March, 12th

Norseman

Our "helper of the day" is called Richard and used to work in the Goldmines at Norseman. Nowadays he has his own little construction-business. He appeared soon after we landed on the saltlake-runway of this remote miners village. He loaded us and our luggage on his pick-up and drove us to the next Backpacker-Hotel. Then he introduced us to the lady at the tourist office, who happens to be a writer for the local newspaper as well, went on to show us the swimming pool and promised to pick us up early tomorrow morning to bring us back to the airfield with our tank canisters filled. This time we had disassembled the wings and had laid them flat on the ground because I had been worried sick the night before. I could hear the winds blowing around our hut and I could almost see before my eyes how the wind would ripp off the planes and blow them through the field. Horrible nightmares that I didn't intend to go through with again. When we arrived at the airfield the next morning around 6:30 AM I was happy to find the planes right where we had left them. Our preparations went quickly, take-off went smooth despite the winds that had picked up again. The clouds zoomed across the landscape at a height of 150 meters and our satellite navigation equipment indicated our speed over ground as 50 to 60 kilometers per hour only. No chance to make it to our set goal at Salmon Gums. Last night we had been told about a farmstrip near Cascade. Just a stony runway with sheeps on it that we had to scare away first before we could land. 400 meters away was a farmhouse with a grumpy lady who didn't know anything and didn't want to know either. "I am the caretaker". Finally we convinced her to call the owners and she came back with the information that there was a big fueltank in the back. With no canisters available I had to carry the fuel in water buckets while Gisela tried to keep the trikes from getting blown away. With full tanks we proceeded towards Salmon Gums. Although winds were blowing at about 20 knots straight from the front we calculated in the air that we should be able to make it to Norseman. A huge forest area forced us to make a small circle in order to fly along the main road in northern direction. The fields grew scarcer and below us we could see buschland (e.g. wilderness with a few shrubs and some trees). Half an hour later the first saltlakes appeared - bright white spots on the dark surface. In the distance you saw a hill. There somewhere had to be our destination, yet all that seemed to be there were trees and salt lakes. We flew exactly over the road and were passed by by roadtrains a couple of times. Roadtrains are trucks with two trailers that travel through the wilderness here. After two hours of flying we finally reach Norseman - but can't make out the airfield. No spotting of the two runways we were promised. Finally we see something inside a saltlake near the city that looks a bit like a runway. It proves to be clean and smooth. We taxi to an area on the side and lash our planes first. Then appears Richard - whom I mentioned earlier - and takes care of us. Now we are relaxing in the local swimming pool (50 meter lanes, icecold water) and we are a little exhausted and ready to be pampered.

On a different subject: The further we travel into the wilderness, the rarer are our opportunities to send e-mail messages. Therefore there will be some delays. When we do get a chance to send e-mails, we also check our website and we particularly enjoy the entries to the guestbook. They are a good prove that people thought of us and that they participate in our "Crossing down under"-adventure. Thanks for the encouragement!