desert crossings ....

Hello friends

I am back from the desert wandering .... a few thousand photos taken (nothing like another of the photographers who took triple that number!).  I have been home a few days cleaning desert sand and outback dust from cars, clothes and equipment and now have had a quick look at my photos.  I am going to post in four blocks (how does one chose a few photos from so many) over the next four days so that next week I am clear and I hope to be back in the studio doing some creative work.  Part of me wonders if I can remember how to bring any of my thoughts to fruition ..... will have to exercise some discipline.

Next week I will have time to take a walk through many of your blogs and have a look at what you have been doing.  I had thought we would get reception most of the time we were away, other than in the Simpson Desert, but had forgotten just how vast and empty the centre of Australia is and how far removed from modern technology.  Actually once over the shock of losing communications, it was rather lovely not hearing phones, or having equipment beep as emails came into inboxes.

these first images are taken along Cooper Creek en route to Innamincka where much of the Burke and Wills story unfolds

these glorious cane like lanterns in bleached and dark wood became a feature going through the desert

an evening walk out from Innamincka to explore another of Burke's trees. 

corrugated iron reflection

Andy Goldsworthy dried mud

first evening at Birdsville - playing on big red as sun set

on the other side of dune away from the sunset

gorgeous evening light

evening over the lake alongside big red

colours were exactly like this - surreal

start of the dunes - only 1200 to go!

evening camps in the desert were sublime

I loved all the colours and marks in the salt pans

the boys discussing directions ....

we barely saw any wildlife in the four days crossing the Simpson Desert - not even birds

I loved all these dried treelike lanterns - see images coming some time ...

on the other side of the Simpson we came across a salt pan with water - could have spent hours here!

a wander around Dalhousie Springs where we camped after our Simpson Crossing.  Very large hot springs to swim in - suddenly an oasis for wildlife and vegetation after the desert dry...

scores of cockatoos watching swimmers soak in the springs - washing out desert dust ...

the Painted Desert - pre dawn

the sun comes up - phew, it was soooo cold there waiting for the sun's warmth

my favourite part of the Painted Desert - I took hundreds of photos at sunset.  These are just a few as the sun went down