Erik Skye Travel Blog

12 Jan 2012

For the map, click here: Google Maps – Wizard of Oz

Car’s trip odometer: 5,400 clicks (km); plus 240 frequent flyer bush clicks

“You will remember there was no road – not even a pathway – between the castle of the Wicked Witch and the Emerald City… ‘Why don’t you use the charm of the Cap, and call the Winged Monkeys to You? (asked the Queen of the Mice)…   Dorothy looked inside the Golden Cap and saw some words written upon the lining. These, she thought, must be the charm, so she read the directions carefully and put the Cap upon her head. ‘Ep-pe, pep-pe, kak-ke!’ she said, standing on her left foot. ‘What did you say?’ asked the Scarecrow, who did not know what she was doing. ‘Hil-lo, hol-lo, hel-lo!’ Dorothy went on, standing this time on her right foot. ‘Hello!’ replied the Tin Woodman, calmly. ‘Ziz-zy, zuz-zy, zik!’ said Dorothy, who was now standing on both feet. This ended the saying of the charm, and they heard a great chattering and flapping of wings, as the band of Winged Monkeys flew up to them. The King bowed low before Dorothy, and asked, ‘What is your command?’ ‘We wish to go to the Emerald City,’ said the child. ‘We will carry you,” replied the King, and no sooner had he spoken than two of the Monkeys caught Dorothy in their arms and flew away with her.”^20

Phil donned his cap, recited the magical words (which make flight possible), and off we went again in VH-KLI. This time our aim was Coffin Bay; a national park lying west of Port Lincoln. We again looked for sharks in the surf, but found only schools of salmon forming tight clusters below the frothy white surf near shore. Phil landed on an orange sand beach where we found cuttlefish backbones, enjoyed lunch, and admired the brilliant blue water crashing just out of reach. For the moment, it was our own private oasis. Later, we flew over emus on another beach, thousands of oyster pens in the bay, and sand dunes a hundred meters high. Phil said they used to haul some of that sand to Port Lincoln to support a steel foundry.

Phil, Donna, and I went to dinner with Donna’s son Cal and his friends Seth and Georgia. Georgia’s a pretty girl with thick brown hair, a great smile, and a warm presence. She just got accepted into a university in Brisbane too. She’s originally from Tassi (Tasmania), probably more from Adelaide than anyplace, and spent significant time in the USA because her father (Peter) moved there for work.   We were joined by Georgia’s three siblings and Peter. I could tell Georgia was pleased to be with Dad again.

I was interested to know more about Peter’s profession because Donna had shown me a brochure featuring specialty surf boards Peter had created.  They seemed more like an art form, with internal structures and external paintings. Peter teaches furniture making at the university level, and he said that today’s methods include computer modeling and machining. He held up a wine glass and told us that the shape could be replicated by a computer-controlled cutting machine. ‘Like the replicator from Star Trek,’ I added. Its sort of a mind-boggling thought, but that’s where we are with technology now.

Donna at one point during dinner proudly declared ‘I’ve got all my adopted children here!’ (Her children and Peter’s had grown up together, and she was very fond of them.) Earlier in the day, Phil had a number of random encounters which led to warm conversations and happy coincidences (i.e. they usually knew people in common).  I noticed Phil was always warmly greeting people, addressing them directly, and being very considerate (i.e. he stops to hi to Donna when she’s at work and brings her things to drink and eat – they’re a great couple!). People are happy and good to each other here. It’s very evident.

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Footnotes:

20. L. Frank Baum, The Wizard of Oz (The Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1903) pp. 134-136.