A visitor from the south

Joel came to Balgo for a visit.  It was great to see him and have him meet my kids.  He enjoyed some construction with the kids during Free Time Friday.


Joel helped with the alphabet flip cards.  Some of the children are still learning the letter sounds and names.

The perfect activity for the budding architect.  We were building a house after we spent the week reading 'The House that Jack Built'



The kids were sad that Joel was leaving!!!!



We made a trip out to the Rock Art.  This is well off the tourist tracks.....and in need of a decent grade!!






We ventured out close to sunset to seek the cool, but it was still over 35....phewwww
No snakes to be seen which was a bonus.
The rock art has not been dated as yet!



We headed out to the lookout for a cookout!  Joel learnt how to prepare a kangaroo tail.



I dare say Joel will not be putting kangaroo tail on his list of favourites.  As the locals ate with gusto, Joel secretly hid his in the dark!!




Before the Kangaroo tail, Gracie made some yummy damper.  Adding a bit of honey really hits the spot.




Standing on the edge of the lookout.  Nothing to see for a long long way.



We went an hour down the Tanami Track to Billiluna where there was a Football and Basketball carnival.
Balgo had a couple of teams and we enjoyed watching the skillful play.  They waited until the heat of the day before playing.  It was over 40 degrees.  Not sure how they do this, let along doing it on stones with no shoes!
Joel is with Alfie in this picture.

The boys in the distance were waiting for an interchange.



Just some of the local wildlife, but unfortunately for this Black Head Python, the community love to eat them.  This one did the rounds of the classrooms before ending up on a dinner table




I did a run to Mulan with a couple of the ladies to pick up some meat!!!  Of course I didn't know this was going to be my cargo.  I thought we were collecting seeds for necklace making!!
One of the family members killed a cow the night before and this leg was cut off and put into my car....ewwwww!!
The trip to Mulan took 45 minutes on a really corrugated road.  My poor car is being shaken to pieces.




Part of the curriculum is to take the children out into their country.  This is 'Big Dam'.  One of the elders told the children some stories of this dam.  We also went to a Dreaming site where the girls were warned not to touch the rocks or they would have too many babies!!




Joel and I went an hour and half down the Tanami to Wolfe Creek.  Of course we had to stop at the corner of our access road to take the obligatory  pink troopy photo.




Wolfe Creek, where we didn't see any crazy murderers!!!.  Neither Joel or I have watched the film.  
Two weeks ago our staff went out here and camped overnight......just a little scary!!




Wolfe Creek Crater.  It's enormous!!




On the way back from Wolfe Creek Crater we stopped at the 'Bra Tree'.  Joel threw his bra up there too!!




We ran a Halloween Disco.  The kids love to do the limbo.








The kids made some scary masks for Halloween.





Our class made little wrist spiders!




I still can't believe how lucky we are to have this amazing swimming pool.



This is a photo of one of the many 'Willi Willi's' that we see out here.  This was a big one and it went around the pool fence.  The kids were screaming because I believe the locals say it has bad spirits if one passes through you.




This is my resident lizard.  It pops out in different parts of my classroom.  Today it was in my store room.  I also have one in my house.




Teeth brushing time.  We do it straight after Mangarri (lunch).



The kids sit down to a hot lunch 4 days a week.  We watch Mr Bean while they eat.


Joel had great intentions to run every day, but with the temperature at 40 or above, he was only able to run once.  I drove behind with water!!!









Just another sunset!





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