Lake Argyle

 

This is totally not where we expected to be just yet! Darwin suddenly announced they were going into lockdown and we made a snap decision to leave and drive as quickly as possible to get across the border into Western Australia.  

And here we find ourselves quarantining in Lake Argyle. It's unexpected blessing. Really!  Not everyone has been so lucky. And this place! We can rest here. We spend hours trying to arrange Coles delivery from an hour away and the Kununurra hospital turns us away without a Covid test telling us to return on day 11. There's very minimal guideline from the WA police and what we do receive is contradictory.  We are left scratching our heads as to how best to quarantine.

The caravan park generously agree to let us stay and allocates us a premium location with a view tucked away at the back of the park.  Our own private garden lined with frangipani, pandanus and a shady towering fig. We introduce ourselves to a brazenly vocal bird (we're clearly on her patch) and later discover her nesting place containing a single egg and decorated with an eclectic collection of silver objects.  A colourblind bowerbird perhaps? I'm clearly no twitcher. Still, she is to be our only new friend for the duration. 

We feel blessed to be here.  My parents hesitated too long and got caught in Darwin for the lockdown and others were turned away at the border.  I pull out my yoga mat for the first time.  I learn to slow and find shade and have cool showers.  We look longingly at the infinity pool but we can drink the view behind it!  

We squeeze the four of us onto our kayak to explore a section of the lake and take refreshing dips with crocodiles. We spot rock wallabies perched in caves on high cliffs above as we paddle.  They watch us bemused and wary. 

The kids and husband spend hours fishing with mixed success.  We make paper bunting to celebrate little one's seventh birthday and she eventually adjusts to the idea of a party without friends.  We reattempt some school work with limited enthusiasm from the learners. We wash red dirt from the Ute and cut hair in the shade.  It's sunny and warm each day.  This is more than fine with me.  Here's to keeping the joy when the itinerary changes. 

View from my travelling window.  Lake Argyle.