Our driver for the first 5 hours of 25 hours over three days travel was David who works with Karen.
David looks Anthony Mundiens cousin and drives like Jehu in the Old Testament, and very compently.
It was the four wheel drive Toyota Landcruiser Ambulance from Ali Kurrang which needed to go to Alice Springs for servicing. While filling it up before we left he said it will take a while there are two tanks to fill, before our travel on the weekend were over I was to learn that Roberts also has a another tank in his vehicle and I would praying it would get us to the next diesel stop after the light had been on for a long time on our way back from Uluru
Anyway I had a great trip in the back of ambulance with rattling oxygen bottles to Alice stretched out in the back reading a swatting the cochcroaches that were coming over from Karen sending them off from climbing up her legs.
We are starting to understand the road a bit between here and Alice we stopped at Ti Tree for a stretch and saw the peacocks going to bed up high on the water tank. Had passed the UFO enthusiasts at the camp-ground at Wycliffe and now know that Aileron is Big Man Walk . Amazing big landscape which has a beauty which is very different to the rainforest we know.
In Alice on Saturday we went to the Beanie festival which is a bit like Wildfood festival without food being the main feature instead colourful beanies of all shapes and sizes they made$100,00 just selling beanies on the Saturday.
Sunday we headed for the heart of Australia which is a long way west of Alice. When you get there you realize it is a big very special place.
Uluru means meeting place a lot of people meet there, some disregard the local peoples wishes and climb up to the top there are steel posts and wire to hang on to. Quite a number have died climbing the rock. I heard that the local people call people who climb Minga which is not very complimentary when translated.
It would be good to see some steel posts and wires put up the curved roof of the opera house in Sydney and have people climb up that icon.)
I played the Kahu Ocorina while there fulfilling part of Mr Wrights prediction.
It was long road home into the night specially when tarriving at the he roadhouse at Mt Eberneeza hoping to get diesel to find it was out of service. We were soon down to the last quarter and the fuel light on in the darkness. However we did make it to Eriduna here the earth was moving with mice. We got a burger and some chips and Karen sat with here feet tapping to keep the mice at bay they were inside as well as outside the cafe and seemed to be very busy running here and there. I saw one trying to carry a chip along away from his mates.
Monday in Alice Karen met up with the Remote Health team there and came back with maps and Pots for our house. Robert had been there for the week was working and his Nissan Patrol was loaded up with resources to go back to Tennant Creek.
Tuesday we shopped and headed out of town about 10am it was to be 10pm before we got home that night.
Robert had to track down a couple of young men who had been sniffing petrol, there were three places they could have been so like Dog the bounty hunter we were off.
We left the Stuart highway at Ti Tree after getting a map and instructions from the police station there and headed off road. Karen taking over the driving and doing a great job on red dusted rutted road result of the wet and no maintenance east of the Tanami Desert she made it onto the Sandover Highway which is sand.
At Arlparra the was a police station locked up behind a high security fence the gate was locked a policeman came out and gave us directions to Soapy Bore next one along from Kurrajong Bore.
It was off this road to another bushroad past humpies and a dried out riverbed we made it to Soapy
Bore about four houses. To my surprise there were a couple of Europeans there teaching kids diablo and skipping. This was great to see they were street performers from Sydney running a holiday programe in the outback's they were about finished for the day.
I had a some tricks in my bag so the children all sat with their Diablo treacher and I did a magic show in the outback. The kids were great, some of the skyclad uninhibited enjoying the rope tricks, jews harp and Kahu music.
I was upstaged partway through by a feral donkey running through with about eight camp dogs trying to bail it. The donkey was trying to kick with two legs and run with two. It made a pretty quick exit and I soont had everyone's attention again.
In the meantime Robert and Karen had been talking to the adults and.found parents of the ones they were looking for and were able to find out they were now at Mt Isa!! Rrobert was able to get the papers signed so they could get the help needed.
As night was falling we headed on the road again, along the way we came across eight people a baby and three dogs. They asked for water and food there car had broken down a long way the road they were about to camp there for the night. they reckoned a car would come along going their way sometime.( We were able to provide food water and oranges for them)
It was now dark, we had passed Ngarwenyerra rocket range and were going toward Ammaroo station we turned onto the road to Elkedra Station and out of darkness a black cow ran across in front of us junior tried to follow, but bang, bang, it had hit the two door panels took out the rear mudguard and when the dust settled and we went back a large calf hadn't made it but was dead.
Karen took over the driving again as Robert was a bit shaken, there more cattle to dodge and a bushfire to go through a big burn they burn at this time of the year so Karen had smoke to contend with as well. She did a great job, about 9pm Robert took over for the last leg home to Tennnat Creek. An exciting eventful long road home.
Last night 1st of July was Northern Territory day fireworks sold in town and last night was like being in the middle of Bagdad noise and explosions in all directions life is certainly not dull here.
Karen and Robert are off at a burns course today ,they might be doing hands on stuff, I saw some letting off big banging fireworks from their hands!!
We are looking forward to Tuiana and Kaitlin being back part of the Kiwi Mob here.
God Bless, Greetings Ian and Karen
