Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Tuesday 18th of August


Spent Last night and tonight in Wiepa. A little bit of civilisation after two days on the PDR. Most of the way up the PDR was dirty and some of it very corrugated. However everything is hanging together very well. Red dust now in everything, apart from the back of the camper. It is in every crack of the Navara and the back is full of red dust. I am trying to keep it out of the Engel however I think I am fighting a loosing battle. To answer Kaths question about the "porta lou" yes we have one however we have not had to use it yet. The first night on the PDR we stopped at Coen and stayed behind the shell service station and shop. They had toilets and showers, last night and tonight we stopped in the Weipa Caravan park. Good facilities and a great swimming pool. As I am writing this it is 9pm and still about 28 degrees. This morning we went on a tour of the Rio Tinto Bauxite mine. This must be the easiest thing in the world to mine, they take off the top soil (approximately 1 metre) and then the next 5 to 6 metres is Bauxite. They load it with a 16 tonne front end loader into 190 tonne trucks, cart it off to have the dust removed and water added, loaded onto a train for a short 30 kilometer ride to the wharf and then loaded onto small ships to be carted to Gladstone or overseas. Most to Gladstone. Not much else in Wiepa as it is still completely run by Rio Tinto.
As most of the PDR is unsealed and a lot of dust, there is very little wild life along the road. Much less than any of us thought we might see. Even the road kill is few and far between (unlike coming up through out back Queensland and New South Wales). We have meet up with a family who have sold up everything and are travelling around Australia for a year. We got talking to them as our caravans are made by the same people (Kingdom Caravans). They have six children (thats eight of them) and at the moment they have also left their caravan down south and are camping in a tent. They all fit into a Toyota Prado, with only the tent and a pack on the roof. As Stewart said today "if we roll, not much will happen as we are packed in so tight". I dont think even Louise could get this much in her Prado. It is amazing eight of everything comes out of this Prado. Well that's it for now, or when we get back from the top, maybe there will be mobile phone coverage up there. There more than likely will be as the communities seems to get everything they want. Elliott falls and Fruit bat falls tomorrow.

7 comments:

  1. Hey, did you really post this entry at 4:01am?!?!!! Maybe that red dust is keeping you awake!
    Have fun with the fruit bats.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You will be cleaning dust out of the truck for months to come!
    I cannot imagine 8 people travelling for weeks in the Prado. Where do they put their legs, their food, anything else useful?

    ReplyDelete
  3. I bet the noisy dustbuster is getting one hell of a workout.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Fantastic! What a road trip hey! No doubt tissues are a must for all the trapped dust!
    6 Andrews' in the Prado is plenty! How amazing to think they fit 8. I suppose the shortest 3 sets of legs are in the back row. Only a lap belt in the centre back though.
    Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  5. 8 people in a prado would get a tad cramped.
    hi cassidy.
    olivia

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for another riveting update Gregory! We look forward to a new installment! Ryan loved the picture of the truck!
    I thought 3 kids in a car was enough.....6..no way!!!!

    Drive safe.....Nic xo

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Cassidy.
    Geez. I would be pretty sick of that red dust as soon as it found the cracks and holes of the caravan and into the food and clothing. What a nightmare.
    8 people in a prado?????
    1 How do they get everything in? and 2 Who would be able to STAND 6 kids. Mum would say me and crystal are enough.
    Have fun. Your almost at the top. Lot's for you to see at the top you might not be able to find time to write the blog.
    Miss you heaps Cassidy.
    Angela

    ReplyDelete