ABSTRACT
This last is guaranteed, because Clive has left his waterproof jacket back at the research hut.
‘It’s one of the indisputable facts of life,’ thinks Clive, ‘that the chance of rain is directly
proportional to the lack of preparation you’ve put in for rain. If you have a rain jacket,
umbrella, good boots and a hat, it won’t rain all day. On the other hand, if you’ve left the
lot in a warm, dry hut five kilometres away, rain is a certainty.’ Sure enough, a clap of
thunder heralds the beginning of a downpour as the heavens open and the once dusty track
turns quickly into a mud bath. Clive sighs to himself and continues his trek through the
bush, pushing back branches and vines which spread haphazardly across the path. He stops
occasionally to check his compass and map, before continuing. The terrain is steep and Clive
trips and stumbles over a protruding lump of granite. Fortunately his pack, containing a
sophisticated remote camera and other electronic gear, remains safely on his back.
