LESSON 3
Roadside assistance doesn ’ t cover getting bogged
AANT ( the NT equivalent to RAA in South Australia or RACV in Victoria , etc .) doesn ’ t want to know about people getting bogged .
“ They won ’ t help ,” Sgt George says .
Great . Must review that RAA membership .
“ But there is a recovery team at Daly Waters which will help if you ’ re happy to pay a $ 500 fee .”
I can ’ t say we ’ re ‘ happy ’ but of course we ’ ll pay . We have no choice . Sgt George gets off the phone so he can put the plan into action .
We have to call him back in 20 minutes to confirm the recovery team ( bless them ) are on their way . It ’ s all set .
“ Call me in two to three hours if they haven ’ t arrived ,” he says .
They even tried using plastic levelling blocks for traction , to no avail .
We wait and wait , happy that help is on the way , no matter the price . We ’ re so relieved , we even make a coffee and lunch . ( The joys of being self-contained in a motorhome .)
Rick goes outside every now and then to look at the wheels stuck in black sand and to giggle at those ridiculous twigs I found to help get us out . He ’ s still fighting wasps that are strangely attracted to this new ‘ home ’ in the bush .
For a couple who don ’ t go offroad , how did we end up in this predicament ? How stupid to have followed this track so far . But how stupid to point people this way . Why have a sign to a tourist spot that is not there ? And how stupid not to have a ‘ 4WD-only ’ or ‘ private property ’ sign at the start of the track .
Hours pass . No-one shows . We call the emergency line again .
This time , a young voice chastises us . We must have sounded too calm .
“ You shouldn ’ t call this number unless it ’ s an emergency ,” she says .
So , we do what we ’ ve been told not to do and tell her the whole story .
She agrees we ’ re in a spot of bother and says she ’ ll get someone to call us back . Which is impossible because it ’ s the emergency number .
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