Day 7 (Threeways to Renner Roadhouse)

Km's: 145

Hours: 9 1/2

Weather: 44 (very hot all day)

Today we left around 7am to get to a roadhouse around 140 km away. Again the weather was unbearable and I had immense difficulty getting through it. We stopped half way at a rest area called "Attack Creek" and had a rest for about one hour. We sat down at a park bench and put our heads in our arms as we both tried to sleep for a bit to get through the midday heat. There was a water tank at the rest area and some information on the history of Attack Creek. It spoke about the early settlers and how one of the Whites was attacked and killed by an Aboriginal man from the local Warrangamu clan, the same mob that the fella's from who I spoke to the other day. Perhaps if I spoke to that man he'd give a different story to the one that's narrated at the rest area.

After this we kept going. It was very very hard but we somehow managed to get through it. At the end of the day we pulled into the roadhouse and both loaded up on a cold drink straight away. We then sat down and started laughing, something we've been doing with each-other the last few days. We both must be thinking the exact same thing- a) we both can't believe we made it b) we're crazy for doing this c) we're both in excruciating pain and there's nothing that's going to make it better but just laugh at our situation. 

As per usual everything in the roadhouse cost a fortune. In order to save my self more pain I explained first to the girl working that we were both very tight on money and if they had any leftovers, discounts or free food/drinks that we would be wrapped to take it. She gave us an old loaf of white bread made at the roadhouse and a tray full of corned beef (covered in plenty of fat). These two foods I would never normally eat, however on this occasion I didn't want to throw it back in her face for providing a kind gesture and for us looking too greedy, but I was also desperate for the food. 

As I was sitting down a few people at the roadhouse were asking us about the ride. They asked if we were supporting a cause and I said yeah, we're supporting an organisation based in Alice Springs that works with Aboriginal youth. This generated some interesting responses, with the first coming from a middle aged White man working on the gas fields "don't come here and tell me shit about aboriginals" "I had ten of those cun$$$ chase me down the road when I was young". I listened to the man, as I realise everybody have there opinions for a reason. He explained that a lot of people from the city's, particularly Melbourne, have an ideal image of how life should be in the N.T but without ever coming up to experience it they are completely disconnected from the reality. This is something I strongly agree with, as I know the political party I represent has a group of fanatic supporters who fit that description perfectly. I can understand the frustration from White people in the area, however racist opinions and views hold little ground when given through discussion. I think this is a good trait I have, where I'll listen to a view no matter how racist or ill informed as I recognise they have these views for a reason. I'd also like to think I can identify a valid coherent point compared with a view based on hate or racism (particularly if they are not individually motivated and more from external influence). I felt more aligned to the second of these views, having picked up a number of racist views from the conversation. I feel the white community out here have a strong and long history of racism and it is more evident today than any other. 

The second persons that I spoke with were a more affluent white couple from the outer regions of Darwin. They were more open and interested in the organisation, however the man in the relationship had a stronger view. I would suppose his opinion holds a little more ground, namely his view that Aboriginal people can not be babied. I seconded that view and explained that we need to recognise the complex cultural worlds that they're caught up in, most particularly the more traditional communities in N.T.

As we were talking a man wrote his name on the wall, as the roadhouse encourages visitors who have gone through to write there name down. His name was "Chainsaw Freak" and he was pointing his finger to it, looking at me, while another person took the photo. I laughed a bit but was also a little bit concerned and after telling Davi I think he was too. I explained that we just need to be confident and not look vulnerable to these sick bastards. I also realised tonight that I should be careful telling white country bogans that we're supporting an Aboriginal organisation, as it certainly generates strong views!

We have an area at the front of the road house where we can sleep for free. We'll get a good night rest and try to tackle another 95km tomorrow! 

Day 87 (Merri-Bee Organic Farm - Nannup)

Today is Friday, my last day of working on the farm. There is a market on tomorrow so I had an early night sleep last night to prepare for a busy day today.

I was unaware but have been told that it is also Easter this weekend. Lee has got the day off from school so has been working with me all day in the farm. He's a good kid, sometimes getting annoying but I suppose is the same with any 13 year old boy. Stuart's parents have come over to give a few Easter eggs to the family.

While we were having lunch I noticed Stuart's parents were far from the environmental type. They come from Queensland and have been in the business of farming most their life. They were what I would classify as a typical older generation of Australians, for any older Australians not bearing the same mannerisms would be a very rare exception. The tone of voice and their Aussie lingo making it difficult for Max and Julia to follow. I took the opportunity at the lunch table to ask Stuart's dad of (or if there were) Aboriginal people's in the area he grew up in. He looked at me like a surly old bugger and said "Yeah we did, and they were as useless back then as they are today". The table was quiet, I looked around briefly, only to realise Max and Julia couldn't understand, Stuart like a little kid in joy around his parents, Stuarts mum Edna coughing from all her smoking, and the only one I could see thinking the same as me was Bee. I haven't mentioned it to Bee but at this moment I felt we were thinking similar but without mentioning any word or even acknowledging each other. I believe she definitely knew what I was thinking. I contemplated saying it is you dickheads who have contributed to an attempt of human genocide, decades of human suppression, cultural eradication and the takings if innocent children from their families. I asked him why they were useless. His response was "They piss in the pools". Stuart like a little child giggled and agree with him. This response made me even more frustrated and actually very angry. I asked again, why are they useless. The response this time was "They stink". It was like talking to Homer Simpson. The most unfortunate thing is that I've had the exact same response from every other older Australian I've spoken to on this matter. Stuarts dad explained he was in a car with an Aboriginal once. I genuinely believe he had never spoken to an Aboriginal person in his life, based off his own accounts and only being able to refer to one example of sitting in a car with one.

Despite being very annoyed at Stuarts parents, I have been very pleased with the knowledge and awareness young Lee has on environmental and social issues. He knows quite a lot about permaculture, which I gather has been taught indirectly through his life on the farm. After talking with Max I have learnt his parents were environmentally minded, also the same with Julia. The only one who's parents haven't been environmentally minded (besides Stuarts) have been Bees, the lady running the farm. Stuart has only adopted an environmental life style as a result of Bee, and he has confessed that. After conversations with Bee I have realised we have quite a lot in common. Her family background and upbringing being somewhat similar to mine. Her awakening to environmental matters have also been developed from a path similar to those of my own as well. I find many environmentally minded people I meet have been brought up by parents or others who have helped make them aware.

Perhaps one of the most difficult things in life is to have a deep connection with your environment and understand at the same time the impacts of environmental degradation. You live in a world where you can't express it to anyone because people around you don't understand and are also the same people who are contributing to that degradation. In the past I have felt sickened by breathing in the VOCs from aerosol, or ammonia from floor cleaners or any of the other myriad of toxic chemicals we're faced with everyday. You try to not contribute but sometimes are left with no option.

When people say "we cant do anything" or "don't worry, someone will fix it down the track" I can't help but feel even worse. It reminds me of the stolen generation and how many people would have said the same. I feel relieved to meet people like Bee, who have also come to this awareness and are proactively doing something about it. I can guarantee with the rate of environmental destruction, fresh water loss and pollution to our earth our future generations, if they're not bedridden with some type of illness, will say "who were the idiots who left the earth in this condition!!". Having this understanding makes it even harder, knowing you can't be content with life while you pretend to be oblivious to the destruction around you.

This week has certainly opened my eyes to a lot of things.