Tired just doesn’t do it. Absolutely exhausted comes close. Its actually now Saturday night, just touched down in Sydney before our flight back to UK tomorrow afternoon.
It was an early start this morning; I was at the Feed store for 6 getting a tractor driving lesson and then by 7 I had loaded a flatbed truck full of those 700kg round hay bales. For those farmers who still have livestock to rear this is critical as the grassland they would normally use is now scorched and brown. I then get along to the 8am Parks and Fire Department brief to understand what works are going on and where. As usual we get a warm reception and then swap ‘mission patches’ with some Canadian firefighters over here for 5 weeks. It is actually like a hollywood movie, but without the special effects. Tired and weary firefighters and park rangers in smoke, dirt and ash stained overalls, with tired and sun wrinkled faces. And takeaway coffee. But professional and purposeful.
We leave at 11, a 4½ hour drive to Melbourne for our flight to Sydney. I ride shot-gun, gratefully. It’s a chore to keep on top of the satnav and I’m fighting to stay awake and keep in the conversation to help pass the time for us both.