“What do you think they’re doing?”

“I dunno mate, maybe taking pictures?”

And so was the conclusion of a radio conversation had by a couple of road workers about 17 people running up a hill in the middle of a national park, in the middle of the Outback in Western Australia. 

Little did they know that ten minutes earlier, our van, (affectionally named Coco, like Coco Chanel) weighed down by our bags, our beer and ourselves, had given up on a slope and gotten lodged in the sand.  

We pushed and pushed, put rocks under wheels, but to no avail – Coco was not going forward. She would however, go backwards. 

Lesson learned, Coco, is quite happy to carry us on even stretches, but has decided that at a slight incline we all need to go on a diet before she tries again – so, we ran up a hill. 

17 people running up a hill, looking like they were taking Instagram pictures – which I suppose is less embarrassing than 17 people not being able to push a van out of some sand. 

Welcome to the Outback.