TUESDAY 6 FEBRUARY     RV2

The unrelenting heat – high 40’s – just went on and on.

The shingles rash had spread around half of John’s torso – which was, apparently, typical. He did not feel too good. He took the bus to Hedland to do some purchasing and send off the documents, files stored on thumb drives and other essential records, to HO. Then he met the midday plane and took some subbies to RV1 to work on the new dongas there. Then he came back here.

Two of our men set off AGAIN in the morning to install the Telstra hut at Hope Downs. This time they hoped to actually get there – but still without a spare tyre. This time, the venture went as planned.

K had intended to leave some time in the morning, to drive to Broome, to overnight there and catch his plane in the morning. But he could not leave until the Landcruiser got back from Hope Downs. By the time that happened, it would be too late when he got to Hedland, to get his spare tyres fixed. Of course, it had not occurred to him to send them in with John – either today or last week. Typical. So he would be driving to Broome with no spare, and mostly in the dark. Would serve him right if he got a flat!

This was our last night here.