CAMPSITE # 86 - Primary Indicators of Outback Driving

Site : Lake Hart Rest Area
Rating : 9 / 20
Facilities : Zero facilities but a great view over the lake, good undercover area which I imagine would be highly sought after during the super hot times. Good half way stop over when driving the 541 from Port Augusta to Coober Pedy.

 360 degrees of nothingness as far as the eye can see...

We've come to the conclusion that there are three primary indicators of outback driving - 

1. It's all in the wave
There must be some sort of unspoken rule out here in the bush, "When driving the outback, thou shall wave to thine fellow passer-by". Some like a five finger wave that finds one hand completely separating itself from the steering wheel. Others like to drive along for a few seconds with two fingers pointed stiffly in the air. The more casual outback blokes will fling their head back, raising their Akubras gesturing a "G'day" all in the flick of a hat.
I, on the other hand, prefer to do the one finger flick. Just a quick raise and drop of the the index finger tells it all "Yes hello, nice to see you're driving the same path but heading in the other direction, thanks for the passing and breaking up the monotony of this drive".

Where did it originate from? And should you be reprimanded if you do not supply a wave in reply? There were even a few rude buggers that would drive past, completely obliviously to the rule... perhaps they didn't get the memo?

It should be noted, Tom practically jumps out of his seat when he spots an on coming Troopie. He'll flash the lights and give the worlds most enthusiastic wave which, more often than not, he receives one in return. Us "Troopers" must all be as whacko as Tom. :)

2. Enough flies to sink a ship

Let me just say... I DO know why that old lady swallowed that fly!! Because there were hundreds upon millions swarming around her irritating her with every move...

• You pull the Troopie up for 10 seconds.. BAM swarm of flies attack and get inside the cabin and then you spend the next ten minutes of your trip waving them off.
• You're chopping up the vegies for dinner and a hundred flies have returned themselves onto your carrot before you've even finished waving them off.
• You open the back door to get something out of the Troopie, regardless of how quick you are, 341 of them still find their way into the car.
• You hang your stinking, damp, mouldy clothes out to dry and well, I guess that one's just to be expected really.

So, what's the solution? Either shut up and put up or wear these little babies on your head. While they certainly aren't the trendiest item in my wardrobe, they are the only thing maintaining my sanity...

And the third & final primary indicator truly is quite an R rated experience...

3. Turn down the stereo and turn up UHF40, The Truckies Channel.
This channel is appropriate for all personnel. Excluding however, those with younger ears who are under the age of 21, those who would have thought they had heard every swear word in the book until now, generally aged in their 20s, 30s and 40s and those who haven't heard those words spoken in at least a decade primarily of the age of 50+. For those who are left, UHF40 is absolutely appropriate and ok to tune in to. Just brace yourself because it's going to be a bumpy ride.

In between the profanities and deciphering what the bloody hell they're actually saying. You will learn :

• The Chicken Schnitzels at Cynthia's Roadhouse has gone up to $18.50 and that's the already discounted Truckie's price (which you can imagine they were really impressed by).
• But reassured, the food at Cynthia's place doesn't flush through your system every 2 hours for the next 24 like the food from the other roadhouse.
• The carbon tax is such a rort and one of these days they'll just sting us for everything we've got.
• Mark just got back from holidays in Adelaide and had a great time with the kids but he just wishes the mother-in-law would $&#^*$^%* ^*(%%$!!!!

The combination of those three are tell-tale signs that you are officially in the Australian Outback. You can expect the roads to be long, straight and flat. I would say that you can expect it to be hot, muggy and sticky but that's yet to come (I think)...