Westward Ho

The Savannah Way is not a single road.  There are what is known as ‘alternative routes’ and of course we had to check these out.  The tracks are of course dirt roads and generally rougher than the main tracks or roads.  So we continued with the dust and more or less gave up trying to keep clean.  We crossed dozens of creeks but only a few had any water in them.  However, the driving was demanding with being on constant alert to avoid potholes, sharp stones, bulldust pits and washouts.

Slowly the scenery changed.  We noticed that termite mounds differed in size, shape and colour.  Eucalypts varied from large to stunted, whilst grasses varied from tall, sharp and spiky to very dry and sparse.  Of wildlife we saw little - a few groups of undernourished cows, a few feral pigs, a couple of buffalo, a kangaroo or two but quite a lot of black kites and huge wedge tailed eagles feeding on road kill.

Our next diversion through the newly created Limmen National Park which is situated just south of Arnham Land revealed the roughest roads we’ve yet experienced.  We again travelled in convoy with Glyn and Chuck which provided an extra safety net in case of problems.  Happily, neither of us had any real problems, the only issues being a stone guard on our rear wheel breaking up, Glyn picking up a slow puncture and quite a few screws and bolts loosening up with the corrugations.

The Lost City conjures up mental images of ancient buildings but it turned out to be strange rock formations.  Strange they most certainly are.  Carved by millennia of wind and rain and flood, they form grotesque shapes soaring into the sky.

On again.  Miles and miles of corrugations until we arrived, tired and saddle sore at Towns River. Ah, what a sight.  Tranquillity, a camp fire, a couple of beers and a good meal and the world starts to look a lot better whilst the trials of the day become the tales of tomorrow.  Is that what travelling is all about?  I wonder!

There are a few road signs in the outback.  Lots of these.

This one we found amusing.

Then suddenly, after ten days of dirt tracks we experienced the novelty of a genuine macadam road surface.  And that’s where I’ll finish this little blog, sitting back and luxuriating along at 90kmh on a smooth road surface.  Bliss!