New title for our travels - 'Wheels Across Australia'

BBQing at The Old Telegraph Station

Warwick and friend Rose from Yirara

We enjoyed dinner with Margaret and David Hewitt and our host Graham

Our friendly B and B in 'Alice'

No 4 wheel episode 120kms south of 'Alice'

You're not smiling Bob ;-(

Narelle and Mark Dickson - Bob and Fay's oldest daughter and son-in-law

Mark (no. 1 grandson and girlfriend Anita

Narelle, Mark and 3 handsome sons

Bob, Fay and the family

Y and W's gunya by the Stuart Highway

Yvonne's novel way of getting away from the flies - I had a good sleep like this!

Due to the regularity with which wheels keep departing from the trailer, I've decided we needed to rename our Blog! We left Alice Springs yesterday morning after 4 great days of relaxation and catching up with family (for Bob and Fay), friends and colleagues for Warwick and me. We were quite hopeful of reaching Coober Pedy last night but our trailer and one of it's wheels once again re-arranged our plans for us! About 120kms south of AS a wheel decided to part company and wander off through a fence and into the mulga! It took the 4 of us about an hour to find the jolly thing!! It was decided that it would be best to go back to AS to get the welding done so B and F set off at 11am and we didn't see them till 5pm!! Warwick and I made ouselves quite comfortable and the time passed quite quickly really. Two pleasant police officers stopped to see if we were ok just before B and F turned up.

So with the wheel back on I drove on to Kulgera where Fay had booked us into 2 cabins. What luxury! I must say we have all become much more aware of any strange sound or bump now! Anyway after a good night's sleep we set off again this morning hoping for a better day. All seemed surprisingly smooth sailing until leaving Coober Pedy after lunch when the dreaded wheel monster struck again! Yes, you may find it hard to believe but the opposite wheel (to yesterday) was almost off!! So this makes 5 wheel disasters now - 3 on one side and 2 on the other. We decided very quickly to stay here for the night so Fay and I booked into a cabin while Warwick stayed with the trailer and Bob did the business with the wheel. Hopefully that is the end of wheels falling off the trailer but who knows?

Getting the wheel back on at 5pm 5.9.11

Some of the pretty wild flowers along the highway

Oh dear - no. 5 wheel off at Coober Pedy today 6.9.11