Catch Up Part Two ( who am I kidding?): Bits about the trip home from Exmouth

Let's see...flat road and little of note except scrub brush and thousands of paprika colored termite mounds the size of small cars...blue sky forever...many hours of driving. Wait! A hill, with a viewpoint! Unusual cairn on top made of single castoff shoes, then another made of gnomes. Yup, gnomes of many faded shades, sitting atop an otherwise unremarkable rise. Many had cryptic messages scrawled hastily in felt pen, but none seemed particularly eloquent.
We drove on.
Billabong Roadhouse, the only stop for hundreds of kilometers, nabbed our attention briefly. Silly photo op. Tank full, we continued to Carnarvon, missed the Aboriginal Museum entirely, but enjoyed fresh produce at a privately owned produce shop of the highest order, called Morel's. Highlight! Divine papaya, crispy fresh beans, star fruit, sweet cherry tomatoes and a rather odd tray of black sapote fruit (aka chocolate pudding fruit) caught our fancy. After so much bleak,dry terrain, the fruit plantations around Carnarvon were the best treat! With some determination, we grabbed a spot at yet another overpriced caravan park and headed into town to the renowned Post Office Cafe for an early dinner. With none other than Lonely Planet's recommendation as "the best pizza in the world", we felt obliged to try. It was very good, I'll admit! I dunno about being THE best, but we enjoyed it. Not a single other thing to do in this town after 6 pm. Humph. Alex and Gina made a fine game of hurdles over a row of fence posts. Walked the streets for 20 minutes, but the appeal of hot showers soon took over.
Back to the Plantation Caravan Park for lukewarm showers ($70 bucks/night for this??) and a full moon. Gorgeous starry sky! One must focus on the bright bits. Let the dull bits fade...
From Carnarvon we continued south to Kalbarri, our longest stretch of driving. Glum travellers were not impressed by changing scenery, from dry scrub to slightly greener scrub, nor could we muster much enthusiasm within the troops for planning excursions. After a night's rest, Kees rented a small aluminum skiff and insisted that we all climb in. I had packed a light picnic lunch and off we putted, upstream on the Mighty Murdoch River. Fast it was not, nor was it deep, hence the handy oars provided. Several times our fearless captain suffered near mutinous objections as the poor li'l prop stirred sandbars to a pulp. He was happy to share the helm with Fearless Captain Gina, who also hit a few sandbars before the trip was over, but with judicious application of lumber and lumbar support, we beached and finally hiked up " Castle Rock". Great views! Snapped a few fabulously memorable photos as everyone clambered around rocky cliffs. A bit of exercise did us all a world of good!
Upon our return to Kalbarri, three teens chose kayaks for their next challenge, paddling them easily across the river's mouth to another beach, seeking whale-watching, but no luck there. Kees and I walked the opposite way, to view China Man Pools and crashing wave action oceanside. High winds and big spray! It was a refreshing break before our travels continued south, aiming for Geraldton that night.
That covers some bits. More to come after an iPhone recharge.

Dune Runes to First Dutch Explorer, Uncle Dirk

Geraldton holds memories of crashing surf on endless beaches, bordered by dunes of low scrub. Varied access points from residential areas all seemed to have weathered wooden fence posts joined by lengths of wrist-thick rope, festooned with rainbow remnants of aged cords, cables and rope bits found washed up on the shores. Any beachcomber's stroll would produce handfuls of rope lengths lost by fishing boats, which seemed to have become a spontaneous folk art/ecological display when attached to the rope cables that fenced the dune access trails. Mysterious myriad knots and color patterns, beaten to faded frays, seemed to hold important coded messages; echoes of mariner rhymes, if only one could solve them. I missed the photo op, but hold the vivid memory.
An excellent museum of maritime artifacts held our interest for half a day as imaginations engaged in real tales of treasure, shipwrecks and lost lives from 400 years earlier. A pewter replica of Dirk Hartog's famous plate, left as a marker of the first European to land on Australian shores in 1616, had to be purchased for posterity. Who knows if he really was an ancestor of the den Hartigh clan? It's very possible proof of the link, bearing further genealogical research. Heady stuff for a personal inquiry for Kees, not just dusty facts from history books. The search continues for him, with dreams to view the original plate, next time we are in Amsterdam.
We camped near the shores of a vivid pink lake, strange and yet not surprising, in this land down under, south of Jurian Bay. A rare non-toxic cytobacteria created the uncanny pepto bismal appearance. We hoped for much more than an average sunset and tepid showers, but the tiny Port Douglas Caravan Park held no other
appeal. Even the hungry wedge tailed eagle, hovering elegantly on updrafts as he scanned for prey, found little of interest and soon moved on.
Perhaps we were travel weary, but the thought of a side trip to the geological anomalies of The Pinnacles didn't sound promising. Acres of ochre formations, fingers of rock pointing skyward as if warning of impending aerial attack, were remarkable sights in an otherwise tedious landscape.
We took photos and pushed on.

Picasso to Pollock, Camels and Sharks

Finally, I am free! Two weeks of joyous adventures with family and friends started yesterday, July 7th. Actually, we enjoyed a weekend in Freo and Perth last weekend, showing Erin and Tom around a few sights. The highlight for me was enjoying time at the Picasso to Warhol exhibit at Perth's Art Museum, all too short, but wonderfully sweet. The Jackson Pollocks and Piet Mondrians were most delicious viewing, as were whimsical sculptures by Matisse and the classic cubism of Picasso. I liked his Reclining Liquor Bottle very much. Australian artists were also vibrant and interesting, needing much more time to be appreciated properly. Then there was the dynamic exhibit by Vancouver photographer, Jeff Wall. I do wish we lived in the city so we could enjoy more of the rich culture here. A year in Perth would have been quite wonderful, but that dream will have to wait.
We gathered Alex Sokol from the airport after her 30 hour journey from Edmonton, poor thing. She seemed fresh as a rose, as only a teen could, but rest was in her agenda for a while. Gina was absolutely delighted to have her pal arrive! Back we went to life in the country for a final week of school. Kees boomeranged to Perth again on Tuesday to help Erin see Thomas depart for Canada. Then they headed three days' drive north to secure a campsite for our arrival. Gina and I did our best to show Alex a few sights around Narrogin, Williams and Fremantle before flying north to meet Kees and Erin in Monkey Mia. Most of these events in Perth have been graciously facilitated by Chook and Phil Melvin, who host our stays in the city and support us in innumerable ways. We can never thank them enough! They are the most amazing couple who treat us like family, going out of their way to make sure we have all we need whenever we visit Perth. Hopefully, they will find their way to Canada at some point, so we might make a small dent in returning some of their amazing hospitality.
Now we are camping in Denham, poised for a day of camel riding near Monkey Mia tomorrow, then feeding the dolphins that arrive at the beach each day like clockwork , waiting for tasty handouts of fish. We have a dive trip planned later this week, north if here near Coral Bay, famous for the giant gentle whale sharks that we hope to see along Ningaloo Reef. We spent our first evening sharing a glass of wine with the Syversons, another exchange family from Alberta who are also stopping in Denham for a couple days. I find it quite delightful that we will most likely meet many exchange friends as we hop and skip along this very remote part of Australia's west coast. We have a prime camping spot tonight, overlooking pristine aqua coastline of Shark Bay, with two daughters and a friend resting in swags under clear starry skies as I type. It is all quite remarkable, really. I pinch myself for a reality check and then try to settle my whirring brain to rest. Impossible, but here I am.

Biding time until holidays

It felt like a long slog to complete progress reports this term, but not as complex and lengthy as in Canada. I'm so relieved that they are done!
Erin and Thomas arrived nearly two weeks ago, filling a worrisome void I have felt since we left home 6 months ago. I am delighted to see them here! Gina has been much happier and Kees has some renewed vigor for showing them around a bit. There isn't a lot to see nearby, but they have seemed content with enjoying home life, after 2 months on the road. Tom has impressed us with his cooking skills and Erin has rested well, slept late and enjoyed the ease of a simple routine, where tea and fruit is always at hand.

We enjoyed an evening of dinner and games at James and Manuela Lanahan's place last Friday. It was a spontaneously fun night of tasty tidbits and silliness. We played Taboo and pool, while some sang karaoke and I cycled in the exercise bike. Something for all! We really enjoyed their relaxed company and warm hospitality and look forward to reciprocating some fine day.
Saturday we left Gina at home to sleep in late, while we took Erin and Tom on a drive to Bunbury for a spot of shopping and a bit of fish and chips. Not the best weather or the most interesting drive, but we saw the ocean and managed a beach walk before the 2 hour drive back. It was a relatively uneventful diversion, but better than a day at home of laundry!
The week passed without much excitement. We joined PETA Hanley and her Boddinton pals for an evening of pizza at the Williams Pub on Tuesday. That was nice! Tom made pizza the next night, too. Yum. One needs ways to wear off carbs, really! Driving to work each day allows no room for burning calories at all. Dullsville, but it must be done.
Perhaps next term I can work a regular swim into the routine. Cycling club has been less appealing in the winter fog. We haven't been home most weekends, anyway, so I have missed a few Saturday rides lately.
Holiday adventures cannot come soon enough!

First Winter Garden

It's raining and foggy here on a Saturday night, when I should be finishing off report cards.....but no!
There are many other more important distractions.
Perhaps it means we have settled in, as my little garden has sprouted a few pea shoots and lettuce leaves. I tried planting broccoli seedlings, but some black infestation is enjoying them immensely. I'm not normally very competitive when it comes to broccoli, but perhaps I'll stand up to the little critters, just to show them who I am.
It does seem odd to be advised to plant a winter garden. Fall is when all the snowy little lambs are born, and when farmers seed their crops. It's when we comb the resale shops for wool sweaters, amazingly rare in a state that produces so many sheep! Most everything is made from synthetic fibers, nasty in the heat as well as the cold, I say. Who knew we'd want woollies here? I love my sheepskin booties, I do! It's just that slate floors get cold in an uninsulated house and night temperatures are down to about 3C lately. We like our indoors to stay above that! A " reverse air con" unit works hard to warm up a 2 storey house, but as warm air rises, the main floor stays rather cool. We just wear layers, as good Canucks all know. It seems unheard of here. I have students who still wear their summer uniforms of shorts and tshirts, instead of pants and "jumpers" to school. With a morning reading of 7c on my classroom thermometer, I keep my layers on, thank you, until our heater kicks in.
The past week certainly kept us busy with odd weather. Perth had a tornado and two major storms. We had 125km/hr winds and rain, ending in a power failure that lasted only 4 hours here, but in the surrounding areas 160,000 homes went without power for up to several days. Some schools closed due to damage or lack of power, but ours remained open. Aside from several trees and branches down, there was little change in the pace around here. We plod on.
Last night was the wind up party
for the Williams Repertory Theatre at the Williams Pub. It was lovely! Every cast member was recognized with a small gift and thanked for his or her unique contribution to the production. We quite enjoyed feeling a part of the community, knowing everyone in the room. Wine was tasty and food was good, replenishing our waning energy after weeks of late rehearsals. We were the only people there not from this area, which made me realize just how unique our cultural immersion is in this small town. Gina noted that we'd be quite anonymous in a large city like Perth, had we lived there. Here it seems that everyone knows of us, which can be a bit unsettling. People notice when the campervan is gone from our driveway, when our lights are on, and even whether our laundry is hanging out or not. Their friendliness happily outweighs any loss of privacy to date. We get chatted to by locals wherever we go in this area who all seem to know something of us before we get there. Comfortable? Sort of....it's growing on us.


Sent from my iPhone

Dramatic Interludes

A new me has been seen in Williams this past weekend, similar in looks but wearing heavier make-up and projecting dialogue quite determinedly. My fling with live theatre has come and gone, without any talent scouts beating a path to my dressing room door. The good news is that, with the support of five other cast members, sound and light crew and an energetic catering staff, we managed to entertain about 400 people over two nights. No rotten produce was flung my way, nor were there any boos, hisses or loud catcalls apparent. It may have helped that the bar stayed open to serve our audience throughout the evenings, but who's to say that made a considerable difference? By all reports, our performances were a success. Now that the challenge of learning lines and rehearsals twice a week is over, I am going to miss it a bit, but I am glad to have it behind me. Polishing the performance as we developed our characters was finally rewarded with audience laughter and applause, mostly at the intended moments. The absolute highlight for me was not enjoyed during any public performances, however. That came much later, when Kees shared with me some video clips of what had actually transpired on stage. Seeing myself perform rather surprised me, as every move and nuance that had occurred was captured on film, undeniable proof of my goofy expressions and shameless reactions to other actors on stage. I look heavier than I'd like to, dammit! And older. But it was not all bad. My hair was glossier under bright lights than I ever knew it could be. I like the way my new black boots looked, so flippantly dancing with abandon. But what cheek I had! We laughed until the tears streamed down our faces, with a mixture relief and disbelief at what I had done. In public. Voluntarily. Okay, I admit to having some fun....but, really who was that??? And where has she been all these years?
I guess I haven't embarrassed my immediate family too much, as Kees and Gina both seem a wee bit pleased with the dramatic production, but it seemed as if Mother Nature herself wasn't wanting to be upstaged. I do wish that violent storm hadn't blown into town late Sunday afternoon, knocking out power for four hours and causing trees to come crashing down over several roads. Reports of winds up to 120km/hour were recorded in the area. It was most inconvenient, effectively postponing our planned cast party. Even if roads had become passable, the local pub had no way to cook and serve our dinner celebration. Nor could I get to work efficiently on progress reports online as I had intended, golly gee, without power. Resourceful as ever, Kees made us hot drinks on the propane stove in the camper van. We enjoyed our "emergency supplies" of munchies and spent a pleasant evening playing a rollicking game of Scrabble by candle light. Just the three of us. We made a very fine picture of cozy contentment, if Kees had cared to record it. Gina beat me by five points.
It was certainly a memorable weekend. I'm sure that we'll never have another one quite like it!

At Last, We Made it to Margaret River!

The initial pull to Western Australia was never living in the tiny town of Williams. Try as we might, there is just not enough to keep us interested there for long. Many eyebrows have been raised when I tell new acquaintances where I work, as Narrogin has a formidable reputation as having a high rate of dysfunctional inhabitants, to put it bluntly. I have met many lovely people there, but it is not the place for us. Gina often sees the unsettling undercurrents of troubled youth in her high school and I teach some of their younger siblings. There is a good reason that staff here are paid very well for the risks and challenges they face. I don't get those extra "danger pay" benefits that Bec does, nor do I get paid her bonus for working at a relatively remote school. Hence our delight with grabbing every option to remove ourselves to urban or coastal destinations. It's just a lot more rewarding!
This weekend we are finally exploring the famed Margaret River wine region , where prices are sky high for accommodations that are booked up weeks in advance. We have scored 2 nights at a caravan park in Prevelly, on the ocean known for world class surfing and recent bush fires that scorched the area severely last year. Our campsite was spared, but I wish the less than pristine shower block had been torched. Ok, enough grousing! The area is mostly bucolic! We enjoyed warm sunshine and a rich verdant countryside for most of the 3 hour drive here. We saw forests, fields, and rolling hills full of sheep, many with springy new white lambs. We visited a delicious chocolate factory, where free samples proved the quality so good that we needed to purchase a few decadent morsels, as well. Naturally! Next came a cheese factory, where we were easily distracted by more tasty samples and purchases. Onwards to the town itself, where we spent time mapping our plan of attack for vineyards tomorrow and an hour shopping for essentials like socks & underthings. By 3 pm we succumbed to a late alfresco lunch on the patio of Settlers Pub, enjoying local wines and bites of locally produced breads, cheese, olives and seafoods. So impressive was our planning that we managed to park deck chairs on Surfer's Point to witness scores of dudes in wetsuits enjoy riding impressive waves, while the lacklustre sunset happened behind an annoying bank of clouds. We shall just have to try again tomorrow!
Night falls quickly here. We skipped dinner, content without. It is mostly quiet in the park, so we settled in very early to bed, to read and write. We are very glad to have our own wireless network with us wherever we go. Kees makes sure of that!