After my strenuous exploration of Uluru, I checked to see if Mighty Mouse had already eaten. Mighty Mouse was the rodent that had taken up residence in my car.

For weeks I had been frustrated by the shredded paper and half-eaten food it gnawed through every night. In addition to having to throw out boxes of food, I was very worried he would chew the wiring in the car. I didn't need to be stranded hundreds of miles from the nearest road house or small town.

Then I started leaving food out for him. It was the perfect solution...easier for him, and much less worry for me. While I'd been hiking, he had helped himself to a crust of bread and a carrot end I'd left on the floor for his dinner. How he survived the heat in the car, I'll never know. But he made something of a companion for me even if I never did spot him.