It took a few hours on the phone this morning to start the process of organizing tyres and parts for the tent, and then a few more conversations throughout the day to get a plan together. TyrePower in Katherine will get in 3 tyres for us but it will take until the week of 22nd Aug for them to arrive in Katherine. Ivan at Peak Offroad, will send some replacement latches for the poptop tent. TyrePower have allowed me to have the tent parts sent to them so that fixed the "where to send stuff" question.

I must say that even though I found this problems of yesterday a bit stressful it is nothing compared to our problems with the Mog in Russia and Iran. Phone service and the ability to speak the language is a great advantage.

After that organization session we set off to follow the Carpentaria Highway 380km to the junction with the Stuart Highway (the main drag between Adelaide and Darwin). Today it was mostly a single lane paved road so required a little trip into the dirt verge whenever there was oncoming traffic (which was rare).

The day, however, was not without its points of interest. Early in the drive we came across a Conservation Reserve that had a loverly lily covered stream. Not long after that we passed by a HUGE zinc mine (The McArthur River Zing Mine) which has built a few of its own mountains.

Late in the day, after we had set up camp at the October Creek rest Area, a convoy of two vehicles carrying an extended family of locals pulled in to use the toilets. As they made to depart one of the vehicles would not start. So Rob and Nina to the rescue. We packed everything away, got out the two strap and pull started the ute.

As the sun disappeared behind the trees and the wind died down and stillness reigned, I got a photo of the glow from the sunset at the start of one of those magical outback evenings.