It’s our second Monday in Minyerri
and I’ve developed my typical Minyerri cold. In the booger department, however,
I still don’t hold a slimy green candle to some of the kids’ creations.
Fortunately the construction of the intensely chlorinated Minyerri Water Park
has seen a great decrease in snotty noses and ear infections amongst the kids. Mucus
aside, it feels great to be back in Minyerri and I’m already dreading leaving
in two weeks.
At the weekend of the first busy
week of activities, a blur for me and I can’t imagine how stunning it must have
been for the new Activity Leaders, we were taken out on country by Mary, Hilda
and Edith. We drove out of Minyerri on Saturday morning with two troopies full
of kids, fishing reels, 3 kilos of frozen prawns ($20 a kilo at the top shop),
damper ingredients and Mary’s beautifully chubby baby granddaughter Emmalita,
who was everyone’s favourite passenger. There were two detours en route to the
fishing spot, first via an outstation to ask permission from the elders whose
country we would be entering and then via a mining homestead for permission to
use their roads.
Once we arrived at the fishing spot we set up camp and spread
out along the big shady riverbank to fish. Rita and I chose what appeared to us
to be a great fishing spot, I particularly liked it because it looked like it
would be a difficult piece of bank for a saltwater crocodile to launch itself
onto. With one eye out for crocs we enlisted the help of ten year old Johanen
to show us the ropes of fishing Minyerri style. With Johanen’s gentle skill I slowly
learnt how to cast a line and reel in a bite. Eventually I caught a catfish
completely on my own! Throughout the day my Swiss army knife was finally put to
real use in the putting fish out of their waterless misery and cutting fishing
line but not for gutting – the guts are the tasty bits! After a delicious lunch
of catfish and damper, we spread out sleepily under a tree whilst Hilda roasted
her two turtles, which dripped with fat, and the kids played catch with a
coconut. We were cooled down by intermittent rain and apart from Gunners and
Rita, our fabulous drivers, we were lulled to sleep by the troopie ride home,
arriving home just before dark.
Sunday was a lazy day and left us
well rested for the exciting activities we ran today. Highlights which include
the kids requesting Morgan (dubbed Megamind by Tyrone) to ‘booty shake’ and
Lorenzo wearing Tash’s pointe shoes during her dance activity. I’m looking forward to the rest of the week
and know we have lots of fun in store for the kids.
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