PART I: outback/coast.

here are some blogs that i've been unable to post due to lack of internet connections; i will put them in sections for those of you who would be otherwise overwhelmed with a chapter-book-blog:


our first night in alice springs we decided to find a little patch of unclaimed land to camp instead of paying $50 for the same thing in a designated campsite. settling in for the evening, we woke to bright lights and a gruff voice calling out, "it's the police; open your tents"

positive that we were getting kicked out and had to pack up camp at 2am we groggily obliged. however much to our surprise, they were actually after two guys who had just robbed a place and were seen headed in our direction. [should that have been a relief?]

the next night we couchsurfed in this guy dave's apartment while he was off working in the bush for the week.. we were extremely gracious of him letting five people take over his space while he was away. and we took full advantage of the pool and all facilities, enjoying a day of watching movies and laying low.

back on the road, we passed the ufo capital of australia.. the devil's marbles, the pebbles.. (how these formations came to be, i have no idea. i've tried to find out but perhaps it's a mystery?) intruigingly beautiful. we passed tenant creek, mount isa.. termite mounds reaching up to at least four or five feet spotted the ground on both sides of the road and continued as far back as the eye could see..

we pulled into julia creek for a night, setting up camp right by the water. took a walk down a back road at sunset and watched the gold and orange spread over the fields on the horizon. it felt like home. we all lay out on the picnic table and did some star gazing before bed, the southern cross and shooting stars overhead..

we were all super amped to stop in at this dinosaur museum at hughender, but then nobody actually went inside because it cost too much! (stacy caught a look in the window) instead we sent postcards and enjoyed the outbacks best malts and burgers at a little diner down the street. after townsville, the coast. a phenomenal view of the sparkling water, winding roads, valleys and mountains and orchards.. sugar cane fields and banana trees on both sides of the road.. the smells of summer.