07-May-2007 -- This was to be our third "corner confluence" in just a few days. We stayed in Birdsville, a town that is as charming as it is remote. We got up very early one morning to go for a visit into the Simpson desert. That has been a dream of mine in a very long time and I felt like a kid the day before Christmas.

Getting up big red, the highest sand dune proved to be a challenge but the one after that is steeper and we needed four or five attempts go get over it. It made me wonder whether we would make it or not. The rest was easy by comparison but I must say that our four wheel drive got shaken and tossed like never before. The sceneries were great, we crossed a couple of salt pans and it's very important to stay on the formed track, you don't want to go and get stuck in a clay pan out there, even though there are a few cars coming and going in case you need help.

We got to the corner for lunch and stayed only half an hour. With all the sand dune crossings, it's a slow trip but one that's definitely worth every bump. We made it back without a problem except that I had to let some air pressure out of the tyres to get over big red again, it was just a bit too much. We got some dinner ay the famous Birdsville hotel and that was another confluence for us. The driving is a bit nerve racking as you have to concentrate all the time but what a great adventure. For sure one of the highlights of our trip around the country