Australia Book Preview


At the terminal we are informed that the River Tully has gone under and I must admit that I had a feint feeling of satisfaction (rightly, or wrongly) as the desk-clerk informs me that all schedules to Cairns are now cancelled. Also, the road coming up from Brisbane is apparently getting worse by the minute and is expected to close within the hour. Ian, our driver for today, seems to be a nice chap and I am sure that he is trying his best to be positive as we leave the terminal, but he is spending so much time talking on his radio, that he does not have the inclination to socialise with any of us. Having managed to collar the front seats once again, I lean over every time I hear a call coming through, to try and eves-drop on his conversation, but more often than not, I wished that I hadn't! It is nothing but doom and gloom, as more floods are being announced all over the north-eastern part of Australia.


Creeks are being washed away, bridges are going under-water, more storms and cyclones are moving in and people are being stranded everywhere! Greyhound schedules are going down by the minute, like soldiers on a battlefield, with no hope of winning and Ian has told me that we are one of the very few remaining buses which are still on the move! The raindrops are pounding-away on the roof and the constant bombardment sounds like there are a thousand birds pecking away, trying to get through the ceiling, as we make our way ever so slowly out of Townsville and onto the main highway. A sunroof at the back of the bus suddenly springs a leak and the water begins dripping into the aisle, soaking the carpet, but Ian is more concerned about the ford we are about to cross, which is already at the top of his wheels and increasing in depth by the second. He dare not drive too fast for fear of causing a huge spray of water, which could inevitably soak through to the engine and cause it to cut-out! Even worse, it could dampen the spark plugs, making it very difficult to re-start the engine and then we would end up being the next 'casualties of war!'



To top all of this, our television set is on the blink and keeps going on and off intermittently, so no matter how much we try to follow the film 'Pride and prejudice', we are on a loser from the start! The first few hours roll by and we are still driving relatively slowly because of the inclement weather. Ian's windscreen wipers have already earned their keep for the year and I think that Sally and I have seen more rain in one morning here, than we have in Tenerife over the past decade! The TV has finally packed in completely, long before the end of the first film and Ian has now informed us that there will be no more movies on this journey today. When the outlook from your window is bleak and all the beautiful landscapes you were looking forward to seeing have either been washed away, or are under at least three feet of water, life can become very boring unless you can find something to occupy your mind?


Noon appears and we have been travelling inland for almost five hours, but still there is no let up of the rain which is pouring down above our heads, as we run for cover to the roadside restaurant, to enjoy our first meal break of the day. Unfortunately, our break is short-lived, as Ian informs us that the storm is literally chasing us along the highway and that we need to get out of its clutches and onto dry roads as soon as possible. Carrying most of our 'brunch' back onto the bus, we proceed to devour it in front of Ian, whom we know has a lot more on his mind than worrying about a few crumbs being left on his floor. He has already told us that he has to get back to Townsville tomorrow night, as his wife is alone in the house and there is a good chance of the flood-waters reaching his place by that time if it continues flowing at the current rate?


"It will get my neighbours place before mine though", he adds confidently - as if that will somehow compensate his fears of losing his own place - and maybe his missus too? (I am sure that we must have read his statement wrongly somewhere - or perhaps he was just trying to make light of a sticky situation?) By two o'clock the rains eventually subside and even the sun is doing its uttermost to break through the thick clouds, as several glorified streams of light manage to blast their way down to the earth, even if only for a few split-seconds, before being swallowed once again by the mist. The ford we crossed at the start of the journey is now nearly two metres deep, according to one of Ian's fellow drivers, so there will be no more buses going either way until the rain eases up - "which it shows no signs of doing", Ian's mate adds, no doubt increasing the poor guys panic. More roads have been closed south of Townsville and as for the drivers heading due east along this road, well lord knows where they are going to end up tonight?