Up, up and away

Time to leave. I finish cleaning house and wash the sheets and towels and leave them to hang. There's no proper cleaner so you have to do it before you go.
After that I go to the clinic and add something I forgot to some patient notes I did yesterday, drop off my excess food so someone else can have it. I say my goodbyes and yes, I reckon I'll come back later in the year. I wave to some, shake hands with some and hug Jeannie and Soli. I felt quite a bond with Jeannie and I think she did with me (she's 67 but doesn't look it) and she said we should have a stint together at Ali Curung. That's another community up the road closer to Tennant Creek. One of her girlfriends is out there now.

When I go to shake Warren's hand he pulls me in for a hug which I'm surprised but honoured at. One of the locals expressing his acceptance and gratitude 😊👍 Maybe I did fit in. Warren is a local young fella who works as an Aboriginal Health Worker and community liaison person. He was always happy and smiling, liked a chat, and a thumbs up. He's maybe in his 30's but is already a grandfather. They start families so early here! Another thing I kept getting shocked at- they look so old for their age, someone who I would expect to be in their 60's or 70's is younger than me! Lack of nutrition and therefore chronic disease, smoking plus time in the sun will do that.

Anyway, I take the Hilux out to the airstrip where Pauline the nurse, who left when I arrived, comes back on the plane. I give her the hilux and her donga keys and get on the plane with my luggage and a big box of pathology specimens to take to Alice. We have lots of specimens to get to Path as we haven't been able to drive them to Alice for a week because of the closed roads.

As we fly out of Ampilatwatja in a four seater plane I see how small the town is and how it really is in the middle of nowhere. I do feel I'm destined to be back.Read more