My world walk Australia blog 50 Leichhardt Villa

Leichhardt Villa

Updated text and photo

I walked into Taroom on a hot, muggy, dusty 32-kilometre slog of a day.

I was also asked to give a talk to senior citizens in a retirement home as soon as I arrived

I hoped to have time to wash, shave and change! Earlier, John, the caretaker at the Possum Park campground that I stayed at a couple of days ago stooped for a chat. Not missing a chance I asked him to take on ahead some heavy baggage for me. He was going to visit his friend Julia at the retirement home. That's how I was asked to give to talk. He stopped on the way back to Possum Park.
When I arrived at the Leichhardt Villa I was warmly greeted by Julia who made me a cup of tea. She moved around in an electric wheelchair and seemed to have come to terms with spending the rest of her days there. Aged about sixty-five she has a positive full of life attitude and spent ten minutes telling me how happy she was there.

"There is great staff here, I have great friends and look there is a beautiful view!"
However, she said it was a bit late in the day for my talk as dinner was about to be served and then the residents would be going to bed. She suggested that I return after prayer service and before morning tea at 10 am. I agreed but only on condition that they say a few prayers for me

Then after picking up my baggage, I walked down a hill towards the Lions park. It was my intention to camp there. But first I needed a big feed as there is nothing on the road for the next one hundred kilometres to Theodore. That will take me about three days so I will have to restock in the supermarket in the morning and carry at least ten litres of water. I usually cut the water that I carry to a minimum and hope that I can pick up some from people that stop or if there is a farm or somewhere else to get it. Most farms though are a little off the road and sometimes their gates are closed.

  Inside the Leichhardt Hotel bar, I enjoyed my 500 grams rump steak and chatted with some friendly locals, one of which kindly bought me a drink. The hotel leaves room number one open for truckers, cyclists and now walkers to have a much-needed shower! And that was much appreciated. Upon returning to the bar Scott, the manager was reading off my hymn sheet and generously gave me the room for the night. 

As one of the other bar staff said to me, "Just lock your door as you don't want a trucker going in there in the middle of the night!"