Hello
from Australia. We've been here for
almost two weeks now and although no
sign of camels yet, there has been a
lot to keep us busy, from meeting with
potential sponsors to talking with technical
people about getting our satellite phone
up and running.
We arrived
in Australia on Monday the 6th at 0600
and by 0900 were on the phone letting
people know we were here. Here by the
way is Mt. Barker with Patrick and Sandra
Torrens, relations of Ben, oh and not
forgetting James an active eight year
old, who doesn't like being tickled
much.
Since then:
our camels havenít been transported
from Alice Springs to Mannum; we've
not got the use of the University car
that we had last time; we've had a bit
of a problem convincing people to become
fully committed with the documentary;
and weíve had a fair few meetings
that have gone absolutely nowhere.
But on the
bright side the camels look highly likely
to be with us by the weekend and so
we can begin the job of breaking them
in. Part of this process involves feeding
them by hand, hum. Weíve managed
to get a good deal with a local taxi
company to get us back and forth from
Mannum, where our camels are to be stationed,
well, when theyíre not making
a run for it. Also Patrick and Sandra
have really helped and besides there's
always the bus.
Although
there may be some convincing to do with
the doco (documentary! ed.) we are working
hard on it and if the worst comes to
the worst, well we film the thing ourselves
and sell the footage afterwards. As
for meetings that don't go anywhere,
we've had lots of them and will probably
have lots more, but every so often you
meet somebody that really understands
what we are trying to do and wants to
help.
Trying to
be positive with the satellite phone,
well that's more difficult. But at least
you haven't got Ben writing this time
when you would undoubtedly be subjected
to a five page rant on his manly struggle
with the problem of trying to get the
computer to send e-mails via the sat
phone. You were lucky there, then!
We're pleased
to tell you that Sam our support driver
has now arrived in Sydney and after
his celebrity bit and a few weeks off,
he'll be joining us for the final preparations.
He will be our main support making sure
that any supplies reach us and also
shipping around the camera crew WHEN
they come on board.
Anyway that's
it for now. We're off to have one or
two final barbecues before heading off
to train our camels - or is that before
our camels train us? We'll be in touch
again soon, with better news and stories
of our valiant duels with three wild
camels.
Ben |
