Back at Last

This post has been tidied up a little since the weekend but is still a little less than perfect. Only a couple of the first set of photos enlarge when you click on them, but should you wish a high quality enlargement, just send a note and it will be done. This dry river bed below is the Todd River in Alice Springs. Last January it was in flood. It must be an awesome sight in a land of countless awesome sites.

G'day everyone. After a lapse due to travelling and packing and preparing to move house, another post is upon you from Owen. Rene got back from Alice Springs last Tuesday, I had returned 8 days prior.

It was a stunning trip - one I was dreading because the roads we were travelling over were some of the worst in the country. We successfully drove the Nissan Patrol over 2000 km in one week, travelling down from Darwin to Katherine, then west towards the W.A. border, then down towards Lajamanu, a truly remote Aboriginal community. The Nissan had a 3L turbo diesel engine with a 96L tank plus a sub tank holding 48L therefore the range was quite good on a tank (and a half). The most expensive diesel was A$2.10/L (in Brisbane today it was $1.18).

We continued on after buying art towards Tanami driving on the western side of the Tanami Desert. We turned east towards Alice Springs (still 655km to go) and camped the night in our car. Rabbit Flat is Australia's most remote road house and only has bush camping facilities. A couple from Victoria befriended us and we shared hot tea and light and lots of conversation. To say the full moon and the stars were stunning would be an understatement. The word 'awesome' is a trifle overused these days, but this Central Australian sky was all of that.

After an early morning start we arrived at Yuendemu (more Warlpiri people) and visited the art centre. The drive to Alice Springs allowed us to travel beside the McDonnell Ranges for some 170km or so. The landscape and colour in the Centre is astounding, and I hope Rene's pictures capture a little of it.

Once in Alice Springs I had a couple of nights before flying back to Brisbane (and work) but Rene stayed on for the Desert Mob art show and also to drive to a couple more communities to buy art.

Now we are moving out this Wednesday and living in Mt Gravatt (Brisbane) until our apartment is finished on the Sunshine Coast towards the middle of November. We have met today with a designer/builder who has come up with exactly the concept we're looking for to build ASAP on our land in Nundah (Brisbane). More details later, but for now I must finish this post and get to bed. One whole day of packing left for me, but Rene has three. Exciting, exhausting and exhilarating life may be, but a bit of calm over the vacation period in a week's time will be eagerly anticipated.

The pictures are in no particular order as of yet. I'll tidy up this later when I have time. Click on them to see them larger, especially the landscapes.