News from David in the Variety Club Event

HI all,
Have you been looking at the Satellite Map page tracking the Variety Club event that is currently going on in the Pilbara?

The map will not report a position if it hasn't moved more than 20km since the last transmission, so don't panic if you can't see all 4 transmissions each day, plus whilst the site had a few time outs over the last few days we missed some of the transmissions, however have had them resent to the server so all the orange dots for each transmission should be viewable now.

Have been talking to him over the HF radio telephone (we use Radtel) quite successfully day and night and just had a mobile phone call as they passsed through the Telfer mine area, having just had 2 great nights out in the Ruddall River National Park. The weather is apparently magnificent. In typical Variety Club style, they deviate off the main tracks and use scrub tracks so couldn't tell me much about the Talawanna from Newman into Ruddall River other than it was just a big wide dirt highway for the 10mins he was on it. He isn't enjoying the convoy of dust however. There are more vehicles than at first expected - 39 vehicles apparently. I'm sure all of you could appreciate how awful that must be and the route is via as many obstacles the survey leader could find. No vehicle problems from the ExplorOz event vehicle, however in the pack there have been supsensions problems, the usual tyre problems and more. They are headed to Marble Bar tonight and having a fancy dress night - Theme - Beach Party. (bit of a joke given Marble Bar as a reputation as the hottest/driest town in Australia and no where near the coast). Tomorrow he's off to Indee Station and a pretty serious river crossing apparently in the scrub on the way up to Port Hedland where they have another fancy dress night - Black Tie (yes suits are packed).

Will give you another update when I hear some news. He has instructions to write a trip diary and there are 2 photographers in the car so there'lll be plenty to show on their return.