Mary faced an arduous trip by buggy and camel back before reaching her
destination. She would share a seat with the buggy driver, who had been
doing this for years, and assured her that there was nothing to fear of
Afghan cameliers.
After a week had passed, what with the persistant horrible flies, and the rank smell of camels, mixed with the strong odour of personal sweat
and the spicy aromas of the Afghan cooking, made her terribly homesick.
However, not being one to quit, she stoicly ventured on, with the stark
knowledge that it would be another three weeks before she reached the
newly opened infirmary.
In the meantime she was kept busy with attending to chaffed bottoms, the
odd camel bite, and a badly bruised heel.

Finally reaching Oodnadatta with a much broader and healthy respect for
this alien landscape. The shock, that she was the only applicant did'nt
please her at all. To suddenly realize that she was the only attendant
to this place of hope, carried a burden she would be gladly rid of.
Settling in, was fraught with interruptions as new arrivals wanted to see the nursing sheila.