Deception - 38. Dec Chapter 38

The following morning, we arrived at the airport with half an hour to spare, so we just sat and relaxed, watching people pass by to board their flights to different parts of the country, when we went to board our flight, Sam had the tickets, and we boarded our flight for the short journey to Port Lincoln. Sam had just and overnight bag, while Hugh and I had all our luggage from since travelling to Canada and back. At Port Lincoln Airport, Bryce and Tom were both there to collect us, and after passing the security gate, Tom came rushing up to me and gave me a big huge hug, “I’m so glad you are finally home Dad” Tom said to me, which surprised Hugh a bit, and Sam noticed the strange look on his face.

“Tom is Gers’s ward, since Tom’s mother passed away about a year and a half ago” Sam explained to Hugh, who smiled and nodded his understanding, and we crammed all the luggage and people into Gres’s 4 Wheel drive vehicle, with Bryce driving, and twenty minutes later we arrived at the Louth Bay boat ramp, where the hovercraft and the barge were waiting, and Bryce stopped just short of the loading ramp of the barge, which was loaded half full of tree seedling and supplies for the island.

“What is going on, why the barge and hovercraft?” Hugh asked confused, as everyone climbed out of the car, except Bryce who drove the vehicle onto the barge, before returning to the boat ramp, just as Shamus, Amanda, Jake and Ethan arrived, and they warmly greeted me, saying they were pleased to see me heading home at last. “What’s going on Gres?” Hugh asked for second time, turning to Hugh with a big smile, I prepared to tell his mate the truth.

“Well mate, the eco-tourism business I help to run, is actually my business, and it is located over there on that island, which I also own” I said pointing to the island in the distance, noticing Hugh’s jaw drop and the look of surprise on his face, and everyone laughed.

“Let me introduce you to everyone, you have already met Bryce, he is my hospitality manager, in charge of running the eco camping business, Tom my ward, and Bryce’s son – Ethan, work part time as porters and cleaners, and they do home schooling now, Jake here is Tom’s former school mate at Port Lincoln, and his parents here, provide me with the native trees and shrubs and sometimes planting labor for the island” Gres explained.

“I am also the hovercraft pilot, so let all get on board, Shamus, I presume you are bringing the barge back to the island” Bryce asked, and Shamus smiled and nodded his head to confirm this, and fifteen minutes later the hovercraft came up onto the Homestead Bay beach, stopping near the now formed track and proper stairs up to the top of the island. On the journey over, I explained to Hugh, that apart from the 9 Eco tents, there is a raised boardwalk all around the island, a large gazebo for BBQ picnics, and ablution block and storage shed.

When we arrived at the top of the island using the stairs, while Tom and Ethan used the quad bikes to bring all the luggage up, I was surprised to see that a ramp and gate had been made near the stairs, to gain access directly onto the boardwalk, which were not there when I was last home, over two months ago. Letting the bikes to go first, everyone except Shamus, Amanda and Jake, who were busy with the seedlings, followed in the same direction towards the gazebo at the eastern side of the island, by the time we arrived at the gazebo, the quad bikes had headed south and were out of sight.

Stopping to let Hugh have a look around the area, he was amazed at how wonderful the island was, so quiet and peaceful, and… A pair of quokkas decided to make an appearance near the gazebo, which made Hugh jump backwards a little, Bryce roared with laughter, which caused the quokkas to head into the shrubs. “What on earth was that?” Hugh asked still a little shocked at seeing the little marsupials so close. “That my friend is a pair of Quokkas, they are native to Western Australia, and we have three pairs of them on the island, along with some wallabies, bandicoots, Mallee fowl, bilbies, potoroos and echidnas, this island is my own private wildlife reserve” I announced to my friend with a big smile.

“They are funny looking things, I would like to get to see them again sometime please” Hugh said, “I’m sure you will see them again” I replied still grinning, “So Gres, you have an island and 9 eco tents, sheds, gazebo, boardwalk and lots of funny critters, but I don’t see any house?”, and this made Sam & Bryce roar with laughter again, as I led the way down the boardwalk heading south, and ten minutes later, we came to a stop, were there was a ramp heading inland, off the boardwalk and a gate that was open. Hugh was even more confused as we stepped off the boardwalk, and headed along a narrow track winding through the shrubs, till we arrived at the solar power station, where there is now also a wind power turbine as well.

“Ok, now it’s an island and 9 eco tents, sheds, gazebo, boardwalk, lots of funny critters, and a solar and wind power station, but I still don’t see any house? Hugh said, and now Sam, Bryce and the two boys roared with laughter. The boys were standing beside the bikes, after having just returned to the top after delivering all the luggage to the house, “Tom, would you like to do the honor’s please” I said still chuckling.

Tom smiled as he opened the gate between the solar panels and walked in and down the stairs, Hugh stepped forward cautiously and looked around then downwards, as he heard Tom going down the dimly lit staircase, “Holy cows, what is down there” Hugh said amazed, as he began to descend down the stairs, followed by me and everyone else. Tom waited at the bottom of the stairs till Hugh arrived, before he opened the door to the passageway, and led the way to the second door. With Hugh close behind, Tom opened the door into the house, which opens into the veranda and the central garden.

“Wow” was all that Hugh could say as he stepped down onto the lawn area of the garden, with the big weeping peppermint tree in the centre. Hugh started to walk around the garden, looking up to the skylight above the tree, then around the top level of the house and then to the ground level of the house. “This is so amazing, it’s an octagonal house in a cave, and its huge” Hugh said loudly, and by this stage everyone was now in the house, and Mrs. Atherton appeared from the kitchen.

“Welcome home sir” she said to me as she stepped up to me and hugged me, which caught me a little by surprise, “Err, Mrs. Atherton, may I introduce my good friend from Blue Ridge, Alberta, Canada, Mr Hugh Lindeman” I said doing the introductions. “Pleased to meet you, sir. Lunch will be ready at 12.15 in the main dining room” she said before returning to the kitchen. “Sam, Mrs. A has put you and Hugh in the main house guest bedrooms, while Shamus, Amanda and Jake will be in the extensions guest bedrooms, your luggage is already in your rooms” Bryce announced.

Chuckling a little I turned to my friend, “Come with me Hugh and I will show you around the house” I said, as we stepped up onto the veranda near the open living area, and they went through each of the rooms on the ground floor, before going upstairs to the library and study areas, before showing Hugh his guest bedroom.

“Bryce and Ethan live here full time, and their rooms are near yours, Mrs. A has her own bedroom suite in the new extensions area., which I will show you later, for now just relax and make yourself at home, lunch will be served fairly soon” I said with a smile as he headed downstairs to the main office. Bryce and I managed to have a twenty-minute discussion about the business, before lunch was announced, and the table was set for 9 people.

After lunch, the boys changed into their uniforms, and set off to check on the eco camping guests, while Shamus, Amanda and Jake returned to work planting trees and shrubs, and in the time that I have been away, they have planted a total of 35,000 trees and shrubs all over this island and Grantham Island. With the quad bikes in use, I decided to try out one of the buggies, and on reaching the top of the stairs, I was surprised to see the 4-seater buggy there waiting for me.

We climbed on and set off towards the boardwalk, and once on it, we began to tour around the island, covering the southern half first, stopping at the lookouts to allow Hugh to take some photos of the scenic views and the land and sea animals that made an appearance for them, including a very close view of some more quokkas, which Hugh was thrilled about. All though all the eco tents are currently booked, Gres was able to drive along the connection boardwalk, to let Hugh get a closer look at them.

I explained that when the guests leave tomorrow, he would be able to get to see inside them, which Hugh was glad to hear, and on arrival at the shed, I parked the buggy inside, and we walked back to the house, where I announced that I needed to have a lay down, as I was feeling a little tired still, and Hugh announced that he would go up to the library to do some reading. Over the next 8 days, I steadily grew stronger, Hugh and I took longer walks each day, and when it came time for Hugh to return home to Canada, I along with Tom, went with him to Sydney, to see him off at the airport.

Once we had made our sad farewells, and Hugh passed through security to Customs and Immigration, Tom could see that I was sad for my good friend leaving, and he tried to think of a way to cheer me up. The answer came when we caught the taxi back to the city, where we would be spending a few days before returning home, as we passed a large roadside billboard, advertising a circus, Tom leaned forward to speak to the driver, asking him to take them to the park where the circus is located.

I smiled and agreed to the suggestion, and twenty minutes later we arrived at the park, and we walked to the front gate. The next show was just twenty minutes away, so we purchased tickets to the next show, and spent the next fifteen minutes wandering around looking at the animals. With a lot of animal right groups around these days, exotic animals are no longer popular and rarely used at circuses, so the only animals they had were horses, camels, donkeys, monkeys and dogs.

The show was very entertaining and I felt a lot better as the show progressed, and Tom enjoyed every moment of it. As the show came to an end, strong and willing guests were invited to experience a little bit of Circus life, by assisting with the dismantling of the big top tent, followed by a meal with the circus family. As we left the big top, I stopped to speak to one of the performers, “We enjoyed your show very much, and I would like to assist in any way I can, I can’t do very heavy lifting, as I have not long got out of hospital, as I was in a serious car accident a few months ago” I said to the performer.

“I’m sure we can find you and your boy something to do”, the performer said with a smile, “Actually, I am a vet nurse by trade if that helps” I added, and not long after, Tom and I were helping to wash and brush down the animals, before feeding them, which was real exciting for Tom. As the animals were eating, I gave the animals a check-up, to see if they were fit and well. “So Mr Langton, how did you and young Tom enjoy working with the animals?” the co-owner of circus asked as we were eating together.

“I thought it was awesome, sir” Tom responded eagerly, and everyone laughed, “I would have to agree, and that it is good to be working with animals again” I added, and then continued to enjoy the company of the circus crew during dinner, with plenty of conversation and laughter. As the meal came to an end, I stood up, and he waited until the talking stopped around the large table, “To our new friends, I wish to thank you for the experience of working in the circus, and enjoying a wonderful meal and conversation with you all, thank you” I said raising his class of water in a toast to the hosts.

When we arrived back at the hotel suite, in the city, Tom hugged me, “That was an awesome afternoon, Dad, I wish we could run away and join the circus” Tom said in a happy but tired voice, as he headed to his room to shower and get ready for bed. Later as I laid down on my bed preparing to sleep, I thought about what Tom had said about running away and joining the circus, thinking about whether it was actually possible or not.