This was marvellous once-in-a-lifetime journey that continued for nearly a year, travelling with Willie and the camels and his two dogs, Midge and Schooner...Without ever bothering to being partners in the common way, we travelled in comfortable friendship. I went ahead of the wagon and stayed a while at Birdsville, puzzling tourists by camping alone quite happily under a few trees with no vehicle of any kind evident for a couple of months . Eventually I came down the track, by Unimog travel this time, and camped at Betoota with the camels and Willie again into the full height of super-heated summer. He painted the Betoota Hotel for Simon, the solitary owner. We happily lived what had become a familiar perspective on life most interesting, that one never ever fully recovers from, nor ever desires to..…