Kununurra to Whyndam

Kununurra
Hi Guys, here we are in sunny Kununurra. Actually it has been cool, even had to pull up the doona of a night time. Everyone seems to be catching up with us as we hang around the area, as there is really only one way to get across from NT to the west coast of WA.
We did a day run around the area while dad worked for Horizon Energy. Out to Ivanhoe Crossing which is a barrage at the bottom of the Ord River for a spot of fishing. It is a causeway about 100m long with about 2 foot of water flowing over it every day of the week. No fish this time. Back into town and checked out the Lovell Art Gallery which after plenty of moaning from the kids and Julie as to why we were there, everyone was gob smacked about what was hanging on the walls. They had a painting of the Bungle Bungles that was about 10m long and 3m high which took the artist twenty years to finally finish. If you were allowed to take a photo it could not give a true idea of how this painting looks. Brilliant, and a must see. I had to drag them out of there about an hour later.
We went to the top of Kelly’s Knob lookout to view around the area and down over the local indigenous community drinking and partying away at the bottom, legless at twelve o’clock on a Wednesday. We’ve been up and down the main streets of town plenty of times already (there are only 2, plus some industrial and housing areas). Looks like we might be hanging around for a while for work will let you know.
I dragged everyone out of bed early on Saturday so we could do a run up to Wyndham which we have read is well worth the visit. Don’t believe what you read. This is probably the worst place I have ever been to. What an absolute dive. A shop, a post office, a pub, a police station and various run down dumps that are supposed to pace off as housing. Stop for a quick brake in the only green area in town where Julie almost trip over a dark brother sleeping in the kerb near where we just pulled in. She had to go to the toot but decided she could hang on as the public loo was surrounded by brothers and sisters having a smoke, a drink and a sleep. “Get me out of here”, was the consensus. Still the areas out of town were great, like the huge old Prison Tree, The Murglu Billabong with hundreds of birds and The Grotto. Made up for the wasted petrol.
Have been told a meaning of some abbreviations of the couple of states we have just been through. NT (Northern Territory) means – Not today, not tomorrow, not Tuesday and not Thursday WA (Western Australia) means –Wait awhile
Both of these tend to relate to the postal system, which everyone seems to have a problem with a one point or another.
We have been asked by GN’s as we tour around how you manage to live in a 27ft box on wheels with two kids in tow and still seem to be happy enough and not totally insane. Well Julie drinks, so that helps her out a bit, especially after five hours of schoolwork with Jack. Amazing how a ten year old can push someone over the edge and me well “She’ll be right”.
So here is some Van Etiquette
1: Try not to cook inside the van as this just makes everyone hot which makes for cranky people, especially when the smoke alarm isn’t removed (David)
2: If you are in bed, don’t throw yourself around like you are in a washing machine (Tayla) as your home is on wheels and does seem to rock and roll and will come loose of the wheel chocks if you are not careful, and start rolling into the van behind you
3: The fridge is not to help cool your lower parts, keep the door shut (Jack)
4: If you have to use the inside toilet, sit down as most people’s aim isn’t as good as they think especially when your bowl is the size of a Tupperware container
5 : You can have relationships with your other half, but you first have to wait for the teenagers to be asleep and then relate back to point number 4, also ensure your wheels are well greased or you end up with plenty of grins from your neighbours in the morning
6: Space in the van can also be related back to weight. Less is more ladies. You don’t need ten pairs of shoes and clothes for every event you can think of. A pair of shorts, a shirt, a hat and a pair of thongs will get you through most of the social gatherings you will be taking part in ( You are trailer trash don’t forget)
7: Water is of a premium at times, so keep your showers down to ten seconds to get wet, turn off water, and soap up, ten seconds to wash off, get out. If this can be done quicker it will be appreciated, Jack has it down to a fine art, washing his bits and that’s it
8 : Remember you are in a van, there will be people around you, silky curtains don’t hide a lot as you walk past them with the lights on inside (as I was witness to when the lovely eighty year olds beside us decided to parade past her window in her well worn birthday suit)
9: If you are going to pee outside of a night time don’t be surprised to be flashed by some ones torch or spotlight just when you are in full flow
10: While driving from one site to another keep the questions to a minimum to the driver. Like, are we there yet? Where are we going? Do we have to do school work? Can I have a drink? Can I go to the toilet? Can I have something to eat? (JACKSON)
So in answer to most of the questions asked about living full time with the family in tow, it does have its moments but the good far out way the bad. Wouldn’t trade this life for anyone else’s at this stage. Love to everyone back in reality town and wish we could see you all sooner rather than later, but unfortunately that won’t happen this year. Thinking of you all between beers and fish.
Love the Wattevas