For this trip visit my FB page Ian Russell McEwen
It is our first visit to Arnhem land a unique part of Australia controlled by the original Australians . A largely undeveloped land with a checkered history with many language groups .
They initially traded with the Indonesions to the north and were poorly treated by the early white settlers here and influenced by Missionaries who set up stations all across the Country .Most of these have now been taken over by gov agencies and support in the areas of health and education .
Debbie our eldest Daughter ids managing a med clinic in the North at a place called Gapawijak and Karin our other Daughter is teaching a place called Ngukurr in the southern region.
During white settlement they locals fought hard to keep their land and they were eventually successful in that and now have control of the whole area.
Alison with Some thoughts = 8th July Ian and Alison have been travelling again ! This time as far north as you can go – the Gove Peninsular, with caravan in tow. Eleven days to reach the `ends of the earth’ – Gapuwiyak. While travelling the 3 thousand kms they listened to talking books, first Byrce Courtney’s Song of Solomon and then Outback Nurses’ stories. One paramedic told of an incident he attended – a grey nomad who had a stroke. He inferred this misfortune was caused by the tension of husband and wife living and travelling together in such close quarters, day after day!!!!. Really that would not happen to our intrepid travellers – never? On second thoughts, it did get strained on the odd occasion. They swore they would never take the caravan off the bitumen again – left it at Mataranka to travel the 8 hours out to Gapuwiyak to see No 1 daughter but No 2 daughter said on the way to Ngukurra on the Central Arnhem Land Highway there was only 30 km of gravel. Ok, they will travel slowly! Off they went, while still on the bitumen an urgent call of nature required a stop. Open door of caravan and `Oh no!’ – `he who must be obeyed’ had not shut the fridge door with a click. There on the floor in a neat pile was a full tub of yoghurt and next to it running along the floor was the lovely homemade pea soup that was going to be shared with No 2 daughter. A quick clean up and off again, onto the gravel with kms of corrugations. The 30km stretched into 80! We arrived to a lovely welcome from No 2 daughter and opened the door – mixed into the pea soup and yoghurt remains was an inch of dust – broken glasses and dishes. Even the washing jumped out of the handbasin – being the upper unmentionables, it did look very funny. Damage did include electric mechanisms on the caravan. Of course, then there was the return crossing of the dreaded corrugations. On arrival in the metropolis of Cairns, it was noticeable that the ute and caravan unit was the dirtiest in the immaculate kept Park with its meticulous residents and their spotless caravans and vehicles! Quick wash didn’t quite cut it, so `she who must be obeyed’ got out with bucket and cloth to the comment of passer-byes – what’s your old man doing? – `not into housework’ was the reply. However, it must be said his skill set is into taking `she who must be obeyed’ to the ends of the earth and fixing the mechanical damage along the way. An abhorrence of our travellers is huge supermarkets! With miles of isles where you can’t find what you want, `she who must be obeyed’ was on the run trying to shop while her companion was pushing the trolley at half the pace mainly because he could not keep up and wanted to sit down and no seat in sight! ` just buy it’ `have you got the cheese’ `hurry up’. This stress was nothing on the desire to visit the open market with its promise of tropical fruits and vegies. But where is it? oh dear, he has been made to walk two blocks more than necessary. Arrive and people and stalls are squashed in and he freaks out – `I’ll get the ute, you shop, I’ll double park, you jump in’ Excuse me, I want to enjoy the ambience of the scene and experience browsing items for sale, some of which were new and had never been seen before. Please find something to eat and sit down. Which is what happened, even buying spinach and cheese pastry from a vegan stall!!!! A first from the dyed in the wool meat eaters. – makes you feel you are a cannibal. As for the Chemist Warehouse! `he who must be obeyed’ had never seen isle after isle filled with vitamins and minerals of all quantities and packaged sizes. `This is garbage!!!!!’ was his considered scientific opinion. `I know, but get the calculator out’ was the reply. Note the numbers in the containers, divide into the cost, how many grams in the tablet? – all to get the best value. Buying magnesium was considered essential as springing from a deep sleep to the cold floor in a leap to be admired by an Olympic high jumper to relieve leg cramp is not `garbage’ . Telling everyone met on the way that the crocodile (in accompanying photo) was on the payroll of Daintree River Cruises just because the gaping tourists rudely followed his swim up the river and his cumbersome climb out onto the sandbank for his afternoon nap, must be the most cynical comment `he who must be obeyed’ has come up with!!!!! Three weeks to go! What next? Alison McEwen
McEwen Farming and Family Stuff 