English is a curious language. Often there are two or more words that sound the same but are spelt differently and mean different things. Sometimes a word can have two or more meanings, even with the same spelling. At Purnululu National Park in Western Australia (previously The Bungle Bungles), we woke at 6am after what used to be called a three dog night (the dogs get on the bed to keep you warm). We rugged…
When I started this weekly essay three months ago, I was aware that from late June it would tend to have the flavour of a travelogue, given that we were about to set off on a three-month expedition across remote parts of this magnificent land. Now at the half-way point, coming to the end of a three-day stop at a bush camp in Karajini National Park, I’m doing it the old-fashioned way: who, what, where,…
So I’m standing in front of a smeary mirror in an outback caravan park washroom having a shave when this old bloke walks in. “Owya goin? “Great thanks,” (continue shaving while Old Bloke goes into a cubicle nearby). “Whereyaheadin?” says the voice from behind the door (rustling of clothing and clang of belt buckle as pants hit floor). “Goin’ to Katherine then headin’ west to Broome,” I say, going with the flow of outback caravan…
I was sitting outside a remote Northern Territory roadhouse in the sun, enjoying a Mars bar, musing on the whys and wherefores of life when I was somewhat startled by the appearance of a troupe of US Marines. I know we’ve been out of touch for a while, but surely this was a ‘friendly’ force… They had stopped off at the Victoria River Roadhouse to buy snack food, use the latrines, saying y’all and howdy…