Bush Trip to South Australia

As I've said before, bush trips are the best part of my current job. I spend so much time in the office with no in person contact with my clients, as they are all in South Australia. When we go out bush, we go for several days as it's quite far. I really enjoy getting out to see my clients, but also to visit with other NPY ladies from the lands that I've engaged with for agency business, such as the recent AGM Bush Camp. They're quite lovely ladies, and always eager to help, chat, and visit. I was speaking with one lady when another that I knew came over and gave me a big hug, and was very happy to see me. She was so excited to tell me that she was going to get a house for the very first time. She had lived in a humpy, a tent, and currently a shed, so this will be her first house, and she is at least 60 years old. Warms the heart, that does.

Mount Conner, as seen from shortcut to Amata

the Toyota Hilux I was driving with Mt Conner

camel on the green 

     The wildlife was as exciting as ever. We saw several eagles, the most special being an eagle that was perched on a fresh kangaroo roadkill right next to the road. We were going too fast for a photo. Sadly they are well fed on such roadkill in these parts, usually hit by a road train - they are massive and own the road. They can have up to 4 cars in tow, which sway in the wind, weaving back and forth across the center line. And still we pass them all the time. The Stuart Highway is quite straight, much like TCH in Canada when it passes through the prairies, only in better condition. We saw one dead camel carcass, with little more than skin and bones left. We also saw older bones, resting on the ground where the camel had fallen, ribs extending towards the sky. There was something so archaic and somewhat sad about it, chain of life or not. On a more positive note, we saw at least a hundred camels. I managed to stop once to take some photos of a little herd grazing on the fresh grass that sprouted after a rain a few weeks back. The greenness of the grass, set below the red rock mountains under a piercing blue sky is just the most beautiful thing. Having camels grazing in that grass was too picturesque to pass on by. They are always very curious about us when we stop nearby.

ice cream anyone? near Pipallyatjarra

chunks missing on this one

     We had two tires chewed up by the rough bush roads. Much of the road is pretty good, with nice soft sandy tracks smooth enough to keep it comfortable, but not too soft that you would ever be bogged, and hardpack sandy that is as good as paved road. But here and there along the way is this white rock that erupts from the ground as the sand around it is packed down by traffic, and it's "rough as guts" and chews into the tires. We heard a loud thumping so pulled right over, and had a look at what the noise was. I discovered that the tires were chewed up, and a long strip had broken loose and was thumping against the body of the truck. Holy shit. We were within just a few hundred yards of losing both tires as once in blowouts that would have rendered the truck useless as we would not be able to change the tires with the rear of the truck sitting on the ground. We could have also very likely have rolled the Hilux truck as each one blew creating a very unstable driving experience. We were very lucky indeed. We had a few technical difficulties at first, as these were the first blowouts I've had in two years of being here. As you can see from the photo, the tires just chew right up and begin to strip off. There is so much rubber along any of the bush roads! The jack that came with the truck was too short to use, so we had to improvise and managed to macgyver a square rock in under the jack to cover the shortfall. We had both tires changed within the hour. While the heat was not as much of a misery this time, the flies were absolutely insane. They crawled in our noses, eyes, ears, mouths, you name it, they were there. And they were the same both on the road and in the communities we visited. I nearly began screaming...

so green around it

     The houses we stayed in are both pretty nice for bush accommodation. The bed in the house at Pip was hard as a rock and I woke with a very sore back at 5 in the morning. The ones at Umuwa are much more comfortable. I love that they all have fans and air conditioning, when it's working. I also saw another lizard in the Umuwa one, a broad banded sand swimmer. They're cute enough, and harmless. We were a full house on Wednesday at Umuwa house, six of us slept on beds and swags (or both) and shared the tiny galley kitchen. It was a pleasant week sharing house with others, however I was also happy to come home to my own space by the end of it, and hang out with Dundee. He misses me so when I go away. I feel bad for him too as my housesitter has moved away, so I just ask a neighbor to check on him so he is alone most of the time. The neighbors that come usually spend a little time with him as they can see that he is lonesome, particularly because of the loud meowing and wrapping around their legs...yeah, he's an affectionate kitty. I'm going away again on Wednesday to do a bush camp with some other workers and a group of adolescent girls. This should be interesting!
     The weather in Alice Springs has been just amazing. Mostly mid to high twenties all day, and into the teens at night. Bliss. I still have the air conditioning on during the day, but at night I just turn the air on as it draws in the scent of jasmine at night. I have a huge vine of it growing in my courtyard as shade, wrapped around the pergola and fence. When I go to bed, I just sleep with the inside door open. My screen door is a secure one with screen and caging. I also have a baseball bat next to my bed, as always. I'm going for a hike this weekend but haven't yet decided where I want to go. I wish Grant was here. I miss my bushwalking buddy.
     Today, however is chore day, so before any chilling out happens today, I have to get the chores done first so I can enjoy the rest of the weekend.

our Macgyver jack

donkey hanging out at Umuwa, after her purse

he was very dusty