Day 3 - OMG. God is a Bro'

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This morning is essentially a repeat performance of yesterday morning. The boys' tents were surrounded by a medieval moat, thanks to their trench digging efforts yesterday. The boys and I still managed to remain dry but the ends of their sleeping bags and mattresses were wet again so we spend the morning drying all the gear. Whilst eating breakfast at the camp kitchen, I met God. I didn't recognise him at first with wearing a beanie and tracksuit pants and busy emptying the bins. He seeks shelter in the kitchen also. I actually start chatting to him about the weather, which is most unlike me with being a natural introvert. However, in an act of desperation I ask him, "Do you know what the forecast for next few days is because I don't have internet access on my phone? We're the only suckers in the whole park who are in a tent." Even God has problems as he was complaining to me he can't Skype his family back in New Zealand because the internet is down all over town. "Where are you camped then?" God asked. "Bay 68," I replied. "Oh that's no good, wait a minute, I think budget cabin number eight is free. If it is, are you interested in taking it as a free upgrade?". I thought, does a possum screach in the forest every night as I nodded profusely. OMG, God is disguised as a Bro'. "Just wait a minute and I'll go and find out" God said as he hurried off into the foggy mist. I gave up waiting for God to reappear and just as we were heading back to the tent, God yelled out, "it's vacant until Tuesday so move in and don't tell anyone".



Our fortunes have changed and we are in cabin number eight quicker than you can say "dry sleeping bags". Although it takes us even longer to get organised that it did yesterday. We had to dismantle the tents and wipe them down to get excess moisture off, which is no easy feat in the heavy precipitation, before dragging them inside and drying them one at a time on the lino floor using old towel to soak up the water. There was no bathroom in the budget cabin to do this. We have 3 days of drying so one tent per day should have it covered by the time we pack to leave. Once again, after my monotonous battle against mother nature, I am beat and it's still raining. Yesterday, Allen and Libby said the local bakery is a great place to hole up in this weather. They are right, a huge under cover area, nice and cosy warm and bulging at the seams with other campers seeking shelter and something to do. After we have our greasy fill of pies it is time to head down the Pemberton train station to catch the Pemberton Tramways tour which departs at 2pm. Our guide /driver gave us a safety lecture, because after all we do live in a Nanny State. None of us have any common sense as to when not to stand in a moving carriage when it is going 1km/hr or when not to stick your head out the side, so we aren't allowed to do any of this even when it is safe, despite the kids climbing a big arse tree completely unharmed just yesterday. He also educated us all on the history of the town and gave us interesting facts about the forest. It gets a little boring in the end, but I loved passing all of the quaint weatherboard logger cabins, going past the timber mill and back over The Cascades and as far as the Warren River and basically enjoying the majestic and enchanted Karri forest. We also had the opportunity to get out of the tram at The Casades and all the little kids and big ones got the chance to toot the train horn.





Karri is WA's tallest tree and one of the tallest hardwood trees in the world. The tree reaches its peak height within a hundred years. They begin their old growth phase at the ages of 100-150 years and survive to an average of 300 years old. The majority of old growth karri trees found in Western Australia are less than 200 years old. To sustain these old growth forests all stages of development must be managed. This is done by varying rotation ages and timber harvesting. The rotation age is set at 100 years but has recently been modified. Fifty percent of all karri forests regenerated after 1990 must be grown to maturity. There are over 55,000 hectares of old growth karri forests in conservation reserves which are excluded from harvesting. Sadly it was only recently as the beginning of the 21st century (2001) before the Western Australian State Government finally ended logging in all old-growth forests including these karri forests.



I treated the boys a break to my home cooked crappy 'easy' meals to dinner at the Pemberton Pub. So at about 7pm we drove down there to what is a very welcoming atmosphere. The fire is roaring, drinks are being poured, families are eating and friends are trying to talk above the noise of the crowd. Apparently, it is National Sibling Day and my two boys are oblivious and have had no qualms in both dressing like the Bobbsie Twins in their red checkered fleecy shirts. The irony of looking like little Lumber Jacks in a town renown for timber logging is lost on them. Since our cabin is 'budget' we still need to use the communal ablutions but we are closer to another block which had escaped my attention previously down in cattle class. These were 5 star luxury compared to the other one, with funky tiles and a flick master tap to boot. Best of all, any shower stall which has a minimum of three hooks is five star in my book. I prepare to commence my Mr Bean ritual of getting ready to have a shower. Wear thongs to prevent disgusting fungal growths which take years to disappear and never, I repeat never, let any part of your actual foot touch the floor. Go to end shower stall so you don't have to see everyone else's pubes float past. Stake your claim by putting your stuff in the stall and then go to the toilet first. Go back to chosen stall and hang toiletry bag from hook number 1, get out your shampoo and conditioner and put them within arm's reach of shower recess, then unzip top section and gently place spectacles in it. Retrieve from the shower 'bag' PJs or day's clothes and hang on hook number 2 first, get out underwear and hang on hook number 2 last (hook number 2 is the furtherest from the water source for obvious reasons. On hook number 3, place your towel. Undress and place all garments except smelly underwear into designated shower bag. Unzip empty section of toiletry bag and place dirty knickers in it and quickly zip up again, lest they work their way out again on your journey back to the cabin. Turn on tap, wait for hot water to kick in and then step into the recess. If there are no water restrictions then stay in there for several hours until caretaker comes knocking. I live in a place where there are constant restrictions and where the pressure is gravity fed, meaning I have to run around the shower just to get wet. This is total luxury. When completing ablutions, reach into shower bag for an old material placemat obtained from most opportunity shops. Place it on wet floor, the site where you will be getting dressed. Do not touch the floor with any part of your body. After toweling off most excess moisture off your body in recess, step onto placemat (it's not called a placemat for nothing) and then dry your feet. Gently put on your underwear, being careful not to get them wet, it's not a good look trying to put on wet undies. This is now where your One Thonged Shower Tango skills come in handy but the placemat is definitely designed to make life easier if you should lose your balance if you're old like me. Repeat previous step with outer pants and continue with top wear. Retrieve shampoo and conditioner and dry with towel before placing back in toilet bag. Wrap wet hair with towel. Find specs and put back on. Mop shower stall with provided mop and bucket to make presentable for next person. Put on raincoat and walk back to cabin in the rain. Get rotten with a bottle of port to help you sleep.

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Photos

Moat around Last Born's tent

Tourists on Tramway

Old Train at Pemberton Station