An Outback Escapade

The repetitive sound of my 05:00am alarm rang wild in my aching body. It was our last day of three months of zucchini picking on a farm in North Queensland, Australia. Moans of fellow work colleagues now considered family, crashed out of bed and welcomed each other into another day. We knew each other’s morning rituals and routines and stayed away from those who only became themselves after breakfast.

We had plotted every night over a few beers of our escape, from what we considered the worst place on earth, and a road trip none of us would ever forget. We had bought ourselves a Toyota station wagon from the money we had saved from working and finally the day had arrived. We had promised work colleagues to see each other again on this trip or the next, picked up our final paycheck and stretched out the aches and pains.

Dennis, Lisa and I found our stride. We picked up a new road map to add to our travel necessities as the view of zucchini crops and sad faces disappeared behind us and embellished into our memories forever. As far as we knew we were a well prepared oil machine of travelers ready to tackle any obstacle an Australian road trip might throw our way.

Determined to get to our next destination on day four, Dennis was behind the wheel, focused and in control. We had been told not to drive on the roads at dusk or dawn for safety reasons but we made the rules and there was nothing stopping us getting to Leeton, only 50km away.

Wildlife slowly introduced themselves as dusk was fading into darkness. Our headlights caught there gleaming hunting eyes while they fed on the side of the road and watched us fly by. Lisa sat up, grabbed onto Dennis’s arm and took a deep breath as we collided with two large male kangaroos. The impact spun us out of control and into a dried river bed. The car was overheating and there was not a soul for 50km.

I had crawled out with a small scratch on my forehead, Dennis was conscious and Lisa was in tears. I flagged down the next harvest truck and hitched to Leeton, 50km away. Dust came out from under my feet as the driver dropped me off outside the Hotel Pub, wished me luck and went on his way.

"How you going mate?" were the first words I heard before I had even opened my mouth. He ordered two beers and pulled up a stool for me.

"How did you end up in Leeton mate?," he asked.

I washed off the blood from my face and began to tell him my story.