Lake Argyle Arrival...

A brilliant drive from our campsite last night to Lake Argyle today. The changes in scenery and “lay

of the land” we have witnessed across 2 states, & now into the beginning of another over a month

and a half has been nothing less than spectacular, but now we are where we want to be….in the

west & we love it here….

For me it was a monumentally inspiring drive into Lake Argyle, the mountain ranges and the colours

of the land were just out of this world. I found myself veering over the white lines on a

number of occasions but Nat was quick to bring me back to Earth…. We arrived at the caravan park,

inhabited by many humans and we set up camp.

We sat down and had a drink afterward and watched a massive RV roll in from Geelong beside us

where the old bloke couldn’t see behind him. It was quite comical because he had 5 attempts at

getting this thing between a 20m gap and couldn’t get it…..One thing I am finding is that in

every caravan park there is that woman that thinks she knows it all, has been everywhere, and her

children are Olympic superstars - that sticks her big bloody nose into everything and tries to help

every time….so she did. The wife of the bloke that couldn’t see just stood there while this other

lady  steered him in….bloody funny. If it was Nat she would have told her to piss of!!!.... Needless to

say there hasn’t been much movement tonight from the Sheraton on wheels….

Soon after a bus came in with all the ‘Lake Cruisers’ on it, they all got off and a few of them

commented on “my outfit” and how good a setup it was (The Mann Vann/Prado that is) which is

nice because we did set it up quite well. Mind you this is coming from guys that drive V8 Sahara’s

towing $80k vans behind them, so for them to say we have got the goods is great, particularly when

we can go more places and be set up and packed up quicker than them…..:)

I was a bit pissed when they asked me for $50 per night to stay here, that was until I went and had a

swim in their pool which essentially is carved into the side of one of the mountains here and

overlooks the largest body of freshwater in the country….simply magnificent. Water planes

taking off and landing which reminded me of the old 80’s sitcom Fantasy Island “the Plane The

Plane” with the little midget dude…this is seriously a beautiful place to be….

Tomorrow we have plans to go and see the two lake lookouts, go for a swim in the crystal clear

waters of the lake, then to the play area at the base, followed by the Ord River to go fishing. I really

want to catch something, particularly for the boys as our luck has not been with us so far as a father

and sons team.’  That’s the stuff that will stick with them forever.

To conclude tonight, I came to the realisation with Nat after dinner (& after a couple of single barrel

Jack Daniels and cheap wines) that we are in the most unique of situations. Firstly, we get to see his

great country of ours close up at an age where we won’t struggle, and secondly that we get to

spend it with our boys at an age where they are so impressionable. They can be little arseholes

sometimes  but the reality is that we get to spend 6 months continuously with them 24/7, & we

don’t think that many people would ever get to do this with their kids. After one month we are all

settling in to living in a tent on wheels and we feel that after 6 months the family unit will be all the

better for it - not to mention the social aspect of exposing the boys to all of this at an age where

they are such sponges.

Bloody great I say….Why do people bank their long service leave and accrue holidays???? The old

analogy of working to live and not living to work rings true at present…..Fishing and playing

tomorrow…what will the poor people be doing????

Jase ….