THURSDAY - we camped just East of Eyre Creek

In the morning Mal rings Rob at Carroll Springs - Rob confirms that once they start leaking they do not self heal - they only get worse.

We decide to play it safe and retreat. We will take it slow. We will monitor the shock closely and see how it goes.

We stop and check - no more oil leaking - no heat in the unit. Yes we are taking it slow - does this mean no more oil left to leak out? Reminds one of the old joke about Triumph motorcycles from the 70's - Why doesn't that bike have a puddle of oil under it? ANSWER: Because it doesn't have any oil in it to leak out.

So we chug along and still no more oil comes out. We lift the bonnet and scratch our heads - did the oil come from somewhere else???? We check the washable air filter - no. We look everywhere but only one source for the oil the shock - but it has stopped leaking. Why?????

We phone Peter Rickards - 'Phone a friend' - we come to the conclusion - that the shock won't fix it's self - also that discretion is the better part of valour. We continue to retreat - we cross Eyre Creek and camp on top of a sand dune.

We retreat to the 'Flyfree Café' for lunch - we hear traffic roaring past like it is on a freeway. We look out the window to confirm - all we see is another squadron of files that dip their wings as that zoom past in formation. Did I mention the flies - what do they feed on when the tourists go home????

We see storms moving slowly across the horizon to the West. The look harmless at a distance - yes we should have retreated BUT we didn't.

The storm hits us - all blow and little rain. We lower the roof it's dark by now. Mal goes outside to turn the outside light off - he is wearing his birthday suit - he looks west and there is a light - he turns off the outside light - rushes around to secure a few things from the wind. A car turns up - some French tourists talk to Sue, Mal hides behind the camper - he doesn't want to scare our overseas visitors.

We sleep with the roof down and the wind whistles a merry song as it tries to build higher sand dunes.