Day 11 – 14 July. North yet again as far as
Dunmarra, near where the Stuart intersects with the unsealed Buchanan Highway,
hoping to take this route tomorrow – finally westwards!
The stretch of the Stuart from Alice to
Tennant and beyond has many amusing roadside characters –the selfless work of kind
Aussies willing to sacrifice their t-shirt, cap and even sunglasses to clothe a
termite mound. This trend is resulting in such a surge of compassion towards
otherwise impoverishly underdressed mounds that there is now a veritable city
of mound citizens lining the roadsides. North of Tennant Creek we also passed a
few very keen cyclists loaded up with long haul saddle bags, heading south, who
are still nearly as far away as you and me from crossing off their bucket list
“Do Stuart Highway by bike”.
There has been surprisingly little road kill
along the Stuart. We came across a few eagles working on the slim pickings
during the day. Just out of the Dunmarra this evening a water buffalo meandered
across the highway in front of us; fortunately we saw her well in advance.
Camped tonight under a large African
Mahogany tree in the Dunmarra fuel stop/shop/pub/caravan park which has
warnings out the front to not pat, feed or play with the wild buffalo. A large
aviary sits in the middle of the campsite. On my enquiry about its lack of
inhabits, Trev the park guy said “Nah, last parrot died yesterday. Pythons keep
killin’ em”. I hope all the caravan people who travel with their little dogs
keep them inside at night, less the yap-less creatures become python fodder.
Medical report – Dave is still alive and
can now bend his knee more than 90 degrees. Pain and swelling from the staph
infection are reducing very gradually, but there is improvement each day. He
can now even hobble fast enough to make it into his own timer set photographs.
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