December 20, 2004

Date: Mon, 20 Dec 2004 04:00:14 -0800 (PST)
Subject: BUSH!

Howdy,

I still don't have the bag that I was supposed to carry on the plane but was
forced to check in against my wishes and that had my maps and itinerary
printouts in it and 21 changes of clothes and I'm a little upset because I was
supposed to have that bag by now and after calling Qantas baggage service God
only knows how many tens of times in the last 3 days I still have not heard one
damn thing from them about my lost bag and this is a really really really long
run-on sentence so here's the end.

OK.

Having said that, the drive through the Outback has been fantastic! Let me go
back in time a couple of days:

On Saturday night, as I was approaching Mackay at midnight, I was starting to
get drowsy. And I know I fell asleep while driving at least once -- because
that was the time that I hit my car on one of the reflector-poles on the side
of the road, and the impact popped out my left-side outdoor mirror from its
socket. No dents or anything like that, just the mirror popped out. Well, that
woke me up really quick -- nothing like waking up while driving to force you to
STAY awake while driving! So anyway, on Sunday morning I tried to put that
mirror back on, but couldn't. And I drove all day Sunday with the mirror
dangling outside and flying in the wind.

This morning I finally got that fixed in Mt Isa. I also went to a K-Mart and
bought enough clothes to last me the next 6 days. I also called Qantas Lost
Baggage office about 10 times, and left them voicemail 3 times. After all this
I was on the road at 10:30 AM... heading Northwest.

From Mt Isa, QLD all the way to Alice Springs, NT is roughly about 1100 km. I
was averaging 95 kmph through Queensland, and 140 kmph through Northern
Territory. There's no speed limit in NT! But this road is not quite as good as
the autobahn in germany. For one thing, there's an animal carcass every 10
kilometers you have to swerve around! But still, there were sections of
straight highway when I just floored it... could never go faster than 185
though.

I saw a lot more 'roos on the road today than yesterday, along with several
other animals, in many cases only some body parts instead of the whole
animal.... My estimate is about every 10 km, I had to swerve to avoid a
relatively large animal or portion of an animal on the road. And that's every
10 km for 1100 km! But other than that, the scenery outside was quite good.
Reminded me again of the desert in Western USA, except this one is a LOT more
remote! Same heat though.

The landscape is flat -- dried brush for as far as the eye could see.. an
occasional tree here and there. and not a single human being for miles! Just
animals. A lot of animals: dead cows, dead cow parts, dead kangaroos, dead
kangaroo parts, a lot of live birds having quite a feast on all those, and a
lot of bugs getting squished on the car's windshield. I'm all out of windshield
washer fluid and I've cleaned the windshield 4 times today! Oh, and I also hit
a bird today. but you should forget that I just mentioned that.

Now I'm in Alice Springs -- a big city in the middle of nowhere, with a Pizza
Hut and an "Indian and Irish Restaurant" next to my motel, and a McDonalds and
Hungry Jack (Aussie version of Burger King) within walking distance. I went to
the pizza hut for dinner.

I GET TO WEAR A CLEAN SHIRT TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'VE BEEN WEARING THE SAME
BLUE PLURIS T-SHIRT SINCE THURSDAY!!!!!!

btw.......

there was wildlife today too. but today's wildlife was "of both varieties".

that's all. I'm going crazy from all the heat, so I'll sign off now and go do
something productive like watch tv or sleep. Au revoir.

Along the Barkley and Stuart Hwy's: