Day Forty Nine - August 24th, 2013 Mt Isa We slept like logs, and let ourselves lie in past 7am for the first time in a while, before gobbling up eggs and mushrooms. Without an agenda, we decided to explore the town a little and pick up a few necessities. I bought a new chair and towel (after breaking and being stolen respectively) and we grabbed some supplies for lunch. We drove along Rodeo Drive (VERY different from the Beverly Hills version) and popped into...

Day Forty Eight - August 23rd, 2013 Karumba to Mt Isa Today we covered the longest stretch of ground so far, and spent almost 8 hours driving. The landscape is barren out here, and aside from the huge birds of prey ripping flesh from the dead roos and boars which litter the roads, we saw very little wildlife. The cows are thin and miserable looking, and huddle together in the sparse shade. We have no cell phone signal, and keep a silent prayer running at all ti...

Day Forty Seven - August 22nd, 2013 Normanton to Karumba via Camp 119 We set off from Normanton knowing we would be driving though it in a little while to make it to Karumba for the night, but took a 70km detour to the Burke and Wills Camp CXIX. Elly had been dreaming about going since he first read about the camp as a little boy, and told me a little of the history. The expedition set out with four men in 1860, but only one, King, survived after being saved by...

Day Forty Six - August 21st, 2013 Undara to Normanton via Croydon We were out of the campsite by 8.30, and waved goodbye to our real outback experience. Although I very much enjoyed it, I was looking forward to somewhere a little less snake scary. The road has become very long and very straight, and we knew we would probably encounter some road trains up to 50m long. Luckily we didn't, and we were grateful as the roads are only single lane in some places, and ...

Day Forty Five - August 20th, 2013 Undara My worst nightmare came true. I nipped out of the tent around 10pm, feeling more confident about our surroundings than I had when we pulled in, for a quick wee and found myself face to face with a snake half concealed by leaves. The light of my torch picked up the flat mouth and bright eye, and I ran for it. The adrenaline pumping through me kept me up for a considerable amount of time. Thank God I had a Ricky Gervais p...