We’d hoped to get further than Carnarvon but the drive out of Ningaloo Station took a little longer. We’ve got three days to get back to Perth so we don’t really have to push it too hard. Needing fresh food, Carnarvon was a perfect place to stop as it’s a large agricultural area.
We pulled into a caravan park for the night and it was a great night’s stay. The park was pretty empty so there was lots of space and the kind lady put us right next to the playground. Lulu was in heaven, a playground just 7 steps away from her van. Within seconds the kids were gone and playing.
I’d thought we might be free camping for these last two nights before getting home and having been on water rations in Ningaloo, plugging into mains water was awesome. I had plenty of washing and cleaning to catch up on and we were all feeling pretty crusty too.
On another stroke of luck Tuesday night was their famous spud night, all gluten free. It was too tempting to have the night off cooking. I bought tickets for everyone and without the need to cook got busy washing and cleaning. The spud night was delicious. It even turned into dinner and a show, when Charlotte and another girl put on a dance. Gold!
[Photo of spud night at the caravan park]
Thanks Carnarvon!
So here we are, last night on this epic adventure, last night in the van (for a while). How does it feel? Well it’s different for all of us.
Lulu is the easiest because she’s just happy to be wherever we are. So present and in the moment, just love little people for this example of how to live.
Georgia is so calm and controlled in her expression but is very much looking forward to being home. At times I’ve asked if she’d like to go home and end the trip but to my surprise the answer was no. But now we are so close, she is busting to get there. Have her own bed, where she won’t hit her head when she wakes in the morning or rolls over in the night, a place to put out her LOL’s and not have to pack them up because it’s too windy or someone needs to get into the bathroom, and see Grandma, Papa, Ruby and River.
With that said though she is quite clingy at the moment and worried about going back to school and not being with me all the time. There is definitely going to be an adjustment period for our introverted middle munchkin.
Charlotte is vocally and visibly out of sorts. For most of the trip she has wanted to come home and now we are coming home she doesn’t want to. Change is a challenge for dear Charlotte and her head is abuzz with this and that, she’s definitely finding it tough but with love and support she’ll get there, she and we will be exhausted but we’ll get there.
She has loved many elements of the trip, loves travel and adventure but I think one of the most amazing things is, she tells me she has a better sense of who she is and what she likes. I had hoped a time away from the complicated social setting of school may help her work out a few things about herself and it sounds like she may have gained that.
Ken and I are on the same page, we’ve loved it but we’ve had enough and are excited about what comes next. The travel, experiences, people, places, sights and delights, have been just awesome. We feel proud to have done it, made it happen and survived it. But make no mistake, as with all of life, there have been ups and downs, highs and lows, fights, arguments, harsh words and insightful awakenings and as the Genie in Aladdin says “All in an itty bitty living space”.
Deep gratitude for all of life’s gifts.