Monday, September 26, 2011

The tree of knowledge


First thing which struck me on our tour bus, was a pile of wood on the roof...


What? Are we going to drive timber to the forest? Correct. It was needed for bonfires. After few days our stock ran out and we had to collect wood from the bush.
On our first stop at Windjana Gorge, we met a group of Aborigines. Couple of them approached our guide - Travis - and asked him to give them some wood as apparently it came from their land in a gorge nearby. I declared solemnly, that we carried this wood directly from Broome, but Travis dropped down few charred branches. Aborigines chuckled between themselves, what I took as a proof of bluffing our guide. Nevertheless, I helped them to carry wood to their place.
- How long are you going to stay here? - I asked.
- Only 1 day - answered one woman - our kids are sick, have terrible cough, but we could not find here the medicine. We will look for medicine in another place.
I wished them good health and returned to our bus. Travis was tying up branches and chuckling to himself.
- You know what? - he asked me. They were perfectly right. I collected this wood a week ago, exactly in the place, which they mentioned.

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