Our Travel Adventures: 23rd Sept. Daly Waters to the Three Ways Roadhouse

Road trip........ We're travelling cross country, making our way over to Queensland and as the Ozzie's say " its all on the outside" just scenery as we travel through. So here we go with more of what its like.
We're getting use to the bush fires now and see a couple every day, some worse than others. The smell of burning can drift for miles and some of the smoke looks like clouds in the distance, some of the animals that didn't make it can be seen at the edge of the road, cant say its to nice seeing a big bloated crispy bull laying on the roadside..... As we pass, some of the fires are in full swing and the local feathered predators ain't daft and learned quick. As we drive down the road, we can see about twenty plus birds, eagles, ravens, hawks all sitting together on the road, at the edge of the fire, giving the smaller wildlife a choice, them or the fire. Suppose it saves having to look for food, it comes to you medium rare..... We found slowing down as we pass these fires ain't a good idea, its hot here at the best of times, add the fire and sitting by an oven with the door comes to mind. On the whole, the roads out here have been pretty good but you do get the odd stretch that makes up for the good stuff and without warning we find a hidden dip, bums leave seats and John gets a clump from the navigator.

Driving a bike is defiantly not for the faint hearted, heavy road trains let you know they've been this way and leave their mark. So now you've got a choice, drive in the dip on the nearside and risk Skippy making a dash across the road, drive on the raised ridge in the centre and spend the journey just keeping the bike going in one direction, then theres the outside dip. While driving here you've got to keep very aware as road trains are coming straight at you and are wider than their lane, sometimes to the point were even our bike has only a foot or so to spare.

Oh well ya pays yer money and takes yer chance, it certainly keeps you awake. Me, I drive on the outside, when a car or caravan comes along, I nip onto the centre ridge, then back as it passes, lorry or road train, grip the handlebars for all I'm worth, nip over to the inside dip, wait till after the wind smacks you like an invisible pillow, then back to the outside, all the while keeping an eye out for roo's bulls, eagles, possums and anything else that fancies ending life as a hood ornament.

We finally arrive at Three Ways, hot and bum wearie. As we get off the bike, we bump into a couple we met back at Exmouth, say no more, into the bar to catch up. A few beers later, their off and we book in just as the bikers we met at the last stopover turn up. Right, catch up with the road news (that was s**t, bounced everywhere) and we're heading for our cabin, air con and a fridge and all for the sum of $113.

Sod that, but Lin's bums worth it.....

Ok, just a bit more background, so you understand where we are...., we are on our way to three ways, which is actually the three way junction, one of which used to be known as Halls Creek (dont watch the film, it will worry the bejesus out of you and in its time did as much for Australian Tourism as a good smack in the face would do.The local area is now called
Tennant Creek, but it is still having problems and suffers a high crime rate and quite a violent environment, most of which is alcohol related.