After 3600-odd kilometres we have made it to the capital of the Kimberleys, Kununurra. The journey was relatively problem free except for being a tad anxious when 40 mins out of Brisbane Oliver and Sienna team tagged with those questions which send chills down a parents spine when we are we there, I'm bored, how long is this drive anyway, etc etc. To their credit they soon settled into the comfortable monotony of long distance road travel and played a variety of games such as count the windmills, Star Wars games using Barbie dolls and lots of snacking. We arrive in Roma in the early evening and decided it was too cold and too late to set up the camper trailer so looked for a motel. Nothing available as Roma is a centre for the mining boom and every type of accommodation was booked out. So after much swearing, cussing, complaining etc. Paul got the camper up and we walked into town for a meal. Up early to a freezing start - Sienna crying with the unfamiliar pain of frozen toes and fingers ( a true Queenslander!!) and then on the road and thawed out by the time we reached LOngreach in the afternoon. Motel tonight for an early start to our rest day exploring the Stockmans Hall of Fame and the Qantas Founders Museum - both very interesting and worthwhile (particularly the tour of the 747).
Onto Winton overnight and then had to cancel our plans to do the Dinosaur Day as it was wet and miserable - saving that for on the way back. Drove to Mt Isa where the wet weather continued and saw us pike out another night in a dry and heated Cabin. Yes I know, we are getting soft in our old age!!
From Mt Isa we drove about 500 kms and set up a gorgeous camp by the side of the road overlooking a lovely river. Still raining but beginning to feel like our adventure has really begun. Early start again and headed for Katherine - "saved" a couple of young French tourists whose Tarrago had broken down, along the way. The caravan park had access to some lovely hot springs and we enjoyed feeling super clean after a swim in them. Katherine wasn't too inspiring - just your average large provinicial town. What struck me the most was the number of Indigenous folk, sitting in the streets, parklands, car parks, with seemingly little to do and with a certain sad look about them. Perhaps I am completely uninitiated, but I did feel terribly priviliged to be out on holiday with so many luxuries packed into our car and trailer.
Hope you are all well. More blogging soon now I have finally managed to get this machine working!!!
