Day 44; 19-08-2012 (Final Day)

Sunday...
We're home!!!
Sad that it's all over.  It's been an amazing experience.  We sure covered some ground and saw some stuff.  Had some ups and downs, injuries but also had a lot of laughs.
We arrived home at 1400 today.  
Started the unpack and now it's time for the clean up and count the battle scars.

Stats:
Distance traveled: 14,434 km.
Fuel used: 2,001 litres at a cost of $3319 (average price was $1.67 / litre)
Consumption: 13.9 litres per 100 km.

Camp Locations: 25

Photos taken: 3,569 (that's just me) - 61Gb

Videos: 20Gb

Injury report:

1 van raising mechanism (very sick - requires further surgery and rehab)

1 tyre (ruptured and replaced)

2 tailgate latches (fractured and replaced)

1 camper stone guard (fractured - underwent emergency reconstruction - requires further surgery)

1 windscreen scar (requires surgery)

1 portable gas stove (terminally ill - to be euthanased)

Sat TV decoder (euthanased and replaced)

1 camp chair (euthanased and replaced)

Lens hood (bruised)

Tripod (bruised)

Busted knuckles (healed)

Jinked Neck (healed)

Pride (healed)
Scarred Retinas (permanent)

Tick bites (Les - ongoing treatment)

1 Helicopter seat (requires reupholstering)

Les and Barb start back at work on Wednesday.  Judy begins her new job at iMalekky (plug there) and I start back at work in 2 weeks.  After 9 weeks off, it's gonna be hard so take it easy on me - OK?
See the link for a few last day shots ...

The cars look clean don't they?  Trust me they're not!!!

Links:

See more images at... https://picasaweb.google.com/106361511620108780730/Day4419082012

Day 43; 18-08-2012

Saturday...

Got an early start this morning - we had about 600 km ahead of us.  Leaving Lawn Hill (Adels Grove), we encountered some heavy vehicle traffic on the dirt road between Adels Grove and Gregory.  It was very dusty and driving into the sun made it more difficult.  Being able to communicate with the truckies is a big advantage.  They were hauling to and from Century Mine.
The majority of the road between Gregory and Burke and Wills Junction is sealed single lane.  Not much more comfortable to negotiate although the on coming traffic was fairly light.
We all topped up fuel at Julia Creek and plugged on to a roadside campsite for our final night on the road before home.
When I rocked up at the servo, there was a car parked in my lane - the only diesel bowser I had to choose from.  When old mate came out from paying, he leaned into his car and pulled out his camera clearly seeing that there is a queue waiting on him.  He just ignored the fact and disappeared into the back blocks of the servo with his camera.  About 5 minutes later, he returned and jumped into his car without making eye contact and sped off.  What an ignorant @#$!*.  Mind boggles as to why you need to take a camera into the toilets with you!  I can think of a couple but I won't go into that here.
So here we are camped at Boundary Creek on the side of the road with an early get away planned tomorrow morning.

Links:
Google Maps reference is -20 41.93, 142 31.58
See more images at... https://picasaweb.google.com/106361511620108780730/Day4318082012