Recovery In Adelaide

Glad we made the decision to take the shuttle bus back to Adelaide for the necessary rest, warmth, and some luxury. This was our only opprtunity to get transport back. Now or never situation. I tried to update the blog too, but the site has been off-line for a few days, plus access to internet cafes has been intermittent, the update remained overdue. Instead made a visit to the State Library. Read Mawson: A Life by P. Ayres. An excellent biography on the man after whom the trail has been named. In short, the Mawson Trail is named in dedication to one of Australia's most celebrated explorers.  Born in England in 1882, then moved to Australia at the age of two years with his family. Received an excellent education in Sydney where as a teenager one of his head masters, in 1898, made the prophetic remark "What shall I say of our Douglas as an acknowledged leader and organiser? This I will say: that if there be a corner of this planet still unexplored, Douglas Mawson will be the organiser and leader of an expedition to unveil its secrets." He became a qualified scientist specialising in Geography, Geology and Chemistry. A well respected man, and a natural leader. His fame as an explorer comes mainly from his Antarctic expeditions. Esp the expeditions of 1911 - 14 and 1929 - 31 which resulted in Australia claiming 40% of the 6th continent.  The sole survivor of a 300 mile trek, Mawson was a scientist of high stature, natural talent and - it seems - a man with providence on his side. These explorations were for British King and Country and to expand the Commonwealth. He was an Australian through and through -living in Adelaide most of his adult life from uni student days to his life as a married man with two daughters, until his death at the age of 76. He died in 1958 exactly 50 years to the day after setting out on his first explorations of Antarctica. Amazing!