One problem with coming into town is that all the radio stations and other electronic transmissions interfere with our ability to pick up the World Service on our short wave radio. As in Europe, the BBC have stopped transmitting on SW in Australia as they assume that everyone has access to it on the internet, via satellite TV or can listen in on a local FM broadcast. Unfortunately, we can do none of those things, but have been picking it up on SW in the morning (presumably from SE Asia). There’s nothing quite as reassuring as being 500km from the nearest town and hearing the BBC report on how the Tory/Lib Dem coalition is doing, or the latest on the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, how England was knocked out of the World Cup by Germany (again) or the Wimbledon results. Instead we now have to suffer cheesy Australian country music over breakfast or local phone in shows, and Anne really hates it when the general public are allowed on air.
When carrying out a vehicle check I discovered the rear wheel bearings required a tweak which will be their last, as Ben warned us that we’ll need to replace them after one final adjustment. Replacing the bearings is a bigger job, but we have spares so it’s just a question of when and where. Other than that the Land Rover seems to be holding up, although a couple of days on tarmac will be a nice change as you tend to worry about what is happening to the vehicle as you hit each and every bump on the rough stuff. A prolonged jet wash then had the Land Rover looking its proper shade of sandglow yellow again, rather than as if something had been slaughtered over the bonnet.
As we were doing are routine chores of shopping, banking, internet, visiting the Post Office, etc. in town, we called into the Ngurratjuta Iltja Ntjarra art centre. The centre is aboriginal owned and was set up to support Arundu artists, providing them with a place to paint, share and learn, as well as a quiet sanctuary away from their homes and families. Several artists were painting when we visited, and it was the first positive side to Aboriginal culture that we had witnessed. Suffice to say we came away with a painting, but only one.
An amazing sunset made the clouds glow orange and purple before the evening freeze set in. Anne would like to add that she’s sorry to keep bleating on about the weather, but in the space of three days we moved from 35oC to 15oC during the day and from 25oC to 5oC at night, so it’s a bit of a shock! However that will be the last she comments on it. Probably. SPOT
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