The Flattest Place on Earth

“Last southern winter I spent the best 2 weeks in the flattest spot on Earth: Australia’s wild and deserted Nullarbor, the ‘Plain Without A Tree’. Got a hitch to the Nullarbor Highway, then went straight north with just a book, my dog Rusty, tins of baked beans and an old slow methylated spirit cooker.The Nullarbor is so flat it has the longest straight railway stretch in the world: 478 kilometers without a bend (297 miles). From horizon to horizon just knee-high saltbush and bluebush with me the only prominence above it. Should you come here with a friend, make sure you are getting on. To get away from each other you’d have to walk beyond the horizon. And if you did, you probably wouldn’t find your way back: nothing stands out to orientate yourself by. The only attention-getter is the sky with the slow crawl of a relentless sun. Makes you feel so minute, just a crumb in the universe. At night that sky lights up with the most dazzling stew of stars. And in between, like tiny taxis, the satellites. It’s an amazing place, frightening and spiritual. For those interested: I once did a one-minute clip of it at www.rent-a-cloud.com. The Nullarbor Highway runs along the south, often edging the formidable Nullarbor Cliffs, the underbelly of Australia fronting the Southern Ocean. Without obstacle all the way to the Antarctic the rollers keep crashing in. On top of the cliffs, 100 meters up (330 feet) you can feel the shudder in your feet. At the head of the Great Australian Bight is one of only two major calving areas for the Southern Right Whale. Quite overwhelming to observe between June-October.
The Nullarbor is worth a visit if you like it primitive. Get a ride to the highway, then use your legs to the north.
But be careful: there is NO WATER on the Nullarbor, and you can carry only so much. That means: no salty food and strict rationing. And you have to use the months of the souhern winter. In summer, the Nullarbor is unbearable.”

“nice.

are you a professional writer? if not, you should be”

“I thought the flattest place on earth was Calista Flockhart's chest?”

“only if you lay her next to natalie portman”

“and whats that supermodel?

with the heroin chic look?

sorry if that doesnt narrow it down any”

“carry all your water for 2 weeks??? sounds like a tough hike”

“Sounds like a cool (lol) place.

hey, a person showing up out of the blue to tell tales of the tough adventure he's had. Happy shades of goretex Christmas to us!

;-)”

“Let's say a liter a day for 14 days. That translates into 14 kilos in water....minimum. I would say two liters a day is probably closer to the minimum.

Roughly 60 pounds of water at the start. Doesn't leave much room for luxery items, does it.”

“blacklight, how much water did you take and did you make more than one trip from the hyway to your campsite? did you use a gps?”

“...nothing stands out to orientate yourself by."

Tsk, tsk. That should be:
"Nothing stands out by which to orient yourself."

I hate to riddle cb's comment, but learn English, would ya? -lol!

Methinks yer sentence structure caused a dangling dingledootle.

Thanks for setting me straight - I always considered the Gulf of Mexico to be the flatest place. hehehee!

Okeefedokee, I'l shaddap now.

Thanks for your report and words'o wiseness. I plan to get Down Under after I've seen everything Americana.”

“sounds like it would be uber cool for about 3 hours and then "get me the hell out of here" boring for the remainder of the trip.”

“I suspected the same about our Central Plains. I was wrong, tho - I love 'em!”