Day 18 Lake Disappointment

Day 18 CSR I woke up at 5.30 to the sound of drips on the tent and awning. Bob woke shortly after. emerging from our warm, dry little cocoon we were surprised to see the camp enveloped in fog! Completely unexpected out here, it was just like at home in Atherton! Low cloud, dripping trees and thick air. Soon the wind came in and took it all away to reveal big blue skies and another glorious winter day  in the desert. We ate breakfast by last nights BBQ with Jon and Kerrin watching the goings on of the camp and bore while we ate.  Breakfast over we finished packing up and were ready to hit the road. Kerrin and Jon took another 45 minutes to get packed up so we went for a wander around the camp. Bob also discovered that the back right hand shock absorber bush is bulging. Hopefully we get home on it.  We hit the track at 9am heading for well 22. No wildlife spottings this morning so we arrived about 40 minutes later. By this time it was almost smoko and 10am. Enjoying a cuppa in front of the hole in the ground which used to be the well, a land cruiser ute arrived carrying three people. They were very friendly farmers from Victoria heading North. Back on track for well 21 the track was nothing special with hardly any sand dunes and no special highlights. Lunch at well 21 under the shade of some mulga trees.  Today's vehicle spots include the farmers, three Germans near a small salt lake, a couple in a landcruiser and two vehicles just before Lake Disappointment look out, one towing a camper trailer.  Tonight we have stopped about 5 kms before the well 20 turnoff camped in a beautiful location high up with views over Lake Disappointment. We are surrounded by tall desert oaks on the edge of a sand dune, spinafex grass and lots of little finches flying around the trees.  Bob refueled the ute from the tank in back before we went for an explore on the lake. It was down to a quarter of a tank, so it has taken about 50 litres, give or take. The afternoon light is lovely and so different to home. We couldn't resist burning through a few more pixels! The experience of walking on a slat lake is quite strange,like walking on a cake, you sink a certain distance and stop, usually..then there are crystals of salt that have burst up through the lake surface, contrasting the red mud of the surface of the lake with the white salt, and there are lots of desiccated animals, such as frogs and crickets laying on the salt. Whilst enjoying a cuppa after dinner we once again heard some camels calling to each other no too far away.....a freaky sound when you are sitting in the camp on a camp chair, knowing how big a camel can be!