We had so much driving to do today that I had to set an alarm to make sure we got on the road a reasonable hour so we could arrive before nightfall. As I set my alarm for 7:30 I thought about how that was considered sleeping in for the last ~5 years of our life. Millie has started going to bed later and waking up later, and with no work or school to get to, so have we.

We got all packed and loaded up by just after 9. Then we got out and applied sunscreen. The sun is so intense here that we feel like we’re getting burned, even inside the vehicle. Our scheduled drive time today was 8 hours.

Again it was mostly nothingness, but we found a lot of excitement in the nothingness. We saw so many wild animals, most of which were still alive. The day started with a very exciting spotting, our first wild kangaroo! It was just a few blocks from our dugout house and jumping around on some old mining equipment. A dog came at it barking and it bolted across the road and into the bush. It was amazing—and terrifying—to see how fast it could move.

We saw wild horses and wild camels, both unexpected and beautiful in the desolate landscape.

Nick had to brake suddenly for a giant lizard and for a calf following its mama.

We watched as the landscape changed slowly as we drove North. We started in the desert, surrounded by manmade piles of pulverized sandstone from the mines. The dirt got brighter and brighter over a couple of hours, until it was a deep orangey red. The clouds went from wispy to voluminous and defined. Then, as we crossed over into the Northern Territories, the plants started getting bigger and greener.

We stopped only once for gas and a bathroom break in Kulgera. This tiny gas station had a pub attached to it with a million bras hanging from the ceiling. In another lifetime we would have stayed here for the night, but we drove on.

This sign in the bathroom stall was a good reminder that we are really in the middle of nowhere.

Nick and I listened to audiobooks while Millie watched movies. We finished In a Sunburned Country, which ended chronicling his journey on the very road we were driving. It was the perfect listen for this drive and helped the time go by quickly. We started Songlines, which is a recommendation from my dad and so far also very fitting for where we are.

Just after we made our one turn of the day towards Uluru, we drove past a broken down car with its hood open. Three people were working on it and an older aboriginal woman was waving us down. We were going fast and didn’t know whether or not to stop, but then realized it was over 100 degrees and they might be in serious danger. Nick turned around and we slowed down to ask if they needed help. She let out a big relieved smile and said, “you came back!” They needed water for the radiator. We had plenty and handed over two big bottles.

There are two lessons for me here. First, I had rolled my eyes at Nick this morning when he insisted we fill up big empty bottles with tap water, even though we had some, just in case. I always give him a hard time for being a prepper, and time and time again he proves me wrong. Second, and I’m ashamed to admit this, my first instinct was to just keep going. I even had the thought, “we’re in the middle of nowhere, what if this is a trap?” I spent the following 30 minutes of our drive reflecting on why this was my first instinct, and how to be more trusting and open.

Two hours later, we arrived at Uluru. The 8 hour drive didn’t feel too bad. I think it’s because it’s such a passive drive. We don’t have to pay attention to the GPS, the speed limit stays the same, the road barely curves. I think Nick only passed about two or three vehicles all day. The only time he used the brakes was to avoid hitting a calf and to stop for gas.

We checked into our hotel and Millie played for a while. She loves to play “hotel” where she is the receptionist and hands me papers of things she sees at hotels.

We went to the pool so she could burn off some energy.

Then we had dinner at the hotel restaurant, which was buffet style. I had crocodile curry. They had a chocolate fountain, which is just too fun to say no to. Millie was as excited as ever, and licked her plate clean.

After the long drive through nothing and the audiobooks about Aboriginal concepts of creation, I kept looking around in this big hotel and thinking “how did this get here?” How is there a chocolate fountain here but down the road it takes a day to find a plumber? I’ve thought more about supply chains and infrastructure in the last 6 months than in my whole life prior. It’s all a marvel, and yet it all seems so brittle.