FRIDAY 29 JULY     PUNGALINA

We worked 6.30am to 10pm.

O arrived back during the morning with the supplies from the truck, so I had that to sort and put away.

It was also mail plane morning. Suspected it would be some time before I would get to read last weekend’s Australian, which came on the plane, as usual.

We were expecting a couple in today, coming in their own plane, for five nights. They had visited here last year, too, so this was a return visit. I finalized a tent for them.

Did the men’s breakfast. Like yesterday, they did not require a cooked component, so it was relatively easy. I sent them off with biscuits and cake for smoko.

Marinated chunks of roasting beef for tonight.

The expected couple arrived, were met by John and brought to camp, settled in, and joined the survey men for lunch.

Lunch prep involved me making roti breads, boiling and mashing eggs to make a curried egg spread, mashing tuna for a spread, mashing cream cheese, chopped ham and pineapple together for a spread.  I served the roti  with these and the cannellini bean spread made yesterday. Made a green salad to go with this. I warmed up leftover Apple Danish and served slices of that, with the ginger cake made yesterday, and fruit, as afters.

I was hoping that the cakes I’d made fresh, together with a reserve of sultana cake, and zucchini cake, in the freezer, would see me through this period.

We sat down with the couple and worked out their program for their time here. They had some very clear ideas, due to their previous time here. She had some health issues and had brought her own supply of water, which I had to keep chilled and separate just for her. I felt some sympathy for her – not easy to be touring remote places, with unknown water quality, with such issues.

They would just relax at camp for the rest of today. Tomorrow they would be taken to the wetlands, Fern Springs and that area, with lunch out. Sunday would be down to Bathtub Springs, Bluff Waterhole and those parts, again with lunch out. I did like lunch out days – much easier! Monday they would explore some caves, Bubbling Sands and Croc Hole, have lunch in and nibbles on the Escarpment for the sunset. Tuesday would be either the Lower Calvert or Hot Dog Creek – lunch out again. O was going to be busy over that period, being the guide!

Preparing the evening meal kept me busy through the afternoon.

The nibbles I prepared for tonight were salted peanuts, eggplant, semi dried tomatoes, olives, salami rollups.

Dinner – at 7pm – was the usual roast beef meal with all the trimmings, followed by an Apricot Cream dessert. Coffee was served with Pocos.

The survey men headed off to bed early, but now the couple was here, O – and ourselves – must stick around till the couple was ready for bed. The man was content to sit round the fire and talk – for ages. Talkative type. I hoped he might be more tired on future nights and turn in earlier!