The Outback: A whole lot of nothing.

Journal and photos by Adam Burgess

Upon arrival I found Australia similar to the U.S., but as we head into the desolation of the interior there’s a striking difference…nothing. In the US when you head out into the interior there are sections of nothing, but often lined with commercial farms or intersected by a solid highway that passes through towns, small but complete. There’s nothing here. You drive for 2 days on a bechum, single lane road (if you’re lucky) pulling over into the dirt with one set of wheels in order to pass oncoming Toyotas. It’s a different story when the “Road Trains” come. Should one come ripping over the horizon followed by a red storm cloud of dust, you’ve got just enough time to pull all the way off the single track, because they won’t budge. The aftermath from four trailers whipping past is a shower of dust and stones that occasionally chip the windshield. But it’s not only the road and total lack of towns that differs; the people are distinctively different. They have a charm that is remotely English, and not like the bubbly American country folk. It’s warm and witty with a bit of cheek but also incorporates a distinctive roughness that’s not impressed with the obvious. The other day I asked a woman at a confection stand, “Are the apple pies good?” She replied, “Thet’s a stewpid question, I werrk eer. Do yous jest want change?” Fair enough, she was right, I wanted coins for the Laundromat. The pie however, was extremely good and I walked away feeling rather transparent. Tea is still the drink of choice here and I have had several gratis cups along with offers to send my un-stamped letters for nothing but a smile.

So we are about 7 days in and our road has been a combination of trails and single-lane, red-dirt roads. We’ve managed to see a range of wildlife on our route. Kangaroos hopped all over the place on the East side, but we’ve seen fewer and fewer as we head West, or should I say we’ve hit fewer. Camels seem to have replaced them. These tall lanky creatures are hilarious to watch as they flop their stride across the bush, stopping to look back at the rattling Land Rovers as we pass. Yesterday I decided to go “National Geo” on them by steering the car off the dirt road and into the bush. I chased them for about a mile across the endless expanse, weaving erratically around shrubs and trees as Colin and Neil leaned out of the window filming and snapping photos. It was a liberating experience.

Later that day a few dingos came out from hiding. One was so curious we killed the engine and let him circle the car as he sniffed and stared intently, perhaps wondering what we may toss or drop from the window. But 99.9% of the wildlife here take the form of insects, crickets in all colours, beatles in all sizes, tons of termites, and the most pestilent flies available for human annoyance. These small black buggers absolutely refuse to fly off. They zip around you with sleek wings and an insatiable appetite for ears, eyes, and mouths. In hoards, they circle and land on your head from sunrise ‘til sunset, and its enough to drive me to lose what sanity I might have left on this trip. Filming has become one of the most brutal punishments available to man. I step out of the car or tent for one second and immediately they coat my hands, eyes, lips and nose. I try to remain quiet and still while shooting the others as they practice the luxury of shooing the flies away. Recently I have discovered an anecdote to the epidemic. I bought a sarong in Brasil that happens to be thin enough to wrap over my head Hamas style while allowing for 60% visibility. Apparently summer is 10 times worse…

Adam's method for avoiding the flies...

Logbook for May 11th, Day 193
Start Gunbarrel Highway, Australia
Time: 10:30 a.m.
S: 25* 28.067
E: 123* 30.784
Finish: Carnegie Station, Outback, Australia
Time: 1:00 p.m.
S: 25* 33.132
W: 126* 20.040
Mileage: 056
Notes: Today, we woke up in a makeshift campground, surrounded by short, scrubby trees, red sand and rocks, the scent of fresh rain, and, of course, the ever-present flies of Australia’s Outback. We were treated to a breakfast of bacon and, um, bacon, by Nick and Chanda (yummy), and then we hit the road for more remote dirt-road driving on the Gunbarrel Highway. We made it to our first sign of civilization in three days, Carnegie Station, which proved to be a perfect little oasis for a road-weary crew. The nice lady there hooked us up with unleaded fuel, free showers, and some grub. It was a beautiful day, and there were four baby sheep there, and the place was just so warm and inviting, so we decided to stay. Adam and the film crew shot a couple of team interviews, and everybody did some work, socialized, and cooked up some dinner. We enjoyed the camaraderie of our team members around the laptops and guitars staged around the kitchen table. We felt at home, and it was wonderful to finally shed the layers of orange dirt that caked our skin and clothing. We thought we were tan, and then we noticed our “tan” going down the shower drain… This is the life, and I think we will all be sad when our Outback driving comes to an end. For now, we will savor every moment we have on this road through the middle of nowhere.
(N.O.)

Help support our cause: The LONGITUDE Expedition is the longest journey ever attempted with a focus on Parkinson's Disease. The Drive Around the World team aims to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease research by driving four certified pre-owned Land Rover Discoverys around the globe following lines of longitude. Readers are encouraged to pledge small amounts of money per expedition-kilometer via a pledge form that can be found on our Parkinson’s page by clicking here. 100% of donations received go directly to Parkinson's research and all who donate $10 or more will be entered into a raffle to win an expedition-equipped Land Rover Discovery.