The day it all went pear shaped... stuck in the middle of GAFA

I had only just finished writing my previous blog entry when disaster struck. One of the wheels on our caravan somehow fell off and our 4wd ended up towing a lopsided van about 1 km down the road until we stopped... right in the middle of no where, or GAFA, as Ben likes to call it.

Funny thing is that Ben has been talking about seeing 'GAFA' or excitedly pointing it out for the last 500 or so kms. Thinking he was probably referring to some kind of weed or species of grass I would nod my head knowingly and make interested noises not really caring too much about finding out what he meant.

Well I found out today... GAFA stands for Great Australian F*¤¥ All. Charming isn't it??? Yes as far as the eye could see there was nothing. Thankfully my mum drives slower than Ben so she was able to pull up behind us and take two of the kids with her while she went to get help. The rest of our group were way ahead.

We had already had to stop once because something or other had happened to our anderson plug (not sure what that is but I am quite pleased that it is broken because it means that for the next few nights we will require a powered site and therefore will get to stay somewhere semi decent).

It takes a lot to rattle Ben and I (actually I take that back, it only takes a shower with a curly whirly in it to rattle me) so the two of us calmly went about business. Ben jacked up the caravan ready for when help arrived and I busied myself doing schoolwork with Kylah on a picnic mat.

Eventually help arrived and we have managed to get our caravan to the walkabout hotel in Makinlay. Yes it is THE walkabout hotel, as featured in the movie crocodile dundee. It is quite nice here. Although after our disastrous stay in Winton anything seems nice. There is one small problem and that is that there seems to be a bit of a rat plague here and they were running around everywhere. Kristy saw one outside her van tonight and I'm quite sure her screams could be heard all over the GAFA.

After we had all the kids in bed mum offered to mind them so Kris, James, Ben and I could go to the pub (we were camped out the back). I think we all needed a few drinks after or rough day.

Sitting in the pub drinking vodkas Kris and I looked at each other and shook our heads. What were we thinking??? A 6 week trip!!! It hasn't even been one week and we are all sick of dust, red dirt, driving, whinging kids and fixing things. 4 days into our journey and we have had tyre problems, battery problems, fridge problems, toilet problems and the entire group has coughs and sore throats.

Tomorrow Ben and I have to spend the day in Cloncurry getting new tyres and wheels for the van then we are heading to mt isa in the afternoon. I have heard that there is a lorna jane in mt isa so I might buy myself some new flash dance pants. I don't have them in the camouflage pattern yet....

xx