Wednesday 20th May 2009 - Karratha

Hi Everyone,

(Including the Lady from Shanghai, who asked if she could join me, and closed her email requesting me to “Send the Money!”)

Photo’s next week I am afraid, cos’ this week has been a difficult one.

Pannawonica: What a place, what great people Toni & Alex are, I am now a much educated “Mining Expert” (Methinks!). The Town is a Company Town, servicing the “Robe Mine” which is Rio Tinto and at which both Alex & Toni work, along with 90% of the 3,000 inhabitants of the Town.

Both Guys (Toni is only 5’ 3”) drive the Huge Tipper Trucks (and many other like-size vehicles, as and when necessary) which hold upto 200 Tonnes of Iron Ore in its raw state, which is then sorted into various grades, loaded onto Trains of 150 Trucks holding 500 Tonnes each and taken to Loading Ports in North Western Australia i.e. Dampier - Port Hedland and Broome.

Alex took me on the “Grand Tour” remarkable!, kitted out in the H&S gear, hard Hat on, (I thought the pay office would be the 1st port of call) I was ready, Alex called up the Company Car, which was an absolutely enormous Tipper Truck (Plenty of Photo’s coming) and once we had surmounted the ladders (All 3 of them) we got to the Drivers cabin, and what a view of the World from there!.

The Mine itself covers about 10 square miles, encompassing all the various vehicles required in servicing keeping the mine operating 24/7 – 365 and boy was it busy! And never-ending, (although I did think that driving around in circles loading and unloading) was boring; no wonder they need a variety of drives.

Photo’s in the bag.

As you can imagine, the pay is good. (Better than good! more like Excellente)

Also met with Darryl Niness of the Karratha Lions Club, who is keen to represent to his small band of followers, the virtues of supporting “Sightsavers International” Thanks Darryl.




Karratha: (The Mining Capital of the Pilbara)

Bugger! Bugger! And Bugger! And Bugger!

After having such a great time, I set off on Monday 11th May to attempt to get NCS repaired, it all seemed so easy, the Manager of the Driver that had hit NCS, accepted responsibility, just get 2 quotes they said, submit them and “Bob’s your Uncle” that was until I hit Karratha.

This is a Cowboy & Indian Country and I have seen the Squaw’s and there are very limited trades people in any one profession, but hey ho! I busied myself finding them, it seemed simple and got promises from 3 Fender Benders that quotes would be sent asap, Great!

Then the problems began, 1st quote arrived (remember NCS cost me $A6,000) for $A5,800 (Just a superficial dent remember) the 2nd could not obtain the parts, the 3rd went on Holiday, then the Insurance Company played funny-buggers, they wanted me to fund repairs/Hotel and Hire Car upfront and they would repay me down the line!! (Where have we all heard that one before?)

Well it has been a battle, millions of emails between myself and the Insurance Company (Who turned out not to be an Insurance Company at all – they were a Fleet Management Company) who despite accepting fault, and since this was a new situation, found that they could not cope and were continually having Conferences about this unorthodox chappie who was Welsh and giving them great hassle.

It was not until I threatened (as a tourist) to go to the local Newspaper with a Human interest story, suggesting that they could not pay their bills, was everything settled, but boy! has it been a hassle!

By the way, Car Repairs at $A5,800, Hotels are $A350 a night (3 Nights) and Car-Hire at $A300 per day (3 Days) that was the figure that I was expected to fork out in advance, with that promise of payment in due course.

I collect NCS on Thursday 21st May and then Folks, I drive North as fast as I can, where to? I do not know yet, just north!

Now the good news! I have completed my 1st Full “Sightsavers” presentation to the Karratha Rotary Club (Photo in the bag) and they kindly donated £250, which is being routed to the UK.

Driving: have now notched-up another 400 Klicks (240 Miles) this week, but must mention “Road-Trains” they are huge, minimum of 36.5 metres long, usually with 3 Bogies/Trailers and travel at the maximum speed of 110 kph (70 Mph), the down-draught not only shakes you, but takes you into a vacuum and you hold on for your life! They tell me that in the North they can by 5/6 Trailers long and do not stop for anything, when you see them you get off the road! That will be interesting.

Petrol/Diesel: Sudden reduction in price now at 66p per litre that’s good.

Woolworth’s: Woolies here are the Tesco of Australia, huge, well presented, a range of goodies that encompasses, at great prices, Food/Hardware/Dry Goods/ Clothes et al, you name it they have it! (For those who had to have their Woolies injection you would need to take a huge breath).

I have travelled this week through Dampier (Good Camping Spot) Point Samson (Good Fish & Chips) Wickham, Cossack and Roebourne (Aboriginal Township) all very interesting in their own way. (Kept me busy)

The next week is a hard one, about 800 klicks (480 Miles) to Broome, hereon in it will be a steep learning curve as I move further North, fortunately it is Winter and the temp’s are starting to fall (29) today and there is a chill in the air in the mornings.

Well as Zeebadee would say, Time for bed Folks! "Good-night"


Nigel JG