Newsletter Vol.3, No.3
Monday 21st May
Good morning. We are sitting under our awing in Kununurra having breakfast feeling very content and comfortable with a gentle breeze to cool us a little. Before I go on let me update a little.
Our over night stop at Barkley Homestead we found much better this time. The generator didn’t seem to bother us. Perhaps we were in a better position in the park. Perhaps it was because as it was so hot we had the van shut up and the air-conditioning on. Our air-conditioning has been invaluable as the temperature since leave Lightening Ridge has not gone below 33 degrees Celsius except maybe late at night and the humidity has been very high, apparently unseasonably high. Others travelers have spoken of having rain but we have not experienced any so far.
We also discovered at Barkley a lovely salt water pool so we took advantage of it and thus started our tradition of packing up our rig ready to leave, then cooling off in the pool before another day in the car. Also on arriving at the end of a day sitting in the car we would set up our camp and then go for a swim to cool off and stretch out having exercise in the process
Our next stop was Elliott Roadhouse. At this Caravan Park you get locked in at night for security reasons, also at this park there were many Peacocks strutting around. Again we had a swim on arrival and before leaving.
The next day we had 481km to drive ending up in Katherine. We stopped at Mataranka for lunch. At the next table were three young women obviously backpackers. Upon finishing our lunch one of the young women ask if we were going to Katherine. How could we say no! So it transpired that she travelled in the back of our car the 100k to Katherine.
She was a lovely young woman from Paris who has been on the road for 4 ½ years and chatted most of the way. The 100km went very quickly. After dropping her off at the backpacker’s accommodation, we set of for our oasis in Katherine in the form of the Big 4 Low Level Caravan Park. They have a 20mtr pool to exercise in which was great as it was still very hot and humid.
We decided to take a helicopter ride over Katherine Gorge. After being up in the air for a short time Judy went to take some photos and OH! NO! Her camera appeared broken and failed to perform. We all know what a shutter bug Judy is so this was major bad news. After some investigation on our return to Katherine her camera was posted back to Sydney for repair.
Our time in Katherine was a great time of relaxation and conversation with our neighbours although the heat was tiring.
There are often many opportunities to have conversations with people about all sorts of things. At times they can be receptive to talk on things religious and we will never know if these times will bear fruit. Perhaps people are more receptive on the road as they are relaxed and don’t feel threatened as you will be moving on shortly.
Next it was off to Timber Creek staying over night behind the road house — no generator as it is a town and the power supply generator is at the end of town. Previous time we have driven through but we had decided this time we would have a sunset cruise on the Great Victoria River. It was a very relaxed time. The river is big both in width and length. One of the BIG properties (you can fit Texas in the middle of it) has been sold to the armed forces for training. They are going to build an airstrip big enough to land American transport planes.
After a swim in their small pool we set off for Western Australian border and Kununurra.
Well that brings us up to date but does it. No. It would have except we have had such a busy week that here it is the 25th and Judy is only just getting back to writing this newsletter.
We are now in Halls Creek Caravan Park where we are having two nights. The local Hotel has a band playing, guess it is Friday night, so this means there is a boom boom in the distance.
Saturday 26th May and still writing.
Last night the Hotel shut at 10pm and by about 11pm the noise was quieting down.
Our week in Kununurra started on Sunday with going to church. At church we met BCA friends and offered our help if needed during the week we were to be with them. After finding out it was our wedding anniversary a young couple invited us for dinner. They work on a property that has a Christian Radio transmitter which broadcasts into south East Asia and China
It was lovely to be part of a family for a short time as we miss ours.
During the afternoon we had gone out to the Hoochery Rum Distillery to have a slice of their delicious Rum Chocolate Cake and it didn’t disappoint.
It was still as good as the last time when we were here 4 years ago.
Monday came and we thought it would be a quite day catching up and bringing our long overdue washing up to date but God had other ideas.
Whilst we were in town shopping (to get Judy a camera to go on with until she gets hers back) we received a phone call requesting our help, soooo, we spent the afternoon making beds and getting the church flat ready for a team from the Know Your Bible group that was arriving the next day for a mission to the Christian women in town, Ian worked on replacing rollers on a sliding door, putting a door back on a kitchen cupboard.
All this sounds easy but I tell you now it wasn’t. We finally finished our tasks around 5pmand at this time we were invited to dinner with another couple from church. Could we be there for 5.30pm so we went straight there! After dinner Ian’s skills in industrial matters were of use to our host.
Tuesday Judy finished the shopping from the day before and in the afternoon we went for a drive to see the local water holes. They would be very good in the wet and a popular spot for the locals but unfortunately they were drying up.
Judy at night went to the CWIC Mission group’s line dancing outreach for women. It was a lot of fun with a great brief message.
Wednesday our friend from the other night came over and Judy typed up his industrial notes which took most of the day. We invited the rest of the family to join us for tea.
Thursday Judy started the day with 6.45am for breakfast at the local café with the CWIC team and ladies from the local churches. The lady who spoke was good and used DAY as an acronym.
D = Drench yourself in Gods word.
A = be Available to serve.
Y= Yield to the will of God.
Later in the morning it was off to Mainly Music. This is an outreach into the community by the women of the churches of Kununurra. It caters for the young mums with preschoolers. It was a bit like Music for Movement back home but with some Christian songs. One of the women spoke for a minute on being godly in your family – more just on life skills e.g. not getting frustrated with the family but just loving them as Jesus loves us.
Over morning tea an opportunity was given to the mums to have conversation whilst the children had quite play time.
It was now time for Judy to relax so she spent the afternoon on the internet organising our finances and photos ready to put up on the web at a later date.
Ian had spent the morning washing the outside of our dirty van. Yes they encourage you to use water up here by washing you car and van, also to water the grass around your site! WOW such a treat. We have had no water restrictions since arriving in the North.
After lunch Ian visited approx. 20 establishments including caravan parks, backpackers etc putting up posters about the local Anglican church and its activities.
As I stated previously God had other Ideas about our time in Kununurra we thought it was to rest!
We also met a couple of lovely couples that were our neighbour’s, we may see them in the future.
The nights are now cool – cold even but the days are still 33 °C.
Today we are going on a 3 hour drive to look at some local sites. It is now 25 °C at 10am with some breeze. I can tell you with confidence it will get to 33 °C.
But at least after dark it cools down now.
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