Last day
Trip Start
Jul 03, 2007
1
8
Trip End
Jul 10, 2007
Lord Howe Island,
Australia
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
G:
I spent some time awake with a problem with my tummy - as bloody usual. I am not sure whether it had to do with the wine and beer I drank, or the stream water, or even the curry sausages. Anyway, whatever it was, I didn't feel too well and decided to skip breakfast.
M:
The muti I took last night did absolutely nothing and I still coughed and coughed. I was woken early by the distinctive squawk of a Woodhen - apparently standing under our cottage and yelling. Eventually I took pity and went out and threw bread for it. It's funny that we didn't see any for the first six days and now this one won't leave us alone!
G:
After we woke, we walked down to Ned's beach where we fed the fish with our remaining bread and the airline food we had removed from the plane a week ago - they didn't seem to mind
01 Early morning, Ned's beach
. We then walked the length of the beach in quiet farewell.M:
After some minimal housekeeping such as stripping the bed, we took all our left-overs down to the kingfish and had a last lovely stroll down the beach trying to get photos of waves breaking.
Back up to the cottage to shower and do a few more bits and pieces of packing and cleaning - just as well, really, as it turned out.
By 9:20, as instructed, we were out on the corner awaiting our tour bus. As I suspected, they had told us 9:20 so that we would actually be there when they arrived to collect us at 9:25 but of course I had chivvied Gray into being up at the corner before 9:20 and the six or seven minutes wait was enough to convince me I'd got the arrangement wrong. So I was quite pleased see the bus, which was about a 14-seater and very comfortable. The guide was called Rob or Rod (Gray says Rob) and was a fifth-generation islander and, like all islanders we've met, passionate about the island and about maintaining it in its current pristine state - and very proud of what they have achieved in that direction already. And very knowledgeable too.
I didn't think there was enough road on the island to occupy two and a half hours of driving about, even at 25 kph, but in fact we only got back to Ebbtide at about 12:50 so it was just as well we'd done the bits and pieces we had
02 Feeding frenzy
!G:
We were ready for Whitfield's tours who collected us from the top of the drive. The guide cum driver, Rob, was both knowledgeable and entertaining, so we had a great couple of hours seeing some of the places that we had already visited and getting the insider gen on some of the other bits. We learned that the generators use 17 000 litres of diesel every two weeks running WWII vintage engines and generators, and were shown the site near the airfield for the wind turbines that are causing some controversy, but should generate about 70% of the islands power. We drove through the tip which has a massive composter that processes all of the Island's organic waste. They are also starting to crush glass to use as aggregate for the roads. The remaining materials are either burned or compacted and shipped off the island at $300 per cubic metre. We drove past Capella Lodge which was acquired by the Dick Smith family for $4m, which by Sydney prices is a bargain. I believe it can cost up to $1000 per day to stay there. I think that is where Mike Hood stayed for his anniversary.
We found out that the captain of the British warship that hit Wolf Rock in broad daylight was cleared of all charges, but in the end his career was ruined anyway and he ended up running a news agency in Germany. Rob tells us that he was also the first mate of the Sheffield that was hit by an Exocet in the Falklands, so his life has not been easy.
M:
He took us all around and showed us all the things that us old island hands now know all about, such as Joy's and the Top Shop, but gave us a lot of history and background with them, which was very interesting. It was nice having access to a knowledgeable islander to be able to ask questions
03 Small fish in the shallows
. Mostly we knew the roads and places by now, but he also took us south of the airstrip to his boss' house up behind the golf course - almost at the end of the road - where there was a most beautiful long table made out of a slab of Norfolk Pine (which we now know is a dreadful weed on Lord Howe Island because it changes the pH of the soil and crowds out the native vegetation but they can't declare it a "noxious weed" or the Lord Howe Island Board - ie the local Council would be obliged to exterminate it immediately and of course there are just too many and the Board has too many other calls on its time and resources) at which we could all sit and have a cup of tea and a piece of very nice coconutty cake and a chat. There was a nice Canadian couple on teacher exchange, and a family from Robertson in the Southern Highlands with a slightly weird younger son - I think maybe a little "slow", and two older couples, one with a grand-daughter, not one of whom said a word all tour.G:
We then had tea on the veranda of one of the lovely old island houses, after which Rob gave us a demonstration of climbing a Kentia palm using a canvas strap between his feet.
I had a go, but really couldn't get the strap to jam. By this time we were running half an hour late, so were concerned with having enough time to pack.
04 Ned's Beach
M:After tea he took us as far south as the road goes - which of course we hadn't seen - and to show us how to climb a Kentia palm using a strap around your feet which is one of those things that looks remarkably easy and great fun until you actually try it yourself (Gray did, I didn't!) and make a complete ass of yourself. The last port of call was the "refuse recycling plant" (ie tip) which was almost one of the most interesting places and should be compulsory viewing for all new arrivals because it really brought home how difficult it is for a small and isolated community to deal with garbage - it costs $300 per cubic metre to ship it off the island so obviously whatever they can deal with themselves, they do. They have a very impressive composter for all food waste - and garden waste etc as well of course - and have recently started keeping their glass which they will buy a proper crusher for and then use to surface their roads and the runway - at present a huge expense. As Rob said, it'll give a whole new meaning to "one for the road!"
As I said, we were back at Ebbtide by 12:50 and were to be picked up at 1:20 so it was a bit rushed. But we were ready in loads of time and had 5 minutes to sit on our stoep with our packed bags and feel sad to be leaving. Julie took us to the airstrip where we and our hand-luggage and our big bags all had to be weighed - luckily the weigher just writes it down discretely and doesn't yell it out to the assembled crowds
05 Early morning
! Although he very gallantly told me I'd "lost a couple" and Gray that he had put them on!! He was the same bloke who waves the ping-pong bats at the taxiing planes and loads and unloads the baggage - and probably runs a B&B, a fishing charter and a Kentia nursery besides if he's typical of everyone else we've met here.G:
Of course, it only took five minutes, so we were waiting for Julie when she picked us up to take us to the airport. We were really sorry to leave, and sat watching the sheets of rain sweeping the runway while the poor guy was trying to load our luggage. However, as with all island weather, the sun was shining as we climbed aboard.
M:
Then an hour enjoying the most pleasant airport wait ever - sitting on a bench chatting to Julie (who was waiting for her next visitors) in the sun, and the rain, and the sun again, admiring the rainbow over the mountains, watching the plane land and staring enviously at the new arrivals who were all wearing silly Sydney clothes and didn't know how fortunate they were, and watching the airport official unloading and loading the plane - including the airmail and a plastic bag of Kentias! How civilized! And how sad to be going.
G:
The trip home was quiet with the only highlight being a circuit over Sydney as we lined up for the approach. I suppose it is good to at least come back to a beautiful city.
Stephen was waiting for us, which is a joy even though $50 seems pretty steep compared to about the same price for a boat trip around the island.
Sarah and Mike and the dog and cat were waiting for us as we got home. The house was a pigsty but otherwise everything was fine. Michael got our disease on Sunday, so was still feeling like shit. He and Sarah collected Thai, and then the poor boy was sent out to Coles twice at Sarah's whim!
I was tired and didn't want to start with the long business of going through my emails, so went to bed while Mandi showed Mike and Sarah our pictures.
