Birdsville/Innamincka

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Hello all!!! Well - finally back in "civilisation". Have not had any mobile or email 'service' since my last entry - hence there hasn't been one till now. From Boulia, we travelled to Bedourie - another little place in the middle of nowhere but you have to go through to actually get to somewhere!. Spent 2 nights there in the 'caravan park' - first night $22, second night half price!!! They have quite a large aquatic centre fed by the hot artesian bore there - it's free but you have to put down a $29 deposit on the key into the place - whicvh you pay and collect from the pub. This is a total ruse of course - 'cause when you go back to collect your deposit (of course) you have to have a couple of beers (@ $5.00 each) Of course you have to - it's the way of the Outback. Anyway - on to Birdsville. We got there on Sunday (races weren't till Saturday), camped on the Diamantina River. The local van park had upped their usual fee of $25/night for a powered site to $50/night !!! We camped for free! On the Thurs/Fri they had what I guess you'd call their 'Show Day' in town - a few food caravans, a couple of places selling t-shirts, belts, cowboy hats etc, the boxing tent and one (count them - ONE) knock-em-down stall.......a real hoot (not). The Birdsville pub charged $60 for a 30-pack xxxx tins!!! and $5.50 per can over the bar. Cans of spirits were $9 !!!!!!!!!!!! We all purchased fly veils to go over our cowboy hats - they drove you INSANE and off we went to The Birdsville Races - same as Innisfail actually. Had 2 bets and lost both!!, drank nothing (wasn't paying $9 for a can of rum) got RBTd on the way back (as I was the DD) and flopped into bed early - Oh well, I can say I've been there). Left Birdsville on Monday headed for Innamincka (which is actually in SA) - at least I can say I've been there too. Camped for 2 nights on Coopers Creek (back in NSW) at "The Dig Tree" - read your Australiana... Then headed east for Thargomindah, north to Quilpie, east to Charleville, which is were we are now. Last Sunday Brett scored his first try for Storm (it was his birthday the next day - 22)- we didn't get to see the game (no phones let alone tv !) We're having an absolute ball and all of us have almost forgotten what work is......... Next stop is Cunnamulla, then Bourke - keep checking this Blog for updates. Hopefully we'll always have 'service' now for many months. Have had many-a-night around the fire with a port or two. Today is 6 weeks since we left home - but who's counting... There's still a lot to come.

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Photos

The Birdsville Pub
The grounds and road a 'chock-ablock' with cans everywhere... apparently that's the tradition - just drop 'em on the ground.

Gaz n Jools on top of "Big Red"
We 'went over' Big Red - not too difficilt (but you do have to 'give it some') - coming back over from the western approach is very difficult - took us 3 goes and tyres down to 14lb, low-4 and 3rd gear and 'hit it'

Innarmincka
About 50km into SA - horrible 'road' and the only thing worth going there for eas the public phone - after no mobile service for 18 days that was like 'heaven on a stick'

Comments

[brett]

Gazza have u had anything on apart from those fuckin maroon shorts all tri? The big red looks pretty large! make sure use keep taking and putting more photos on here now u know haw to do it.