DAY 169
5th August 2021
We went back to Alice Springs to some reception. We tried to get a SA border pass but they wouldn’t let us cross without a covid test in the first 24 hours and you had to leave within 72 hours.
Our original plan was to go to Uluru and Kata Tjuta and then down through to Coober Pedy and along the Simpson Desert, but without being allowed into SA without a test, we couldn’t do this. And the whole 24 hours thing was crazy – where were we supposed to get a test in the middle of nowhere? And to leave within 72 hours, attempting to crossing a desert? It was stupid. We hadn't been close to anyone in weeks other than the quick food shops we did every few days.
We started driving to Uluru but then decided about 100km in that it was a long way to go then have to come back the same way – it was at least an 800km round trip that we could loop into another trip in the future rather than doing it now. So we went back to Alice and I went to have a shower at the free showers there. It was bliss. Then we drove back towards the Plenty Hwy again, as that was the only way back without going back up to Tennant Creek, a LONG way away. We stayed at a site on the side of the highway for the night – you could drive quite far into the scrub so it was peaceful enough. But it was such a cold night, I even had to get out my UK coat! It was quite dusty though.
DAY 170
6th August 2021
We drove back along the Plenty. Josh let the tyres down this time and the road felt a lot better this time.
We camped at another dusty spot along the Plenty, this one called Limestone Rise. It had lots of these weird rocks in the dust which looked like tiles. They sounded like glass when knocked together like tiles do too. We spent some time looking at them! Built a fire out of the few dried up spindly sticks we could find.
DAY 171
7th August 2021
Still driving the Plenty.
We got back to the intersection where we’d joined it a few days ago and continued on in the other direction. We stopped at the Tobermorey Station for some fuel. Most expensive fuel in Australia so far!
Drove towards Boulia, where we got supplies and fuel, then drove south towards Birdsville.
We stopped to camp just outside of town at a river. Lots of wood around so we had a decent fire. Then listened to the music of the only other person at the campsite who seemed to like old 50’s music, but not Blue Suede Shoes, which they skipped.
Amazingly, we also had this huge flock of galahs fly over us. They sounded like a 747 going over, their wings were so loud. It was crazy.