Alice Springs to Mt Isa

The most I've paid for fuel is $2.08. It was at Kings Creek, on the way out to Kings Canyon (between Uluru & Alice Springs. Now anything under $1.60 seems like a bargain! Maybe next time I do this trip I'll get one of these little numbers.......

But not this one.

I saw these solar cars taking place in the World Solar Challenge, as I left Alice Springs to once again head north towards Tennant Creek. These three were the last in the race, most of the others had already crossed in to South Australia.

I'd stayed in Alice a little longer than I'd planned to because of a mechanical problem which no one wanted to fix. Trying to get a mechanic to help me out within a week was a near impossible task, maybe because I knew what the problem was, or maybe because it was a small job. I don't know. Either way, I eventually found my way to a couple of Indian guys who were only too happy to help. With a big roll of gaffer tape, my problem was patched up, and with a few thousand kilometres ahead of me....good to go!

Tennant Creek

A few hundred kms out of Alice Springs JC wasn't feeling too good driving like I had the hand break on, and I started to worry a little. It's not the greatest place to break down. Hot and remote, and with Barrow Creek being the closest  town, a little creepy. It was in this area that a British tourist went missing 10 years ago, and I just wanted to get out of there!

I don't know how or why, but out of the blue JC picked up the pace, and has been fine ever since. That gaffer tape must have just kicked in to gear.

After camping the night in Tennant Creek I headed off the next day towards Queensland. There were so many whirly whirly's on this drive, which are amazing to watch in the distance as they pick up ash from recent fires. Not so amazing when you drive through them!

Small whirly whirly

We made it!

It has been brilliant for this trip to have my ipod with me, and I mix it up between playing my favourite albums, to playlists, or just put it on shuffle if I can't decide. And it's usually pretty loud. On this part of the trip I had it on shuffle. In the middle of absolutely nowhere I came across some roadworks that I had to stop for, and it was at THIS point one of the songs from Bridget Jones Diary came on. Jamie O'Neil singing "All by myself.....don't wanna be....all by myself". I don't see other people for miles, so why oh why did it have to be THEN that the most embarrassing song in my collection comes on?!!!!

"don't wanna be...."

Another one of the lucky lizards

Mount Isa

Eventually I made it to Mount Isa. Famous for its mines, and birthplace to a number of celebrities. Greg Norman, Pat Rafter, Deborah Mailman, Altyon Childs (?!!) Not the most beautiful place I've visited, but it serves its purpose. Fuel, food, and a highway that leads me east!

Simple Stats

Days since departure: 178
Distance travelled: 15226km (+8701km for work)

Lizards run over: 12

Tropic of Capricorn crossed: 3

Cane toads run over: 2

Snakes run over: 2

Portaloos towed: 2

Weeks worked as Runner on film: 10

Whale Sharks swum with: 2

Emergency mechanic stops: 2

Kangaroos hit: 0