Across the Simpson Desert (Day 1)

Us in the Defender
(red flag is to alert oncoming dune traffic)

Leaving The Alice
~ this yarn starts way back in August 1994. 
We'd arrived at a caravan park in Alice Springs to meet up with a 4WD Tagalong Tour group to travel from Alice Springs to Birdsville across the Simpson Desert.
This wasn't a luxury trip, every member and vehicle was expected to contribute in ways that will become obvious.


It was fun meeting our fellow adventurers and checking out each others' vehicles etc. Watching the organisers arranging all the provisions and distributing them throughout everyone's vehicles was also an eye opener. I learnt a lot about storage of vegetables - cabbages and lettuces wrapped in newspaper and stored in cardboard boxes remained quite fresh. The total amount of water our vehicle carried was 140 litres - most of which was for group use. No potable water where we were going!


Next morning started with what would be our daily routine. Breakfast by a campfire. The setup is a large grate for the cooking pots, with a smaller grate attached for the continually boiling kettles. On the table are an assortment of cereals and spreads and everyone can make toast on the coals of the fire. Sandwiches and thermoses are prepared for lunch, we all wash our own utensils and that's it, food-wise, until the evening. 


Radio checks done, we're finally on our way, off-road driving almost straight away.

Much excitement at finally taking off
Our Defender is the 4th from the front
(Tloml about to jump in and start up)

Note:  The photos in these yarns are from a pretty basic camera, in fact, they get worse as the dust etc played havoc with the lens.... well, that's my excuse anyway ;-)