Rainy Night In Tenterfield

Stayed at the Jumbuck Motel, adjacent to downtown Tenterfield (population about 3,500). I was hungry, but just then, a very powerful thunderstorm chockers full of lightning struck the town - just about the only place in Australia experiencing rain at the instant. An hour later, after repeated power failures, I finally walked to a sopping and quiet downtown area.

It was 9:15 p.m., after closing time for the Chinese restaurant, but, unaccountably, it was still open (tourists travelling the New England Highway were changing a flat tire right in front of the place, so closing time may have been delayed). The Chinese manager was sullen and abrupt, barking commands at me, but he did sell me some chicken chow mein for take out. Crap service, and the noodles were those awful supermarket hard things, but the sauce was good, and there was way too much of it. Without cutlery, I scooped the stuff up in a drinking glass and made do.