Off we go – 1098 km towards Uluru via dirt road.

We stopped counting after 50 damaged cars in the bushes. Somehow we had been the only idiots with a 2W-drive on the Great Central Road.

So we had to practice a bit and get a feeling for the corrugations and dips. If you are too slow, you feel every bump – if you are too fast, you might blew your tires, which are no 4W-drive ones.

Luckily before we left Laverton a 4W-drive dealer gave us the advice to put more air in our tires since we do have only 2W-drive tires. Otherwise we might puncture our tires easily. Therefore we where swimming on the sandy parts.

You could see easily upcoming traffic since there was a massive dirt cloud.

First we stopped in Warburton and the campground was a bit like a fort. High fences, massive spot lights and they where patrolling in the night. We had to get everything in the car otherwise the Aborigines will take it.

Unfortunately the Aborigines in this area have big problems with sniffing petrol so they changed to opal petrol - can’t be sniffed. We already new that it will be quite expensive in the middle of nowhere – AUS $ 2.35/ltr.

Second stop was at the Warakum Roadhouse where we did a nice tour at the Giles weather station the next day.

So we left Western Australia and as soon as we entered the Northern Territory the streets got worse. Our roof rack moved about 40cm back but luckily we realized it quickly.

In Dockers River Community we only stopped for petrol and where happy when we left this place as fast as possible. Here you experience one sad example of Aborigine communities without a future. The streets are littered and the people are hanging around in dirty clothes and angry faces. The petrol station and the shop looks like Fort Knox.

Lets go to the Olgas and the Uluru. And our Mighty Boy brought us there safely.

Gold was found all over the country and only a few became rich very quickly. Definitely it was a hard time for all of them. So we visited two ghost towns to get an idea how the people had been living in those mining areas.

In Kookynie there was only one Hotel left from the old times. Signs with pictures and information told you about the other building which had been here. But Gwalia at Leonora you could find some old huts with all the household stuff still in there. It was fascinating, especially the old cars.

To get started for the big trip on the Great Central Road we went to Laverton afterwards. Unfortunately the petrol station is out of petrol so we have to get petrol at the Tjukayirla Roadhouse. Should do. Luckily the also have unleaded and we do not have to make it all the way to Warburton, as the DIA informed us.

Today we have to pack a bit better and tomorrow we are ready for the big adventure.

In 1963 all the people left Gwalia suddenly over night after the mines had been closed. They took only some belongings so you can walk around and get a very good idea of there way of living.