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Published: August 29th 2009
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Railway Track
Of course you knew that, this one leads from Port Augusta to Alice Springs. May 12, Tuesday: After a night of rain I was glad that the car wasn’t on the dirt anymore. The trip past The Flinders Ranges was wet, overcast and noisy, due to the fact that I didn’t have an exhaust system, the back muffler was still sitting on the roof rack. The long pipe the mechanic has fitted at Tippabara was lying in the back of the car.
At Port Augusta I pitched my tent in a caravan park and arrange to have the exhaust replaced the next day. Saw my video on a colour TV in a luxury 30-foot mobile home. The elderly couple that owned the bus gave me lots of advice about traveling.
May 13, Wednesday: Spent a whole day waiting for my car to be repaired. The cost was $126 for the exhaust. Also found out I needed new bushes for the back springs and the gearbox rubber mount was also missing. That will cost me another $160. While all this was taking place I walked around Port Augusta. The town didn’t impress me at all. Except that it had the best heritage museum I had ever visited.
I picked up an aboriginal girl hitchhiker and
Lake Hart
Soft smelly mud at the shore but solid enough to walk on further out. took her to her place. As she got out she said, “I’m going north tomorrow, perhaps we can travel together?” We arranged to meet at the Post Office in the morning. I must admit cutting my ties with Melbourne and go travelling around Australia has a lot going for it.
May 14, Thursday: Left the caravan park about 8:15 this morning. Drove into town and waited for the girl to turn up. About half an hour later I saw her walking down the street, she had with her, three other people all with suitcases. “Can’t fit them all into my car!” I said to myself. Started the car and left before they saw me. Not very nice of me but she hadn’t mentioned she was going to bring her family. It wasn’t worth waiting around discussing the matter.
North of town I passed a large salt lake. Took a short track down to the shore and ventured onto the dry Lake Hart. Got more video and still images before heading to the town of Cooper Pedy.
Arrived around 3:30 in the afternoon. This is the roughest town I have ever found myself in. Aborigines are everywhere, some together in
Salt Lake
Hard enough to run on as you can see I managed to get a fair distance before the self timer fired the shutter. groups or as I saw one in the middle of a car park. He was drunk and had three dogs sleeping on him. Had a few drinks with the guys that I met on the Strezlecki Track and dinner at the hotel. I decided to stay in the motel over night ($17). It was pretty rough there too. I could hear opal sellers negotiating prices for their goods in the rooms below mine. I will be leaving first thing in the morning, got to get out of here!
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