3 meals a day

3/23/04

"Miners Pool"

"It never rains in the Kimberley" - well that's one line I wont be using with this group. Well here at Miner's Pool after 5 days of preparing, traveling and waiting for the rain to stop, we spent a couple of days in the lovely Broome getting friendlier with snakes than many of you hoped to and watching the feeding antics at the croc park which might put even the hardiest person off of swimming in the Kimberley! But no fear we'll soon be enjoying sharing the water with the freshies who are more scared of us then we will ever be of them. Then it was off on our 24hour outback adventure (you always have to exagerrate the story when you tell it each time) fleeing the perilous cyclone of Broome.
Well we made it to Kununurra after many breakfast bars, savoury shapes, doritos, apples and pears later. We arose once again at a sparrow's fart only to be forced to spend a day in the hubbub of Kunurra due to inclement weather.
After gate-crashing the peacerful mall cafe for a few hours we headed back to the caravan park to learn to put up bomber tarps, relax in the enormous pool which was a couple of feet less water once we exited and make the afternoon of the rolo man who had been dreaming of his relazing afternoon by the pool. After some food ID and tips by Kevin we enjoyed dinner by the other group and headed to bed.
Well today after changing a flat tyre on the trail and jump starting the bus we were away and off in two groups to Miner's Pool with our gear not too far behind. The day ended well with John breathing a sigh of relief now that he'll be able to see for the canoeing section and it won't be a blur, and gado-gado, quesadillas and other snacks were enjoyed. We studied things we may have never imagined we wiped our butts with - believe me i will never look at a rock or stick the same way again.

-Karen-


The last one or two lines are cut off due to water and xerox errors, but somehow ending on that note is quite satisfactory. Karen was our Aussie instructor, native of Perth, WA. Even if she was an astute environmentalist, a champion swimmer, blonde and understanding and funny and australian...she can't write very well. At least i had one up on her. After a come to peace with yourself kinda trip, i really shouldn't admit that, but i feel honesty with oneself and others is your only pathway to peace.

If there was any rain besides the rain we were potentially flying into, i dont remember. I remember the heat inside that bus. I remember the heat always. I remember the frogs in the grass at camp while trying to pitch my mozzie and the take-away after the food ID. I remember Kevin talking about the difference between a bag of white powder (flour) and a bag of white powder (powdered milk). This makes me remember about 2 months down the line when i put parm cheese in my hot coco...actually wasn't bad...but that's what the field does to you.
I remember that mall cafe and being in love with Eric Vose, the astrologist with the shaggy hair. I remember seeing him and Betsy at the airport in Sydney. You could tell they were with NOLS and so could they. Because i was too stubborn and too scared to make the first move. He was reading Atlas Shrugged and i spouted off some line steve once told me about her being a femi-nazie becauase i wanted to sound smart. He later brought up another of her books and i believe i asked who ayn rand was or something of the like. Own what you say. Either way, i feel, i dont think and he was something mystical, something i missed and something not many of the other students had.
I remember Keely and Brad buying and wearing matching khaki shorts and blue button down outerwear....something of Keely's doing. Everyone wants a little love i suppose. After about 6 weeks being out in the field she slept with him. Very unsanitary if you ask me.