Day 1 - Sunday October 2. After the night at the campsite, and before leaving Borroloola, I had a real feeling that I could break down: I stocked up on water and above all I bought succulent oranges to supplement my food supply.
I set off on these outback tracks which are neither good nor particularly bad, but on which there are very few vehicles. After 190 kilometres, at around 3:00 p.m., “clack” my clutch broke!
Obviously, I'm out of a phone coverage area and too confident in myself, in my lucky stars, in my Land Roamer and being an outstanding procrastinator, before leaving Katherine, I didn't take the time to update the subscription for my "InReach" satellite communication tool. I am therefore without means of communication 190 kilometers from Borroloola and 134 km from the next Roadhouse which has Internet.
Luckily, 30 minutes after this, a Land Cruiser pick-up stopped, I gave Bob (an 85-year-old Australian!) a handwritten note that he should drop off at "Hells Gate Roadhouse" (134 kilometres away) asking to have a recovery flatbed truck sent. I have water, food, no worries on that side.
While I'm waiting for the tow truck (I'm not sure where it's coming from, at best it could arrive tomorrow, or the day after…) I take the time to start writing this story and sorting out the pictures of my tip in Australia, to get them ready to go on my blog.
I'm in an area where there are cows, so lots of flies! The maximum temperature will reach 38°C, very light cloud cover and a semblance of a breeze. On this lonesome secondary track, 3 vehicles will pass from 3 p.m. until nightfall.
Day 2 – Monday October 3rd. To reassure Denise, I give Nevin, who is passing in a car in the direction of Borroloola, a handwritten message, asking him to send by SMS an update about what is happening to me.
Most vehicles stop to ask for news, to see if I need water or something, but NOT all of them, I am surprised and disappointed at the lack of solidarity between motorized travellers in the middle of the bush!!! For this first day, I am not surprised that the tow truck hasn't arrived yet, as it takes time to organize their departures and they are quite far from where I am.
Day 3 – Tuesday October 4th. Yo-yo day. Around noon, a car coming from the direction of Hells Gate tells me that help is coming, my morale goes up a notch. But it takes a big hit when around 4:00 p.m., Steven in another vehicle also coming from Hells Gate clearly tells me that "no", the Hells Gate staff can't do anything, because they are on the other side of the State borders, I'm still in the Northern Territory, Hells Gate is in Queensland! It is up to the Northern Territory Police forces to organize my rescue! Steven tells me that he will do his best to help me in one way or another. I hit a “low”, it rarely happens to me, as I feel that I'm going to be stuck on this track for several more days...
At 9:30 p.m., a car arrives, as it approaches, I see police flashing lights! Officers Steve and Emily received the message that there was someone stuck on the road, they came to investigate and bring me water. They tell me that it is their prerogative to organize a tow truck; they take my credit card details for the tow truck owner… Hats off to the Borroloola police forces who made a round trip of 400 km of tracks to investigate my case! My morale goes up and I fall asleep serene, although realizing that I risk staying another 2 days on this track… 10 vehicles will pass during the day, 11 with the Police.
Day 4 – Wednesday October 5th. It rained during the night, it is 27°C this morning and there is a heavy cloud cover which prevents my solar panel from delivering enough Amps for my refrigerator and for my laptop, I run the Roamer’s motor for 25 minutes to recharge my auxiliary batteries. Calm day, given the isolated place where I am, I do not expect to see the tow truck arriving today...
Around 11:00, Steve, with whom I had shared a beer at the Borroloola campsite, passes with his Land Cruiser and his dog ; he offers me a cold beer which is much appreciated and we chat for a while!
At 3:00 pm, Cameron, a biker in a Suzuki 650 stops, we talk about my trip to Asia, it motivates him to leave Australia on a motorcycle and go on a long journey. I give him a reminder note to the Borroloola Police.
At 4:30 p.m., a van with the farmer from a not too far away “station” (breeding station) stops, he gives me the confirmation message that a breakdown truck is supposed to arrive tomorrow! At 4:45 p.m., Nick, a worker from the same station, passes in front of me with a grader towing his Land Cruiser, he stops and explains to me that he is mainly improving the private tracks of the Station. - 10 vehicles will pass during the day.
Day 6 - Friday, 7 October. As I have my morning coffee, I tell myself that I might have to wait until mid-day for the flatbed truck to arrive. At 8.30am, the flatbed truck arrives! Great!!!
We load my vehicle without any problem, and we take the road back towards Borroloola which we reach at 1pm. The breakdown company had not been able to come the day before because it was busy recovering another broken down vehicle. So as not to delay picking me up, Mark the truck driver had left Borroloola at 4am! We unloaded my Roamer in the Caravan Park where I had already spent a night, I gave Mark a good "tip" to thank him for having left so early in the morning and here I am back in this small insignificant town.
Borroloola is an insignificant town, and the campsite is not very good: lots of flies during the day and lots of mosquitoes at night! In the evening we must put all our belongings back into the vehicle because thieves come to raid the campsite. It's the Wild West!
Tuesday 11th October. At 7:30 am I take a bus for a very long day on the road, it will take me 13h30 hours to reach Darwin, a 972 km trip.
