Woke this morning after 11 hours of sleep feeling a little better, but slightly sick to my stomach. I couldn't each much of the massive breakfast served up at the roadhouse- pity it was tasty too!
As I was looking for a place to hang my tent out to dry, I spied a clothes line. I asked the laundry lady if it was ok to use it, and she gave me permission.
We struck up a conversation and she told me about her life growing up in an outback cattle station. Her name is Gwen Banneman, and she's a mere 68 years young. Gwen has led a fascinating life right out of a novel. She told me about how they'd communicate with other stations via the "wireless", and how the girls would get all dolled up to go meet Tom Cruise the pilot who'd bring them the mail once every "fortnight". She also told of using the "drop toilet" and having her education mostly by correspondence... it was quite a wonderful chat!!
I'm sitting now at the Woomera school library. Woomera is an old cold-war era military base where they did rocket experiments. Today its well-kept but mostly empty... one gets a sort of eery feeling riding through the streets; almost post apocolyptic. Gwen mentioned that there is a group of Japanese here now that set off a rocket and are waiting for it to return on Sunday somewhere north of Glendambo... right about where we may be! She also mentioned that they may close down sections of the Stuart highway until it lands.
There are few photos in this post because it's forbidden to take photos, or so I'm told... of course I just had too!
