Day one
Customs appears to have lost most of my personal luggage once again. As it may turn out to be 'celebrity' souvenir hunters, as has happened in the past, I must ask Ray to keep his eye out on E-bay for my red and white Hawaiian shirt, I am quite fond of it.
A baggage handler's strike has fouled up the equipment's arrival too, but I am sure the spells and other magical paraphernalia Ray has armed me with will do the job satisfactorily.
Well, here I am all packed up for my journey. Uh, can I still change my mind? Guys?
I do feel somewhat under dressed without my meter, but this is a prime time to show Peter that I do not in fact need it. It is not, as he puts it, a crutch. I am perfectly capable of handling a disgruntled water-spirit on my own, meter or no meter.
It is a great shame that Ray and the others couldn't be here, but as their legs still have a tendency to writhe like those of an octopus I suppose doctor Turnbull's decision to make them stay at home was for the best.
*****
My journey up the West Australian coast began today by four-wheel drive from Geraldton, as a passenger with the family group that I shall be travelling with via boat later on.
There are six in the group all told and they are very excited. There is the
Eldest Daughter and her boyfriend, her Younger Sister and her husband, their Mother (Nanny), and the eldest daughters daughter (Granddaughter).The boat belongs to the
Eldest Daughter and is named after her - The Lady Christine. She has purchased matching caps and jackets with the words 'Lady Christine's Castaways' embroidered upon them, along with the individual family member's name.
The vehicle for our initial transport arrives. All seven of us are to travel for days and days in it. Oh good.
The labelling of the hats has lead to some confusion as the elderly
Nanny mistook the word on the front of my own cap to be 'my' name and I have been addressed as 'Dude' since I met them. I shall have something to say to Peter about modernising my wardrobe without notification when I get home...On my travels today I have seen - Diamond doves, a pink and grey Galah, Pacific Black ducks, Silverguls, '28's (a green bodied parrot), Willy Wagtails, Yellow Throated Miners and Singing Honey Eaters.
Other choices for the group name were -
Five for Fishing, Two for Fun (or Bingo!)
Ship of Fools.
Seven Leagues Down.
Choosing to go Cruising.
Land Lubbers Holiday.
Kinky Crew.
Seven Swish Fish Slingers.
Sunset Chasers.
Fish Fighters Down at the OK Corral.
Blowfish Botherer's.
Seven Suave Fish Slingers.
Seven Speedy Sailors.
Wavedancing Fools.
