Farewell to Alice and now heading home

Heading home

• We said farewell to Alice Springs, Lucy and Daniel on  Mon 24th Oct. Now the long trip home- this time up north, then east, then south.
• Started on the Stuart Highway ( he's an important figure up here!) and headed towards Tenant Creek. Long straight roads with many sections again having no speed limit! Arvi passing road trains at 130km per hour! Sally doesn't pass anything and Mark says at the speed she drives she will never catch up with anything unless its horse and cart!
  Started to see the ant/termite mounds some of which reminded us of the Terracotta Warriors! There are millions of them and in some parts they stretch as far as the eye can see. People have dressed them up in rugby jerseys, dresses, t-shirts, hats and even underwear!
• We passed Barrow Creek where Peter Falconio was murdered and Joanne Lees fled for her life into the bush in the dark! Its a lonely stretch of highway and even in the daylight not a lot of traffic about. As for the bushes there a lots of creepy crawlies and slithering things so can't imagine running in there in the pitch black.
• Stopped at the Devils Marbles which we pretty amazing. Rocks piled on top of each other in different combinations some like huge round cheeses (cheeserlings). Its a sacred spot so can't walk all over them (even if one wanted to -why?!!) and many behind fences.
• Of course Mojo is excited at any stop as its time for a play and usually a spot of lunch! So many new smells and a lot of marking in case he ever comes back this way!!!
• At Tenant Creek caravan park used the primus for the first time! Sally was also roasting vegetables in the oven- change that to thought she was as Mark had not turned the motorhome on! Will need list of things to do when setting up camp - those important steps BEFORE you sit down with a beer!
• Just after Tenant Creek turned right onto the Barkley highway and heading east at last!
• Made it to Queensland and stopped for night at Camooweal where we had a swim in the caravan park pool!  Met 2 teachers for the School of the Air who travel to various stations giving lessons and providing activities for children. Treated ourselves to a pub dinner on the outside balcony- schnitzel parmy of course for mark and Sally had little choice but to have a plain parmy! Didn't think snapper would be local!
• From Camooweal to Mt Isa where we walked around the racecourse on the outside as it is locked up like Alcatraz and the did a bit of shopping at Coles- life on the road does have its dull moments.! At Cloncurry turned  south east onto the Landsborough highway and called in briefly at McKinlay Pub- the Crocodile Dundee hotel!
• Stopped for the night at Winton. The PM ( yes Malcolm Turnbull no less) popped by to say  to us and reassure us that our superannuation is safe- not! He was actually pledging 8 million dollars to rebuilding the Matilda museum which burnt down not long ago -Banjo Patterson wrote the song Waltzing Matilda nearby. All the locals were dressed very smartly and initially we thought it was a sausage sizzle so walked in with Mojo in our best casual ( probably on day 3 of wear) to find the very honourable PM in his Arkuba.  Apart from that highlight Winton had many bugs including grasshoppers which jumped into Mark's wine! Grateful for AC as very hot and still.
• From Winton to Longreach which was a spectacular  drive with the whole range of wildflowers we have seen everywhere else with some newer ones. It is all so lush and the mulga trees go off into  the distance their tops looking like green balls!
• Longreach a very pretty town with wide main street and good landscaping according to the expert nice shops (target for shorts) and cafes! We looked at the Qantas museum and the Stockmans hall of fame from the outside ( mojo not welcome! ) so another time.
• Then onto the Capricorn highway with a stop at Barcaldine the home of the first trade union  with the shearers strike in the late 1800's. The birth of the Labour party and the site of the old Tree of Knowledge which was poisoned in 2006.
• Stopped for night at the Willows caravan park which was the site of my Mum's visits to see her friends and go fossicking for sapphires! We were the only ones there and had  lovely night with plenty of stars and time to reminisce about Granny Helen!
• From the Willows we did a major drive ( divorce was on the cards at about the 8 hr mark) and  finally hit the coast at Moore Park Beach not far from Bundaberg. Not like the Gold Coast ie no white sand, brown water and no surf! But it smells like the ocean and we can walk along the slightly pebbly beach. Caravan park is a bit full and can't stand the thought of getting back in the van for another drive so will stay still for a day before Hervey Bay where will see friends and then Monday 31st home!!!!
• Over and out. Hope you enjoyed the blog which is also my travel diary!