Life in the Desert

Living in perpetual sunshine can damage your skin, fade your cloths and make it a wee bit warmer than you’d like to be some days, but it also brings some interesting opportunities. For example, being the half way point in the World Solar Challenge car race. It’s a long way from NASCAR, but it still fun to see.

This year’s race started in Darwin on the northern tip of the Northern Territory and ran down the one and only highway through the centre to Alice Springs before proceeding on to Adelaide in South Australia. Covering a distance of 3000 km (1864 miles). There are few miscellaneous curves and minor hills and only one corner. (You have to turn right just outside of Alice before you get to the airport.)

Thirty-two solar powered cars representing 17 countries participated. I saw several of the cars, but was never at the right place with the camera is catch a shot of one going down the road. This team was stopped for lunch along the river.