The Gateway Outside the Horn Island international airport (yes that's tongue in cheek) there are two huge fuel tanks. The type that you see on the back of petrol trucks. An old house falling down and a massive sign that warns " Don't ask here about fuel deliveries. Fine $400! No exceptions" It oozes "we don't ask questions here on Horn." and that is the theme which awaits us here.
What goes on tour, stays on tour. Sit down, shut up, hold on, and deny you saw anything.
I've arrived on this relatively large island of the Torres Strait. After an age the boyz had unpacked the plane, and we were able to collect our luggage, we boarded a bus that had lost a suspension airbag or spring on one side, and only had 2 gears...1st and 4th. We grinded, crunched and leaned, at times feeling like we were going to tip over into the accommodation.
A modest setting of besser brick and fibro, with a huge bar reminiscent of Tangalooma resort in the early 1990s. It is not hot, but definitely a far cry from the drizzly Toowoomba I left that morning. The air is thick with humidity, and the small airconditioner in my room is like a welcoming old nana with a big hug.
The room is nice. Old, but not any more run down than others I've stayed in... Oh did I mention that the air conditioner worked!!! We are informed that dinner is on at 6:30. And that chicken was on the menu. Chicken three ways!?! That sounds like some native fertility ritual. I wasn't sure exactly what chicken three ways was until I saw it simply meant drumsticks, wings and something you might call a nugget with some imagination. Accompanying chicken three ways was potatoes three ways (mash, chips&wedges) with gravy three ways (brown, brown with bits of onion, & brown with lumps) The desert cakes were yummy and by not thawing them out fully, one got a sense of what it might have been like if they had served it with ice cream.
There are a group of Telstra boys staying. Overnight and heading off to various islands in the group. They have been drinking at the bar ($8.50) cans of rum and cola, for 3 hours, and are getting a bit noisy. One of them asks me where I'm going in the morning, and when I reply Saibai island.... There is a awkward silence suffixed by a unanimous laughter. I'm feeling a little worried. That "going to the dentist" kind of worry! So it is now 5:27 am, I'm awake and getting organized to fly to the dentist (Saibai). I'll blog tonight after my official day 1.
No comments:
Post a Comment