Secret Women's Business

Today I went on what was meant to be a hunting trip with some of the local women, but turned into a picnic around a creek while the kids went for a swim and threw mud at me!

Brother Michael came by the house with a troupie full of women and kids and asked if I wanted to go out for the arvo. At first I was a bit hesitant because I felt incredibly car sick on yesterdays trip, but MJ promised to let me ride shotgun so I was off! I crammed myself next to Iva in the front seat and headed out past Mulin, about an hours drive out of Balgo and towards a place called Handover near Lake Gregory. Handover was one of the first places in Australia where land was given back to the Aboriginal people, and therefore has great cultural significance.

Iva was hunting snake and goanna, but after declaring the first stop had nothing, we headed over to a place called the Water Hole. However, after a fair bit of rain last night, Brother Michael declared the roads were too wet and difficult to navigate, so we turned around to Mulin. Passing by a creek, the children screamed with delight when they saw a large bit of fresh water so we stopped there for a few hours to let them swim. The ladies set up a picnic and when the fire was lit, cooked fresh damper, tea and soup. There's something amazing about your first bush meal; mine was amazing!

The kids were really disappointed to hear that I would not be swimming with them, so after putting up with their cries for too long, took off my shoes and waded in until the water hit my knees. However this was not good enough for them so they pursued me out of the creek with some well thrown mud balls. I am still caked with it and have no idea if the red dirt will get out of my clothes! Oh well. But the kids did not stop, throwing my shoes and socks into the creek laughing as they did so. Only a stern talk from Brother Michael stopped them!

We headed back to Balgo stopping by the famous Armchair ant hill. I really wish I brought my camera because it really is a sight to see. Poking out through the Spinifex grass is a huge ant hill in the size of an armchair! Luckily it's on the main road so I'll definitely get a picture next time I head out. We also stopped by Dingo Springs which offered views of the old Balgo site and the Balgo Mission. Iva was great to sit next to, as she gave me the best insight to the countryside.

It was truly an amazing and eye opening day! And one I got to make the boys jealous about, because being men, they weren't allowed out, with the exception of our fabulous driver Brother Michael.