Stranded in Kununurra WA

Monday morning Nicholas rang the mechanic and they confirmed what we suspected, the drive belt was missing but so was a pulley and its bracket was bent. Too bad for us because we were carrying a spare belt but no pulley or bracket. Cost of parts $100, location of parts Melbourne! Tuesday was Melbourne Cup so unless the parts left Monday they may not arrive until next week. As it is best case is Friday if all the planets align for us. 

The beast and the piggy back to Kununurra. 

We were due to leave Kununurra Monday so RACV was helping us out with accommodation and a hire car until our car was fixed again. RACV Total Care has been brilliant. Well worth having, in fact unless you have it for such a trip, stay at home! Once you get up north where the air is hotter and drier than Melbourne, there is a huge added strain on the car. The cooling systems just cannot keep up. That is why car manufacturers go to the Northern Territory to test new models this time of year. 

On the up side we now have several more days to explore Kununurra but not everyone sees it that way. Monday was spent organising spare parts for the car, which were eventually located in Melbourne. Once confirmed that the parts needed to be shipped in RACV organised a hire car for us for Tuesday. 

Nicholas making use of the extra time in Kununurra!

Tuesday was Melbourne Cup Day and how it was celebrated out here almost 3950km by road from the actual event! So many of the ladies in town dressed up in their finery. Even in 42 degree heat the ladies in their dresses didn't look like wilting. We all went to the Grand Hotel to watch the race. 

The girls enjoying a raspberry lemonade and holding up their sweep tickets before the big race.

Wednesday was a drive to Grotto on the road to Wyndham. The Grotto is a gorge at the bottom of a waterfall. The pool is large and deep and quite shadey. Unfortunately there is no water flow this time of year and the water was looking particularly green. There was much discussion as to the shade of green, somewhere between olive, kaki and mucus. We didn't swim for that reason but had a fabulous picnic in the cool at the bottom of the gorge. We climbed back up the 140 steps and back to the car park to swim at Kimberley Land. 

The Grotto with grotto green water and our chosen picnic spot. 

The frog that didn't make it in the Grotto. 

Chelsea laughing at something at the Grotto. 

Thursday morning we all visited Kununurra Library. The library is shared between the town and the school. While we were there several classes were having student presentations. It was amusing to hear teachers telling students to sit down, stop fidgeting and threatening students with removal from class. Like Nicholas was back at school. 

Drop off zone out side the library and school. We think they were only wanting people to kiss their own children. 

Our girls did some Mathletics, wrote a book review of a book that they each read at the library and then had some free iPad time. Nicholas worked on our itinerary to get us to Perth before Christmas and even planed some Christmas activities in Perth. Angela played governess to three young students. Before lunch the girls started complaining of being cold. Yes cold, not bored, hungry or hot! The library was pretty cool inside, temperature wise that is. 

We took the girls out to thaw out and to visit a nearby art gallery, before going to Kimberley cafe for lunch as was the vote today. With all the work that had been done the girls deserved a meal out and then another swim at Kimberley Land. 

The girls busy playing at The Kimberley Cafe while waiting for lunch to arrive.

Whilst in the pool Nicholas received an unexpected phone call, our car was ready. Hooray! Another quick vote and we would leave Kununurra tomorrow after a swim at the beach.