Four hours later we arrived back at Tansey Drive and began to unpack everything. Sleeping bags were stored, plastic tubs of cooking utensils washed and stored and laundry heaped upon the floor. It had been a phenomenal week, full of memories and tales that would remain would no doubt be bought up again and again. With everything cleaned and put away it was time to feed the troops and what better than Dominos pizza. It tasted very different to Dominos that I had enjoyed back home, with a thinned crust and base - no doubt a healthier Australian alternative! After a shower and shave I felt much less feral and most definitely ready for bed after what had been an extremely full on day.

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