Week Ten

Well here we are in Birdsville - had beers at the famous pub last night and now are planning the next few days on the way into Dubbo.

The East Macdonnell ranges were fascinating with the caterpillar dreaming art and petroglyphs and then onto Chambers Pillar - had a chat to Macca on ABC radio from here and then it was down the rough corrugated Old Ghan road - built on the top of the old railway bed.

From Mt Dare we then went to Dalhousie Springs - a great hot swim and then into the Simpson Desert - WOW - wildflowers everywhere and a very gentle drive through great sand dunes - 1200 of them - with swales in between. A shock absorber failed in the middle so I just took it off - new ones put on this morning.

Great wildlife - dragons, bugs, birds and camel tracks everywhere but no camels seen - too much traffic - couldn't believe the number of vehicles - the radio was never quiet with groups talking to each other to make their way past each other.
 

A great trip continues in this enormous country - 19000kms so far!!!!!! I budgeted on 13000!!!

Here in Bourke with nephew Doug and enjoying a cold beer and warm hospitality.

Off to Dubbo Tomorrow.

The Coongie Lake area is awesome and the whole Strezlecki Desert exercise was the same!

Flies everywhere - on me as well!!!

I hope all goes well.

The last few days loom nearer and then I sort 17000 images and hopefully some head thinking!!!!! The other books are in planning.

Well what a week or so!

Dubbo Zoo - the western plains section of Taronga Zoo was great, again, and I got some great pix that I was lacking of wildlife etc - swans and roos mainly and it was so good to get a shot of a feral cat roadkill, may there be more!

I have attached a map of the trip minus the Innamincka to Coongie Lakes bit.

Got back to Armidale for the moment and discovered the car hasn't been insured for 6 weeks, rego was due etc etc. But of more fun was that Sarah turned 35, Madeleine turns 21 on Monday and I am almost on top of all the paper work etc that has accumulated - I knew I should have kept going!!

I have to say an enormous thanks to Dad, Phil and Susie for being great travelling companions with not a harsh word being heard from any of us in the whole time - thanks guys. Also a great big thanks to Bob and Carolyn Muir in Broome who babysat my car and drove it around for me as well as putting me up in Broome for a few days.

Telstra's Mobilesat phone was awesome - I could, and did, call from all over so was able to keep in touch with all - thanks Telstra.

And then there is John McGregor who has kept the website up to date - great work - thanks John. If anyone wants a great web designer and manager he is "the Man"!

So now on with the Gascoyne Coast - Shark Bay Ningaloo book and a few other projects.

Take care,

Signing off

Len

Nearly ... see addendum

WEEK 1  |  WEEK 2  | WEEK 3  |  WEEK 4 | WEEK 5-8  |  WEEK 9 | WEEK 10 | ADDENDUM