Coonalypyn

Looming up before us are the tall wheat silos of Coonalypyn. This visit we are not trying to find a caravan park or camping spot, then set up our camp and cook dinner for a family of four. Tonight we have a motel booked in Tanundra. All we have to do when we arrive is deposit our bags in our room and find a pub for dinner. However, old habits die hard and I still pride myself on being able to provide good food along the way. If we have some sort of misadventure and are stuck for any reason, I can always produce a meal. Packed away in the back of the Hyundai I have a box of 'standby food'. Rice, tinned beans, pasta and meat sauce. At the very least there is the makings for about four good meals. I've learnt that you never know what will happen when travelling and if well fed, life does not appear so grim and everyone copes much better. On the back seat of our Santa Fe are two carry bags. One contains a mixed variety of fruit. The other has travel snacks of nuts, dry biscuits, muesli bars, bottles of water etc. I call those bags my security blanket and just to see them jiggling along gives me a sense of security and well being. I feel safe. I can fulfil my role of provider of nourishing things.

Today, black clouds obliterate the sun with occasional torrential downpours. We hear that Coober Pedy had its yearly rainfall in one day. No wonder the bush and undergrowth looks so fresh and green. What will the Outback look like this year?