Marooned in Marmion

Marmion, Perth, Sunday 22 April 2012

When I embarked on this Grand Trip in January there was a possibility that I would be starting work on another book whilst I was away. Although the publishers and I had laid the groundwork, we didn’t know if or when the distributors would bite. Now it seems that they might have and I’m suddenly up to my eyeballs in 40,000 words and 400 images. It’s exciting and fulfilling and as far as I am concerned, I have the best job in the world. But my uncle and aunt’s house is not necessarily the most conducive place to crack on with the first seven chapters and try to break this beast’s back.

It’s a busy house with people constantly coming and going, including my four fun, energetic, and incredibly photogenic nieces and nephews aged between six and two. It’s very close to the centre of Perth and I’m frequently tempted to disappear off to see what I can see and do what I can do. And it doesn’t have wi-fi. It might seem like an inconsequential thing, but if you’re bouncing between emails, articles, and your manuscript, it’s super-frustrating.

My aunt’s best friend then sprang to my rescue. She and her husband were heading to Sydney for a bit to visit their younger son and his children. Would I like to stay in their house in north Perth, in a quiet suburb on the coast, with wi-fi? Yes please!

Off, then, I went to Marmion for five days. Up in Marmion, there’s an infrequent bus into town and I was without a car. I was essentially marooned. Even if I did have a car, I wouldn’t be prepared to use it to venture into the city. I find the roads badly sign-posted, parking is virtually impossible, and Perth drivers aren’t necessarily courteous or vigilant. Instead, I walked along the beach; I went out for breakfast; and wouldn’t you know it, in a calm house by the Indian ocean I knocked out roughly 6,000 words in four days. It was just what I needed.