(sounds like someone Coleridge would be interrupted by; “the man from Bibbulmun”)
We wanted to go and look at ‘One Tree Bridge’ which used to span the Donnelly River. It lies about 40km as the crow flies from Pemberton and the gigantor (Karri) trees, and is fortunately just near one of the few free camp sites of the area, called greens island. The area is heavily wooded and we stopped at the bridge (which has now been replaced by something a little more sturdy), and I made lunch at the open picnic area below the bridge where to guys were fishing in the river. It was extremely beautiful there. A lone walker was also resting there.
I started to talk to him while I made our sandwiches. He was following the Bibbulmun Track, which starts 20km south of Perth and winds its way through the bush to Albany via Walpole, covering 963 km. He had started at the start and been walking for just over 2 months and covered about 500kms (?) He said it is well organised, with water tanks and camp sites every 15 Km or so. The camps mainly being 3 walled shelters.
I had seen markers for the Bibbulmun Track at Parry Beach, in the Walpole NP and other locations, and was fascinated to talk to him. He was sitting at a different picnic table to us, and as we talked I made 3 sandwiches. We didn’t have much filling to put in them, and were at the end of the bread, and D likes to have two…so you know what I did – or rather, what I didn’t do? I did not offer him one. How completely terrible is that. I have been thinking about it ever since. There he is, carrying all his belongings on his back, watching a girl make sandwiches at lunch time while she chats to him, and she doesn’t even offer him a piece of bread. I could have given him one, and given Darren something else to eat as well. But I didn’t, I didn’t want Darren to go without. In truth it did not occur to me that I could have given Darren something else as well, until after he left. Stupid. Stupid. Selfish.
This is my penance. To tell you.
There was a café at the bridge, and as we started to eat he left with friendly farewells to go and buy a coffee. After he left I told D how bad I had felt, but that I hadn’t wanted to give his sandwich away. It was very blinkered thinking. I remain quite shocked at myself. Later I realised we did have another loaf of bread, which made me feel even WORSE!
Now I am constantly on the lookout to feed a traveller.
We wanted to go and look at ‘One Tree Bridge’ which used to span the Donnelly River. It lies about 40km as the crow flies from Pemberton and the gigantor (Karri) trees, and is fortunately just near one of the few free camp sites of the area, called greens island. The area is heavily wooded and we stopped at the bridge (which has now been replaced by something a little more sturdy), and I made lunch at the open picnic area below the bridge where to guys were fishing in the river. It was extremely beautiful there. A lone walker was also resting there.
I started to talk to him while I made our sandwiches. He was following the Bibbulmun Track, which starts 20km south of Perth and winds its way through the bush to Albany via Walpole, covering 963 km. He had started at the start and been walking for just over 2 months and covered about 500kms (?) He said it is well organised, with water tanks and camp sites every 15 Km or so. The camps mainly being 3 walled shelters.
I had seen markers for the Bibbulmun Track at Parry Beach, in the Walpole NP and other locations, and was fascinated to talk to him. He was sitting at a different picnic table to us, and as we talked I made 3 sandwiches. We didn’t have much filling to put in them, and were at the end of the bread, and D likes to have two…so you know what I did – or rather, what I didn’t do? I did not offer him one. How completely terrible is that. I have been thinking about it ever since. There he is, carrying all his belongings on his back, watching a girl make sandwiches at lunch time while she chats to him, and she doesn’t even offer him a piece of bread. I could have given him one, and given Darren something else to eat as well. But I didn’t, I didn’t want Darren to go without. In truth it did not occur to me that I could have given Darren something else as well, until after he left. Stupid. Stupid. Selfish.
This is my penance. To tell you.
There was a café at the bridge, and as we started to eat he left with friendly farewells to go and buy a coffee. After he left I told D how bad I had felt, but that I hadn’t wanted to give his sandwich away. It was very blinkered thinking. I remain quite shocked at myself. Later I realised we did have another loaf of bread, which made me feel even WORSE!
Now I am constantly on the lookout to feed a traveller.
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