chapter twenty-two, Thursday:31thoctober2013, branching out
I like to drive to music, this is going to be different.
Daniel pulls a lead out of the glove compartment on the passenger dashboard, as if he'd read my thoughts, attaches the end to his iPhone presses play and the rag top without the rag top is filled with sounds. I appreciate this man, who seems to know what I need and supply it. And that single thought, dear reader, leaves me squirming a little in my hard slippery seat, and actually I can feel the pop-rivets that construct the seat through my jeans, ouch. I shove my Chloe huge sunglasses onto my face and off we go into the sunlight.
Ride a 20 metre circle working canter.
I pull away along the driveway to the heavenly sounds of The Cult, where did this incredible man come from? God can you imagine if his music had been pop! Careful Tharie, you’ve just eaten.
“You're amazing.” I tell him, tilting my head in surprise.
“Never been told that before.” Daniel looks at me through his Raybans, with a sweet smile, is he being self-deprecating or is he fishing? One eyebrow cocked, lips smiling, I'm in love people, now I know what Streisand sings about.
I decide to ignore it, “don’t spoil my concentration, I’m driving.” I tease, and try very hard to concentrate where I’m driving. We haven’t been alone for too long. Daniel has a remote slimmer than the ones I’ve seen before, must be new tech, and with a swipe of the face, the trees swish out of our way I don’t even need to slow down, and we are bouncing down the track. Happy in a Landrover, it’s a comforting type of supremely uncomfortable familiarity. “I thought I spotted a narrow track way off this drive to the right about here...yes! There, it's just overgrown, let’s try to get the Landy down there.” I begin to swing the wheel, 'steer for the rear' I recall from my off road training mantra. Branches scrape along the side of the vehicle making loud screeching noises. It makes me grit my teeth.
“You’re the driver.” Daniel slouches down in his seat and puts his feet on the dash, black desert boots, I approve. Crosses his hands behind his head and closes his eyes. “We go where you want.” Right. Good, I think, I can concentrate now. I stop briefly once the front end pointing the right way and my wheels are straight and put the car into low box so I can drive extremely slowly, like a walking pace. Daniel, takes notice and sits up, he's obviously never driven a Landrover off-road, His is a Range Rover massive black and wide. Bullet proof tinted windows, all top of the range and never a speck of dust on it. It’s never been played with, what a shame, they are just as good off road as this one is.
Note to self, pinch Daniels car for the weekend and return it needing a serious clean. Has it got a tow-ball?
“What did you just do?” As the underneath of the car gives a great clanking crunch as the low-box engages, and I hear the rods reassuringly slide in the pivot as I shove the diff-lock knob home hard.
“Go back to sleep, it's just a little extreme greenlaning that’s all,” and I try to remember everything I had learned. I pull away amazed at the response from this old car, even I’m surprised. It ticks along very nicely, its revs level and its steering is responsive. I have to make adjustments as we edge along the track to avoid lumps of wood, rocks and deep ruts, the ruts are hard as rock, it hasn't rained in ages. We come to a partial clearing and the track turns to a heading 2o'clock (I don't know right and left), almost back toward the direction of the house. We are now driving up-hill. I decide second gear and keep it in the whole way up. The jungle is incredible, the plants and flowers like I have only seen in my RHS book, and the scents are like the palm house at Kew. Great brightly coloured birds fly by in groups and the air is full of damp and the drops sprinkle us below, it's started to rain, fine warm drops.
Our Landy gets to the summit of what was a long climb up our side and as I stop at the apex the return downward journey is very steep. “Let’s go back Tharie.” Daniel says sitting up to attention and puts his hand on my leg, and his sunglasses on his head to let me know he's serious, “we don’t want to get stuck here.”
“Oh yea of little faith, this Landrover laughs at little descents like this.” And putting it into first gear, I tip it over the edge, “Hold on Daniel.” I tell him and he complies immediately without any hesitation holding onto the grab bar on the dashboard (his car has an air-bag there, can't hold onto that). All feet off the pedals I sit back and let the old car take itself down the hill very controlled and slow. “I love Landrovers, and now you see the sense in them?” I ask, not expecting an answer, I still marvel at the control they give you, even driving through thick filth.
“Unbelievable!” Whispers Daniel, his eyes open wide in surprise, “safe and sound what a brilliant feeling coming down this steep hill. It would have been hard on foot at this extreme slope.” His face is alight like a kid at the zoo, though not me, I hate zoos and always have done. “How did you know, will my Range Rover do this?” kidding? Please, it has a Landrover badge doesn't it?
“Yes Daniel, it will, though yours has a little button to press for going down hills.” Why? “The clue is the little picture of a Landrover going down a hill, and there’s a matching one for up too.” I humph in disapproval, what’s wrong with a great clunking hard to use lever? I may have just answered my own question.
“I wondered what that button did.” Bloody hell.
“I’ve always had one, and I’ve taken a few courses, off-roading and recovery, you know, just the essentials.” I laugh. “Never driven one of these though,” I change gear with an audible and reassuring clunk, “and I like it.” I steer along the track, “and, yes your car will do this too,” he looks very satisfied.
We arrive in perfect order at the bottom and the path goes west, or is it east, it's left...I Think. I drive along the track toward 9 O'clock, notice much fewer ruts here, in fact no ruts, whoever drove here before was put off by the gradient of the hill. Ha! I cheer to myself, visitors one, locals zero.
Fly change and ride a 20 metre circle on the other rein.
It’s raining a little harder now, the track will get slippery. Stopping the car, the view is incredible, the atmosphere is hot, damp and close. It’s quite difficult to breathe, but the surroundings are worth every short breath of damp hot air. We step out of the Landrover into the heavy humidity of the forest. Intense greenery and glossy leaves dripping with rain, unfamiliar calls from brightly coloured birds fill the air and I feel suddenly damp to my skin and haven’t walked anywhere yet. Layered canopies stretch far above us all fighting for their turn in the light, they branch like giant broccoli. Tropical flowers smell intoxicating and I let my senses be filled with the place. I wonder if George and Harry would like it here. Plenty to eat, none of it grass though. Daniel points to a tall flat surface which could be rock a little in from the track with some markings on it. “One of the markers the Professor was telling us we should find?” I nod agreement.
We walk over to the standing stone, now we're there, it's much taller that it looks from the car at least eight foot tall and as we brush away the plants from its surface, it's covered in markings and symbols. Some we recognise from our study of the tattoos but others are different, new. A velvety surface from lichen and soft moss coating it camouflages the stone somewhat, but some of the markings are very clear. “The Prof. needs to see this,” Daniel says. Naturally, “we'll begin here in the morning, do you think we can fit in this vehicle?” He doesn't look like he'd believe me either way.
“No problem” I laugh, “once the crane gets here I’ll instruct them to place it in the back.” I can see he understands my expression, he's learning.
“I didn’t mean take the stone” he laughs, “I meant the people.” Ahhh, that does sound more plausible.
“I’m driving though right?” Do I sound too happy about that?
“You're the expert.” he admits, looking over to me. Expert? I like that.
“Then no problem, I get a seat no matter what.” Not convinced though I wouldn't be more comfortable in the back, I rub my bottom to get some feeling back, great for off-roading yes, good for lumbar support, no. “Let's just have a wander over there, I can hear something in the forest.” We return to the Landy, I take the remote out, not sure why, there’s no one about within hundreds of miles and no one’s been here in living memory judging by the growth over the track.
Daniels phone vibrates and he stares at the screen frowning. I look questioningly but say nothing. “It’s James, he’s taking a girl away for a few days and wants to borrow the helicopter.” There's a helicopter?
“Sounds like a most reasonable request Daniel” Bet it doesn’t have wine gums, my Landy does.
He scoffs at my comment, rolling his eyes in amusement. “I told him to return it undented and refuelled.” Sounds like a suitable arrangement, I'd agree with those terms. He finds the whole thing funny, Brothers eh? “And if he eats all my wine gums, he must replace the bag.” What! I don’t disagree. And What! We grab our bags, leave the car sitting in the forest, and hike along the track that was once a path, but is now overgrown. Only the moss and lichen cover over the stony ground tell this was once walked upon.
PF: “Babes, going away for the weekend” how unlike her.
TC: “Enjoy xx” I will.
PF: “With the boy” wonder if she knows about the helicopter ride he's planning, I decide to keep Mum.
TC: “Don't eat all Daniels wine gums” there.
PF: “Stay in out of the sun Tharie” cheek!
We walk for what seems like an hour, but a glance at my Dad's gold watch tells me it's only been 20 minutes, it’s hard hiking in this temperature, and humidity in the forest. The smell is green and wet, like washed salad. Working our way through the dense vegetation is making us weary, we are close, the space to travel is very narrow and we use each other’s path. I have to admit following Daniel where I can stare at his arse has its benefits. I mean to say, of course, where someone else is in charge of directions.
Note to self, always walk behind him.
I pat my backpack, yep, flask of tea is still there.