Friday, December 21 Tablelands to Murray River Region - Good News!

We're still here!    

    We made it to December 22!  Just wanted to let you all know that the world has survived.  Well, at least Oz has.  I guess you've got a few more hours to go.  We just Skyped with David and things are looking OK in Connecticut. Hope all is well where you are.

     Yesterday we returned to the real Outback, for a few hours at least.  We drove from the Tablelands west of the Blue Mountains out to Hay in southwestern New South Wales, which is at the edge of the immense arid center of Australia.  Temps of only around 95 F, so it wasn't too hot, but it was dry and for a couple hours of driving nearly treeless.  Although not the 6 weeks Diana and I spent driving through, it did provide a good glimpse of what the majority of Oz looks like.

     Just prior to leaving the Tablelands we passed through a fruit fly exclusion zone, which meant eating a pound of cherries, ten apples, and three mangoes, since we wouldn't be allowed to bring them along with us, and Kelly certainly wasn't going to let all the fruit go to waste.

Getting fruity at the side of the road

Kristy depositing cores and pits and peels

    Then, on to the outback.

First emu spotting for the newcomers.  Fortunately, we saw several live ones
a few minutes later.

We stopped at a bird-filled swamp in the middle of the desert ...

... with alien plant life ...

... and skeletons (this was a fox) ...

... all protected by nasty spiky plants

A new roadside phenomenon ...

... red vehicles on posts.  Could it become the latest fad?

     Nearing the Murray river we were back to trees and towns and agriculture.  But the Outback will always be there, waiting for our return.  Even if only at a steakhouse back home. (Eww, I don't think so!)