As planned, I awoke yesterday morning to find myself alone in Bob and Colleen's house - Bob was up and departed to Sydney to deposit the van and meet up with Colleen to drive back. If you consider that I am a complete stranger who they only met two days before, this expression of trust is immeasurable, and extremely humbling. Bob left me with another large box of papers, cuttings, photographs and documents to sift through - more treasure! So, again marvelling at the isolation and quiet (notwithstanding the ever-present chorus of exotic bird calls), I began my exploration, unearthing yet more written and photographic evidence of a life spent on four fast wheels.
And so I sat, reading and copying, copying and reading, until suddenly it was 11.30am and I spied Colleen's car winding up the track from the road. Colleen busied in the kitchen while Bob and I resumed our positions and continued talking. Bob began to talk about John Dawson-Damer, a British man who back in the day had approached him to build a rally car in the early 1970s, and once built had then asked him to drive it while he navigated. As he recalled this event and subsequent adventures, he began to weep a little to remember someone who had become a good friend and who had been killed doing what he loved - his friend, this 'pom', had died racing a car at the Goodwood circuit in England thirteen years ago. I realise yet again how emotional it has been for Bob to look back at his life and be reminded of so many friends and colleagues now passed away.
Preparing to take my leave, Colleen disappears for a moment and returns carrying a glass with a piece of paper held over the top. As I have remarked that is has been a thrill to see so much Australian wild - life in natural habitat, to top it all she shows me what she has caught in the glass. A red-back spider. Small, grey-black, no bigger than an average autumn garden spider in Britain, it has a startling red mark on its back. Related to the black widow spider, it also has a bite that will put you in hospital. I have to confess I was thrilled - I have never seen this infamous Aussie arachnid before, and while I would have been more than a little overwrought had it escaped, I was quite fascinated. Apparently they like to hang around pot-plants... and to think Australians love their gardening!
I felt hugely grateful and very sad to bid them farewell. This ordinary/extraordinary man, chuckling as I confessed to being nervous of driving him the evening before (of course he knew this), and telling me to keep in touch, a hand up in salute as I reversed the car and drove back down the bumpy track to the main road. I shall treasure the time spent with Bob Holden for many years to come.
The five hour drive back passed without incident, the roads pretty clear until I got to Sydney and then the 30-odd mile climb up the mountain to Katoomba. Bags dumped, I settle down at the kitchen table with glass of wine and catch up on the few days' events with Al while Marcus magics up a fabulous dinner of steak with mushrooms in red-wine. With a little more glee than I think is really necessary, they recount how the day before, as it had rained very heavily, they had managed to stop the progress of a 'small' funnel web as it scuttled down the hall towards the warmth of the fire. My obvious anxiety prompted great mirth - "so what should one do if one encounters said beastie in the house?" I politely enquire. "Apart from scream?" comes the reply. "Ah, kill it with a shoe mate"
I swear even the dog was laughing by this stage!
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