Mitchell River National Park

Early on in my Australia travels, I started writing down my top three moments at the end of each day, a habit I picked up from my Otesha friend, Libby.

Here are a few of the daily highlights from the past two months: driving up the west coast for 2.5 weeks with my friend, Jean. And 5 weeks of quolling around at Mitchell River National Park.

25 Aug.: 1- Zebra finches, a huge flock of them. At the Mullewa ‘waterfall.’
2- Mr. Roboto dance on side of the road (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxGizBmcmpo) and (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCbvarEidso)

26 Aug: Snorkeling at Ningaloo Marine Park. Fshhhh!

29 Aug: ½ nudie ocean swim. Beach all to myself. Dancing in the sand.

31 Aug: 1-Swimming in Jubura Pool. Dunking my head under. Refreshing after hiking in the heat.
2- Weebills. XOXOXO Flutter like hummingbirds.

2 Sept: Making it out of Hancock Gorge and the spider crawl area alive.
3 Sept: Tooting at bicycle tourist on highway towards Port Hedland. His big wave and grin. Yay.

4 Sept: Hitch-hiking to the Broome Bird Observatory
6 Sept: 1- Shorebirds in flight. Wow. Hundreds, maybe thousands, sitting on beach. Watching tide come in. Flock of gulls, terns (4-5 species), and black winged stilts. Mangroves getting covered by turquoise water. Red cliffs in the distance.
2- “dinner” with jean. Mud/caramel cake dessert.

7 Sept: Mango smoothie and ½ price chocolate muffin, sitting in café writing Libby a letter as the café closed. Felt like a refuge from Kununurra.

8 Sept: “So, In the last 5 years since graduating Uni, I’ve been working different field jobs, traveling, and doing other random things.” -Kelsey
“So, in other words, that’s a very pleasant way of saying you’ve been bumming around for the past 5 years?” –Richard, Annette’s other field tech.

9 Sept: Heat delirium at Mitchell River National Park…while it was still funny.

10 Sept: 1- Last night’s shooting stars.
2- sunset
3- watching my first quoll run away.


Sept: Mango fruit pop. Brought by Ranger John. After nap on floor of hut. After radio tracking de quolls.

15 Sept: Talking to WombatsRus on phone. I like her a lot.16 Sept: Annette cutting my hair. “This will be interestingggg…” 2 mins later, “hmm, these scissors are hacking more than cutting.” But she did a good job nonetheless. The mullet tail is gone!

17 Sept: 1-Dingo poop by Annette’s bed. Hehe.
2- Ranger John dancing like an Egyptian at the end of “Slum Dog Millionaire.”
3-DeAR RanGEr JohhhN. I savE yoU oNE PEECE cAKE. I’m SmArT!! AnD NIcE! LuV, QUoLL18 Sept: 1- Dance hall dance hall every day dance for Annette.
2 – Dancing to Old Crow Medicine Show before leaving for Heliwork BBQ. “Are you two ready now?” –John
3- “Noddy’s a show pony today.” –Annette

19 Sept: 1- Looking at massive amount of stars at Surveyor’s Pool. Talking to Bryn about: our families, pot/alcohol, random stories.
2- Journaling on my own for an hour. Poems. Good thing cause I thought I was going to lose my head from moodiness/heat irritability/etc.

21 Sept: 1- Freshwater crocodile sighting. While sitting and feeding bread to the fish by the Heliworks part of the creek.
2- Bryn saying, “I’ve got a new weapon for you.” “To give me or use on me?” “Use on you of course.” Then, when I was leaving, I went into the kitchen as he was making dinner and said, “So. Where’s your weapon?” “Oh yeah!” and he turned to the sink. That was enough to send me sprinting out the door. I was a good 10-15 feet ahead of him and he still got my back soaked. “The water bottle classic! Lid with a hole in it!” Plus one for Bryn in the MRNP weapon war. That 30 seconds of glee made my day. And got me out of my heat/internet induced funk.

22 Sept: 1- Suflur-crested cockatoo that flew to the tree right behind where I was having my snack. So beautiful! Even though they are everywhere in OZ practically, they are still one of my favorites.
2- Collecting Annette after she walked 6km to find CH. 16. Long day in the field today!
3- Napping, not sleeping though, under the fan. I imagined Pete coming to the doorway and me motioning, ‘come here.’ And giving/getting a giant cuddle. I just want a giant cuddle.

24 Sept: 1- Pete splashing/squirting me in kiddie pool. Feeling cool. Practicing our crocodile stealth tactics.
2- “Are you sure you don’t want a milo? Even if I twist your arm?” –John. Putting my arm out, “Okay, twist my arm?” Mmm, milo.
3 – Moon in the sky tonight.

27 Sept: 1-Mitchell Falls hike. Sitting at Little Merten’s after sunset. So many birds. Beautiful and peaceful, except for damned flies.
2- “How was your hike today? Hot?” -Paul. “I sat in the shade by the lagoon until it cooled off.” -Kelsey “Lagoon?” -Paul “Yeah….what? oh you don’t call it a lagoon?” -Kelsey “No, a lagoon is at the edge of a sea.” -Paul
3- Tim tams! In tea. After napping. “She’s so sweet when she just wakes up, isn’t she?” -Annette

29 Sept: Frogs on toilet seat.

30 Sept: Talking to Mr. Ew Sheep on telephone. I love my Be.
2 Oct: John pretending to be a quoll with buck teeth. Crawling up to the trap and scratching on the sides.

4 Oct: 1- “You’ve got to see the dingo poo I got today. It’s a ripper!” –Annette
“I’ve got to process those poos!” -Annette
2- mom/dad phone call
3- Driving home from Yalgie site after 7pm. Tree snake, owlet nightjars, bats, bandicoot, massive grasshoppers…all darting into the road causing Annette to swerve and or slam on breaks.

6 Oct: “So did you go out howling at the moon last night or what? It sounded like a baby elephant on the steps.” -Annette

7 Oct: Sitting in doorway and our friendly quoll, on the wood 5 feet from me. On his hind legs, waving like Spike. Sizing me up, reconsidering, scampering away.

8 Oct: 1- Morning yoga. Sun. Birds. Chanting.
2- Aboriginal art site at little Merten’s. Crawling around rocks barefoot. Quolls and eagles and swimming.
3- Pete pushing me in the heliwork swimming pool when I went to splash water on my arms.

13 Oct: 1- Aboriginal Art exploration with John and Annette. Dancing bradshaws. Special cave dwellings. Little boy at Kununurra backpackers running past me four times.
First time: He waves, I wave back.
Second time: He waves, I wave back. Smiling.
Third time: “I’m Tom!” “I’m Kelsey.” “Hi Kelsey! We’re playing hide ‘n seek!”Fourth time: “Hi again!” A still hand in the air.