Sun rises over the salt lake.
After a whole day of driving, after all the heat and wind and flies, it feels so good to wake up to the beautifully warm and still morning, when the air is so fresh, and the sun is rising slowly above the salt lake. There's a couple of other campers in the distance, but they're not a bother at all... unlike flies, who wake up very quickly and swarm all over me. It doesn't matter, though, because I still have a couple of full days off because of the Labour Day weekend, and I firmly intend to stay here all this time and do nothing at all. Apart from photography, of course.
So tranquil and quiet.
Love these twisty trees.
The day is cloudless and sunny, so I mostly stay inside the tent, watching YouTube and Cheers and having an occasional drink every so often. Not the healthiest way to spend time, of course, but sometimes it's good to do just that. Beats driving, anyway.
Next day's sunrise. A bit more subdued.
Gonna be cloudy today.
The next morning is a lot more cloudy, and the light, therefore, is a lot more interesting. Time to wake up from the alcoholic stupor and walk around to look for interesting scenes. There should be plenty!
I begin with the salt lake. It's not too big, and it's covered in tracks (including the tyre tracks as well, because, as we know, people are pigs); but it still makes for a few interesting shots. The surface is crunchy and noticeably soft underneath; I definitely wouldn't risk driving on top of that.
The salt lake up close.
Some desert vegetation.
Trees come in all shapes and sizes.
And some are no longer with us.
Life in the red dirt.
I take a small half-circle, walking inland and then back towards the lake. Lots of interesting trees and scrubs and desiccated twigs around! It's a bit too cloudy for really good photos; but as I return to the lake, the clouds somewhat dissipate, and the light becomes brighter and much more interesting.
Further down the salt lake.
A couple of lovely myalls.
Up close.
Up close again.
A beautiful mess.
There are some beautifully tangled myall trees by the lake, and I take my sweet time with them before turning my attention to the lake itself. At least there are no tyre tracks here, thank God. The salty crust makes for some very delicious textures and abstract patterns, and there's plenty of work for me and my wide-angle lens.
Let's take a closer look.
Beautiful textures!
Looks almost like real ice, eh?
Once I'm done with salt, I climb back on the dunes and walk around a little. Ripples in the sand always fascinate me; and even if the dirt is not as red as
in the Uluru region, it still looks wonderfully alien and otherworldly. For a person who's into this whole “desert beauty” thing, anyway.
Some lovely sand ripples.
Some very dry scrubs.
Shadow and light.
Layers.
More unique desert trees.
As I slowly make my way back to the camp, I discover a little dry creek nearby. Of course, the trees are much taller there; and, of course, they're twisted into all sorts of shapes by the cruel climate and merciless winds. More photographic work to do!
More, more twisty trees!
Approaching the creek.
And here it is!
Going back to the lake.
And here's my humble abode.
However, as the afternoon goes on, I become increasingly disappointed with the quality of the mobile signal. It's only 3G, and it's quite slow; but the real problem is that it begins to disappear more and more often, and I can't really do much work (or entertainment) in these conditions. What should I do? I really don't want to leave this beautiful place; but it looks like I might have no other choice. Perhaps there's another one close by, where I can get better coverage while still enjoying my red dirt and twisty trees?
I pack up, then drive some more past Glendambo and Pimba due south... and voila: I find another secluded spot not too far off the highway, which has plenty of space to camp at and many, many twisty trees to photograph. It doesn't have a salt lake or even a creek; but at least the internet is significantly better, and Optus even gives me some 4G. Well then! Looks like I have a great location for another week or so.
New location!
My humble abode looks just as pretty even here.
Later in the evening I notice a vehicle camped not too far away, and decide to meet the neighbours (yes, sometimes I'm feeling social). It turns out to be a lovely young couple from Wales, who live in Mackay and currently do a half-lap around the country – up to North Queensland, then westwards, then down Stuart Highway, then here, and then to Adelaide and towards the East Coast. They're quite nice and talkative, but they're also super tired after a long day of driving, so I leave them alone after a while.
Will there be more neighbours in future as I stay here for the rest of the week? Let's find out.