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  For almost a week we've been racing through the most beautiful country central Australia has to offer. Photo Gallery

Dust lights. I'd never heard of them before signing up for the Bash.

Now I can't live without them. For hundreds of kilometres you follow them. You can't see the road for the dust, but you can see the little flashing orange light that sits on the back of every Bash car. They look like the lights you get on the top of road-workers trucks but they are life-savers. Often you can't see the road; You're just hoping the car with the dust light in front of you hasn't run off it into a tree. You trust their every twist and turn, following the light.

It's day six of the Bash and we're battered and sunburned but intact. For almost a week we've been racing through the most beautiful country central Australia has to offer. Red ochre, saltbush scrub that has gradually given way to desert proper, and dust, dust, dust. The Bash tracks vary enormously; Sometimes, though very rarely, it's the bitumen highway. Often it's the dreadfully corrugated tracks that criss cross this country. Occasionally, it's deep, sandy or rocky creek crossings that you have to crawl through. Matilda, our 1951 International truck, loves this country. She's in her element at 40-60mph on dirt tracks. Any faster on the bitumen and she complains. Any slower through the rough stuff and the 2.5 tonnes or metal and wood in her isn't happy either.

Day three wasn't the best. The travelling bush mechanies had to completely rebuild, with welders, angle grinders and chisels, a new mount for the rear leaf springs, which gave way during a particularly rough stretch. Oh, and there was also the front shocker that detached and smashed the distributor cap (could have been far worse). The distributor is still held together with gaffer tape. But apart from those minor setbacks, she's in fine form. Back in the bush after 10 years couped up in garages and museums.

Yesterday, her crew, the Border Control boys, won the award for the best performance of the day. Basically, it involved scamming real dollers (as compared to the fake Bash Bucks used as currency on the SA leg of the national Bash) from Victorian Bashers who accidentally came through our checkpoint on the SA/NT border. Spyder Everett and Wilbur Wilde (check spelling, sorry) were particularly generous. It's a great win for Matilda and her crew. We're still hoping to do well in the running for the best "virgin" (first time) crew.

This is a fantastic event. You travel through stunning country very few people get to see - running on dirt tracks through private property and Aboriginal land. And the camraderie between the Bashers is amazing. Most are in it to have fun and raise some great dollars for charity. But if anything happens on the road, you are overwhelmed with kindness. It's not a race, so cars will spend hours helping others less fortunate. At night, it's gather in the mess hall or around a campfire for beers and war stories.

Two more days, and it's on to Alice Springs, where all the state-based Bashes converge.