Oh boy, Pete <Dan rubbing hands in glee> just six more days till your departure! This is really exciting, and I wish you all the best, with fun times and a safe return.
Pete, you've really outdone yourself in providing that packing list for us to see -- well done! It looks very reasonable to me, with everything you need and nothing you don't, and therefore about as light as you'd want to go, given the conditions, terrain, and climate. You'll be "away" for some time, and so it is natural you'd need to beef up your stores of food and water.
I'm especially interested in the water end of things as well as the food. Once again, for the conditions and weather, our experiences mirror each other. I'd say you're about spot-on with the water, and maybe (as you say) "...as long as it doesn't get too hot in the day". The weather in Alice sounds pretty encouraging at this point; I hope it continues at that level and no hotter for you.
Pete, I've read some of the water available can be sort of salty-tasting and not always free in roadside cafes and such (bottled water sounded expensive in the last account I read). Can you do what I've done and take bottle into the restrooms and dip fresh water out of the toilet tank? On a trip I took several years ago, I found to my dismay that my 1l water bottles couldn't be filled from the sink! They were too tall. Ever since, I've packed a flexible silicone measuring cup to "dip" water from shallow sources and hen transfer it to the bottles. Works a treat.
Once again, I surely thank you for so generously sharing your photos and others that show the magnificent areas where you'll be touring and have gone on past tours. I think the Australian Outback must surely be one of the most beautiful places on earth, and there is so much variety -- truly exotic compared to what I'm used to. You're a talented photographer, and your scenes always convey a sense of immediacy, as if I were along on the trip and looking through a little window to join you and your companions in the moment. I'm really looking forward to seeing more upon your safe return. Will you be posting them on BNA as well, or on a Flickr or Picasa/Google site?
Boy, that packing list is gold, Pete, and very much appreciated. Please do take care. Will you have cell-phone coverage for at least part of the way? Hoping you can stay in touch with loved ones from time to time.
All the best and godspeed,
Dan.
