Back on the Stuart Highway with a speed limit of 130. I was told that the deaths on the track have tripled since its introduction - drivers simply fall asleep at the wheel!

We are keen, having decided against the Tanami, to do the Buchanan. No wimping out in this convoy!

I swagged it at Dunmarra but Steve & Yvonne went on to Daly Waters to sample the wares of this iconic pub. The plan was to meet next morning at the Buchanan turnoff. Which we did but I was having concerns about the rear door which wasn't closing like it should. A slight bump & the door becomes ajar. Not good when we were about to embark on 500k's of dirt road! I was close to heading directly to Katherine on the Stuart. But with the aid of Steve's tie-downs we secured the door fairly well & decided to press on. The road was better than expected & by the time we reached Top Springs I was beginning to enjoy the drive. We pressed on & camped at a great spot in or near the Gregory NP. This was the first really hot & humid night we experienced with many more to come. The drive had one casualty as Steve was punctured late in the day! Tyre was changed successfully but 4wd wheels are bloody heavy whether you're an old fart or just a fart!

Next morning we completed the last 50 km's before turning left onto Highway 1 & shortly after into Timber Creek. Mostly, on this & other trips, places you are revisiting after a long gap, have changed enormously which is why I was stunned to find the CP in Timber Creek that I stayed in for 2 weeks in 1996 hasn't changed at all - the pubs had a facelift but the CP hasn't!

Next stop was the WA border where Yvonne lost all her fruit & vegies. And still we carried on. S&Y are spending a night or 2 at Lake Argyle before going on to Kununarra. I went directly to Kununarra to see about the door. After setting up camp in the incredible heat & after pleading with Toyota not to make me come back in a week, they agreed to look at the problem. Tony (my man) stripped all the panelling off the door to get silicon spray into the sealed unit & clean out all the red talcum powder - the cause of the problem. It now works the way it should so bring on the Bungles!