Installment 3 May 12th - Melbourne to Alice Springs

This is Mike and Siobhan reporting via the bush telegram, a sporadic melee of events.
We have just come back into radio contact since last Friday, and we've been up to a couple of things meanwhile.

We left Melbourne after just too much piss was being drunk, saw Richmond beat Carlton at the new and improved MCG.
Then to Lorne, then Mount Gambier where we stayed in a converted Jail, it was far from high security as prisoners often jumped the wall, went to the pub and broke back in unnoticed. All the same Siobhan had trouble finding the showers in the morning.

















Up to Adelaide, and we spent a couple of nights doing all the admin rubbish that can bog you down.
We went to a camp shop in search of tent poles, but were undecided and chose to return the next day. The hostel was shoddy, and full of young krauts - seems to be a South Australian thing. We managed to get ourselves hooked on big brother though in the interval. The next day we returned to the camp shop but annoyingly someone had blown up the shop next door and so access was restricted. http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200605/s1628712.htm

















Got a new top toy from Siobhan for my birthday: http://www.garmin.com/products/etrexVistacx/First person in Australia to own one, please pass this on to Dexter. Whilst in the shop Siobhan revealed her true colours as a road hog, and we left the electronics shop with a CB radio and roof mounted (There can only be one type don't you know) antenna.
We are now ready for the bush, and Siobhan answers to Tim Tam 99, and I am Eric the Camel, due to the hump I had in Adelaide. (Its not all plain sailing when you're on holiday 24/7 you know.)

















Soooo, next up we went to Mount Remarkable ranges and stayed in the best free campsite ever, free hot showers and the like.
We then went into the ranges overnight which was a mixture of gorge walks and flocks of Emus. On approaching one it reared up and then jumped and waggled its arms at me before running off (the emu, not me) Bit of a Rod Hull moment.





































Of course the real reason was to test the GPS. Next up the Flinders ranges - Wilpena Pound - before which we launched our volley of texty messages for Martin and Louise who where getting married back home.

The free campsites were 4x4 access, so we finally engaged the 2 extra wheels in earnest. Though of course we did pass a couple of Commadore hire cars.
This was the night of the wedding, so we recorded a message, and I will sometime this century put it on a DVD for them.

We hiked into the pound for another overnight camp and when we woke up there was ice on the tent. Still wondering where the hot Australia was.




Next up the Oodnadatta track, a 4x4 track about 750km in length that would take us up near Alice.
We got to Marree (you know, Mari how your name is phonetically spelt), basically the start of the track and spent a good feral evening drinking beer and poking a communal fire. The grey haired nomads are out in force. We are definitely out of backpacker territory, this is something else.
The bloke running the campsite also ran both the petrol stations and appeared to be the local king pin, he liked playing Dolly Parton, oh and we met a nice German chap that was cycling, and an ex bare knuckle fighter from Broken Hill bulldozer driver.
Good night of Yarnin round the fire. Next we let the air out of our tyres and headed up the track.
Very good condition actually, and every hour or so you would pass (and wave at) someone in the other direction.













































We decided to head to Lake Eyre North, a side track, and this was a bit more full on.
About an hour on sand, very very very remote.
Passing the grave of the German tourist that died after leaving her boyfriend and the car (fatal mistake) and walking to get help - you probably remember from 6 years ago.
Camped on the lake and I won't bore you with the details of the silence and the stunning sunrise / sunset.
Another couple rocked up in full on battle bus, including aircon and oven, we liked their style.































And on - we left the main highway and headed up towards Mt Dare, much more remote than previous and in the 4 hours of driving we only saw a microlite which was being used to round up cattle.

Finally rocked up to a campsite come bar which was on the edge of the Simpson desert. By now everything is full of red dust, but this was the end point for the full on 4x4 adventurers and we looked clean compared to this lot.
















Off again in the morning, lots more sand, lots less people.
We passed the geographical centre of AUstralia and after about 5 ours popped out on the Stuart Highway.

































Back to bitumen. Still the beer is cheaper and we have got the car ship shape again. Considered clean pants, but decided against this path.

So, signing out now, we're off to do some hiking in the Larapinta, so probably out of contact for a week.