The secret life of caravaners.

Three and a half weeks into this trip I would have to say that for me the strangest part of caravan living is the intimacy you share with your neighbours.

On our farm in Daylesford, if I were to go outside and scream as loudly as I could, no one would hear me. Yet here we are usually a couple of meters away from another van, sharing bathrooms, and washing machines and outdoor living spaces with perfect strangers.

In my real life my best friends have never seen me first thing in the morning before I have had a chance to look in the mirror, or last thing at night brushing my teeth and washing my face. Yet my caravan neighbours have had the pleasure of witnessing these things as well as my dash to the toilet in my jammy pants first thing in the morning, they have heard me discipline my kids, they have seen us cook and eat our meals and hang out our washing. If they cared these neighbours could see from our laundry what colour knickers I wear.

I am sure most caravaners don't care or notice. They go about the details of their own lives and leave others to do the same.

I notice though.

I see the woman in the kitchen area with her pin curlers in. I see that most people hang their washing in an orderly manner, socks in pairs, tops with tops, pants with pants. I see that most people don't care about being seen in their hot pink elephant jammies or dying their hair in the sink. I hear people planning their trips and menus and dividing up the chores. I see the old man waiting patiently for his wife ouside the ladies toilets very late at night.

I love these details of other people's caravan lives.

My family voted me craziest in the family for taking these pics, but truthfully this aspect is as important to me as the tourist sights. This is caravan living.

Over time I might care less and notice less. It might feel normal when the guy next door interrupts my bowl of cereal to ask if we think the petrol will be cheaper in Mataranka or Katherine. It might not feel like an invasion when I return to the communal laundry to find mine out of the washer and dumped on the nearest table. It might feel regular to hear other people's kids crying well into the night.

In the meantime I guess the saving grace is that within a few days we will all be moving on and be strangers all over again.

This is such fun!

Happy travels.

xx

mataranka then & now.

The last time we were here at Mataranka was 13 years ago. We had no kids, we drove a combi, I wore toe rings, Indian dresses and child sized t'shirts and he had long dread locks right down his back.

I remember the look of the car park, I remember the smell of the forest and I remember walking straight past all the tourists bobbing around in the main thermal springs pool and hiking until we ended up all alone in a quiet swimming hole further up river.

I remember stripping our clothes off and spending hours alternating between swimming in the spring water and laying on the banks watching the turtles and the little fishies swimming below.

It was calm, we were at peace.

I remember being completely mesmerised by the turtles. They would swim around in the water and then paddle up for gulps of air.

It was like our own private oasis.

On Tuesday we returned to Mataranka. This time with three children, grown up sized bathers and high hopes for wondrous experiences swimming in the springs and admiring the wild life.

Friends had told us that our entire trip would make sense when we got to Mataranka. After a few weeks in the red, dusty desert we could hardly wait.

This time we saw the tourists in the first hole and made a quick decision to hike to the second. One and a half hot kilometers later we arrived at the second.

This time the pool was full and the current moving in and out of it was fast. This time we were terrified of crocs and the sludginess of the bank made peering into the water almost impossible. This time there was a couple fishing off the bank despite the fact that the sign said not to. This time we dipped our feet in, splashed water on our faces and headed back to the first.

This time, all grown up with a family of our own, the first touristy pool was/is perfect. Warm and safe and fun. This time we've spent hours in there swimming and chatting and bobbing around with the other couples and families and kids.

This time the family of seven in matching speedos, the couple who have been here 13 times in the last 23 years, the woman with the pearl encrusted head band, the teachers from Ballarat, the couple with the birthday three year old, the girls with M names and all the other people we've met have all added to our experience. We've shared memories, travel stories and tips, birthday celebrations and a good laugh.

And the turtles.

Last night, a bit after bed time, Indi and Jazzy and I turned on our torches and went into the bush to find the river. We were absolutely terrified and squeezed each other tightly, threatening to go turn back right until the end. But then we shone our torches on the water just below us and had the best show we've ever seen. Families of turtles of all shapes and sizes swimming around, paddling up for air and performing.

It was incredible. And we were all alone.

We all agreed, turtles are our favourite animal.

We are loving it here. It is hot, there are kangaroos and peacocks roaming around and there is a heated spring fed pool at the edge of the park. Every time we tell a story about last time the girls laugh and ask if we were naked. We've just booked for another two nights.

Mataranka is different this time, but then so are we.

People in my neighbourhood.

A guy I met this morning asked me why all these kids aren't at school? They are at school, I replied, the school of life! Fair enough he said, I was worried but I guess they were better behaved than some of the adults around here last night.

This morning we met a couple with two kids, a nine year old boy and a seven year old girl. Both were born on the same date two years apart. November 15th. Our Indi's birthday too.

This morning we met an Irish guy on a one year working visa working at a bar in the middle of nowhere for twelve weeks. He really enjoyed the work and said the bosses treated the staff very well.

Another guy we met this morning was filling up a big, plastic tub with soapy water. He was going to chuck the family's dirty laundry in and let the agitation of the drive to the next caravan park wash it clean for them. I love this simple idea and probably should consider doing the same, but the convenience of three dollars for a washing machine at the next caravan park wins every time.

This morning two guys on camping chairs sat outside their caravan and watched as Bren reversed our van into it's spot. Occasionally they yelled out comments at us. About three hours later we sat on our camping chairs outside our caravan eating sandwiches and watching a guy reverse his caravan into it's spot. It was hard at times, but we didn't call out any comments at all.

This afternoon we met a couple who had poured talcum powder on every part of their caravan that touched the ground so the ants don't climb up inside. I wonder if it'll work.

This afternoon, I heard a woman tell her husband off over and over and over for how he was parenting their children. I'm certain that after a while he stopped listening to her, the same way she accused him of saying the same thing over and over and the kids not listening to him. Get in the car! Get in the car! Stop repeating yourself! Stop repeating yourself!

This afternoon a man in a cap walked past the spot where I was giving Farmer Bren a number two haircut. I offered to cut his hair next but he said he'd been done too recently.

This afternoon we saw a couple fishing in a water hole where there was a sign that read No Fishing! So not cool. Indi was most upset and really wanted to tell them off, but I thought it was safer to leave.

This evening the girls met and danced with a little girl called Jamie Lea. Jamie Lea lives here in Mataranka and goes to the local primary school. She showed us her t'shirt with the school name on it to prove it. She gets to swim in the thermal springs sometimes, but not all the time. My girls thought it was a bit odd that Jamie Lea lives where they are on holidays. I guess they don't remember that it happens all the time in reverse in their town in Daylesford.

I think if you had met me today you would probably think I was a happy, present, attentive, interested Mother. Except for that bit when I got cross with my middle child for constantly complaining about everything.

All pics in this post were taken at The Devils Marbles, NT.

The last pic was taken just after two enormous road trains drove up to the peaceful scene. The drivers jumped out and marched towards us. I was certain they were going to tell us we had to leave so they could do road works or something, but instead they got out their cameras and started snapping photos of the amazing view. You can see them there on top of one of the trucks getting a better view.

And finally, a HUGE thank you for all your kind and helpful comments on my last post. I needed to write that post to get it out and I needed to read your words of wisdom. I am having internet issues so visiting and commenting and emailing have been difficult but I read and considered and loved every one.

I do hope everything is sunshiney in your world.

Bye. xx