Alice Springs, the half way mark to Darwin. We have made good time, with no dramas. Here’s a few pics so far. Excuse the quality of the photos …
The beginning of the long straight road ahead. Vegetation on the roadside changed from scrub land, to dry spinifex grass, to flat nothing-ness. to native shrubs. And as we neared Alice Springs we started to get some hills and curves in the road. The other interesting thing was that the colour of the bitumen changed from the charcoal grey to red ochre now and then. We are, after all, travelling through the Red Centre. 
Coober Pedy was a surprise. We had not booked accommodation ahead, not expecting any problems. It took us an hour to find a vacancy! More about this fascinating opal mining town on our return trip when we plan to stay there a day or two. This photo is just some of the thousands of opal mining slag heaps that dot the environment in and around Coober Pedy.
On this first day there was a lot of dead kangaroos along the sides of the road. And one bloated cow, legs sticking up in the air. We saw no live wildlife apart from birds. However, we are avoiding travelling at dawn and dusk, the high risk times for collisions with kangaroos in particular.
One of our pit stops today was at a roadhouse in Glendambo.
There, for some reason, was this rotary clothes hoist filled with shoes. No-one could tell me why.
The roads are alive with grey nomads. Caravans and mobile homes can be seen pulled over at road stops, circled in a modern equivalent of wagon trail travelling. There is safety in numbers even nowadays.
And here’s the last fuzzy picture for today. A sign at the state border between
South Australia and the Northern Territory. From here on the speed limit changed from 110 to 130kph.
Raili Tanska
Steps for Peace
Immerse yourself in nature
Fascinating! Very different from a road trip on any other continent. I do like the shoes – some would call it art.
I guess you could say it was desert art !
I’ve never been to inland/central Australia, so I’m finding your photos fascinating… Shoes on a line…hmmm…. Souls in the sky…..
It’s intriguing, Ivor. I hope to post lots more photos, better quality too.
I look forward to them😊
I think the best is yet to come Raili. I’m still very jealous.
Just warming up Opher. It’s 30C here. And I’m remembering the great Aussie salute, there’s so many flies as soon as you step outside!
Loved the mystery of those shoes on the rotary line, Raili. Enjoy your journeying.
Thank you. I’m going to investigate the shoe thing when we get to Darwin
I’ve just used your oic as inspiration for a story. It just screamed story. Calked it Soulful. Thanks for giving my creativity a kick where it was needed.
I am delighted. We’re on the road again, so will check it out later. Thanks Kelvin 🙂
Oh uck about the dead animals. Around here it happens more during full moon weeks.
Kangaroos come out to feed on the r roadsides early mornings and evenings and are the cause of many fatalities and accidents annually
I to am fascinated by the shoe art!!!!
Me too!
😊😊 I’ll be scooting over to read all about it later!! 👟👟👟👟
I don’t suppose you passed through tenant Creek, on your way to Darwin, did you? My niece is a nurse in the hospital there. She’s a dedicated globetrotter who works wherever she can, in order to raise money for her next jaunt 🙂
We did drive through Tennant Creek ! I was surprised how big it was, just as I was surprised how small Katherine was in comparison. On our return trip, we will be stopping and doing more touristing along the way.
If you happen to pass the hospital, could you drop in and leave a message for April Roulstone, please. I’d like her to know that her aunt Jane sends her love, and I’m sorry I haven’t written back, but I don’t have an up-to-date address 🙂 🙂
Sure, happy to – don’t know when that will be.
You’d love April… she’s not really my niece, but my sister was married to her dad for a while, when April was in her teens, and my family has claimed her because we love her so much.
Sounds delightful 🙂
That should have read Tennant Creek…