What a difference a day makes

Last night we went to sleep with open windows and curtains as the still warm night air had seeped into the van, not to mention the zillion bugs!  No breeze kicked up until around 3am so until then it was just a sheet covering us. 

After leaving Birdsville at 9.00am we pulled up at the service entrance to the Hall of Fame to pop in to farewell everyone.  Will and I commented on how different this year felt, last year we were farewelling the crew from the campfire, this year it was the nine remaining volunteers that hugged us, wished us well and told us how pleased they were to have met us. Different from last year, but just as moving.  

We headed south and all went well.  The wind was against us slightly from time to time but we managed to hitch a ride in the slip stream of a road train just outside Erldunda, after having stopped to chat with Will’s brother in law who’d rung.  He asked how long until we arrived home, Will started the ‘auction’ with 4 days, I said 14, 6 was the next cry, 10 was heard above that.  Our brother-in-law laughed and wished us well with our negotiations.  A little down the track Will said, “I’d like to ring the boss tonight, I think I should start work Monday week.”  So calculations were made and compromises reached –seven more nights on the road should allow for the sight-seeing that has been planned, the catching up with friends and a sense of ‘holidaying’ provided all goes well and no more vehicles are purchased. LOL!

The rest of the trip was uneventful but beautiful.  The landscape was a riot of colours, mainly yellow, pinks and mauves.  But then, every now and then, once we crossed the S.A. border there would be a massive splash of brilliant red and black! Yes, the Sturt Desert Pea was out in all its glory!  Last year I had to work hard to find it, hidden in the back blocks of Oodnadatta or in a council garden in Alice Springs, but this year it was all along the highway in all its glory!  But could I snap a shot of it as we sailed past at 100km an hour, I think not, it was just as elusive as a dolphin was years ago at Rockingham Bay!

Tonight we can hear the road trains, coaches and sounds of the Marla Roadhouse through our closed windows as I snuggle under the doona to keep me warm. The TV at the roadhouse said there is plenty of rain down south and temperatures in the high teens. We looked at each other and checked if we really were heading in the right direction, we decided we were.

Our last day in Alice Springs 2016

We’ve had our last full day in Alice Springs for 2016!  And what a warm one it was!  Will spent his morning clearing the new old truck (Hmm, we’ll have to come up with a better name than old truck as we already have the ‘old, old truck’, ‘the old truck’, ‘the wreck’ not to mention the Transtar. Way too confusing!)  With some help from Graham the job was finished by lunch which surprised us all.  Even more surprising was that it only cost $12.50 for each of the two ute loads to be deposited at the tip! A short rest over lunch and he was back into it! Will took the old rotted wood off the loading ramp so it will be more aerodynamic for David (or whoever eventually gets the job) when carting it south.  A well-deserved rest was in order until Garry could help manoeuvre the truck into its holding bay!  I had strongly declined the offer of driving the Patrol whilst pushing the truck, braced with a tyre so no damage could happen, around the yard and into a gated area!  Hmm, I may have become a ‘Truckie Girl’ in some ways, but I know my limits!!

My shift wasn’t until 12noon so after a load of washing, organising vegies for dinner and the usual caravan-work I headed into town to complete my final tourist wish.  I headed back to the art gallery which was closed due to the setting up for the evening’s opening night for Mob Gathering.  Oh well!!  Off to the lovely coffee shop next door for a calming cup of tea and a piece of wild lime cake – yum!!

Final destination was the small gallery and craft shop next door!  Gorgeous! They too had changed their exhibition; it was now a felt and knitting exhibition and it was delightful! As the assistant said, ‘It’s a joyful exhibition’ and it truly was.  Each little bird or animal had such great expression on their faces you just had to smile.  I wished I could have shared it with my dear felting friend (and wonderful mail collector who I keep forgetting to ring!!).

A few quiet hours on the front desk, which allowed for some photo sorting (much more organised for my next photo book!), was broken up by an unfamiliar sound.  It was Will, he’d ridden in to tell me he was all finished.  We’d be good to go tomorrow!  A smile broke across my face because although the  last week or so has been more relaxing I’ve got itchy feet to see and photograph some new areas of our wonderful land and I’m looking forward to a shared meal with my son, so it’s time to start heading south.  

A lovely quiet happy hour was spent with just the two of us, the last two Birdsville residents for 2016! Garry popped over with a message so joined us and stayed on and shared a meal with us, but not before helping Will pull down the annex.  It was lovely to realise we no longer have a timetable and instantly I felt ready to once again accept the mindset, ‘We’ll get there when we get there!’  So we’ll see just how long it takes to get wherever it is we are going tomorrow and the day after and the day after.

Making the most of our time

Now that's a souvenir!

Our time in Alice Springs is drawing to a close so we are each making the most of our time in our own way.  For Will that’s collecting the biggest souvenir he’s ever bought!  His $162 D-Line International truck.  With thanks to Bob the two men had it back in camp by 11.00am and Will spent a very warm day under the bonnet.  The truck roared into life for a short while but with issues of dirty fuel (not surprising as there is no fuel tank lid) and a water pump the roaring was short lived. Maree, a very kind neighbour, popped over to cool the mechanic with an ice block – a much appreciated gesture.

Sunrise on the Gap
from Anzac Hill

Anzac Hill in morning glory

My days have been filled with stints at the counter at the hall as well as last minute rushes to tourist spots I still want to see.  Tuesday I was up by 6.15am to photograph the sunrise from Anzac Hill.  The sun was a little ahead of me but still it was a great way to start the day!  I then wandered along the Todd River as I’d noticed plaques on the footpath but with all the people at the Henley on Todd they were impossible to read.  I also spotted some different murals as I sipped my early morning cappuccino.

Adelaide House Alice Springs first
hospital

Wednesday began with a two hour work shift and then, as the Patrol was tied up with the mechanic and his new toy, I caught the bus to town.  As the temperature has picked up so much I settled on lunch at the botanical gardens as a compromise, it was too hot to walk but I still felt like I’d made it out bush!  As I ate my scrumptious lunch I couldn’t help thinking what a great spot it would be for a shared wine with a vegetarian sister!  

I’d heard how interesting Adelaide House was, and as it’s in the centre of the mall, I made it my next destination.  The history of John Flynn was very interesting – what an incredibly talented and broadly intelligent man he was.  Seeing the photos of the nursing sisters and reading about their life reminded me of my great aunt who had also been a nursing sister – what incredibly hard days they must have endured to bring help and comfort to others. 

Next stop, a reptile house!  Lucky me, it was feeding time at the zoo!  The lizards were very quick to grab their de-headed cockroaches – yuck!  It was great to see so many local reptiles! 

As Will and I drove back into camp we were surprised to see the campfire already lit – it was still very warm and only 4.15pm.  When an offer to share a camp oven dinner came our way it all made sense.  So we spent our evening with Graham & Maree, Loretta and Ron around the campfire.  It will be their last with us as they are due to head off today, as soon as their vehicle has been serviced and as soon as Graham and Will have finished playing their game of spot the FJ!!!

More or Less the same holiday

More                                                    &                     Less

Hotted up cars                                                             Rides in Kenworths

Drags and burn outs                                                   Old trucks

Retail work                                                                  Mopping

Rain and water crossings                                            Sunshine                                             

Leaks                                                                           Dry washing

Wildflowers                                                                 Dust and wind

Wildlife                                                                        Tourist destinations

Coffee shops                                                                Time in the mall

Picnic lunches                                                             Bakery lunches

Meals at restaurants                                                    Time around the campfire

DVD’s                                                                         True lies

Enjoyable acquaintances                                            Life time friends

Sitting still                                                                    Half day trips

Pancakes and pattern swapping                                 Wine???

Farewells                                                                     Volunteer functions

Hats!!                         

 

 

Here's a new wildflower

 

Rainbow Valley

 

 

Hmm, any other way around?

           

We made it!

Having been woken by Will during the night still fighting his headache and flu I packed a picnic for one and was ready to head to King’s Canyon.  However, on his return from the shower he said, “I feel better, I think I can give it a go.”  I had mixed feelings as it is a 6km walk, graded at the ‘moderate’ rate with a steep ascent at the beginning.  However, he assured me he thought he’d be alright so I threw in his cup, and off we headed.

Not much more to say really – Wow!! It was awesome and so much better for having someone to share it with!  We spent a leisurely four hours wandering this magnificent structure.  We were tired towards the end and our legs were aching but we both knew it was worth the effort.  Simply special!!

Really, you want to walk up there??
 

We've made it the first 100 metres. Yay!

Heading through Priscilla's Crack - so named by Guy Pearce

A nice spot for morning tea

Yep, right around there and plenty more

Just some of the steps we needed to climb

Lucky enough to see a waterfall
 thanks to recent rains

We can do it - only 1km to go!!

Mereenie Loop

We woke a number of times over the night and the last two included the sound of rain hitting the tent.  Yep, it does rain in the desert.  I told myself not to worry about the road ahead, just go back to sleep.  By 6.15am I was up to catch the sunrise.  It was a magical moment to sit beside a waterhole, all on my own, and watch the birds greet the morning. Absolutely magical!  A moment I had hoped this holiday would bring had arrived! 

Back to the tent to find Will still not feeling well but prepared to continue our journey forward even when I said we could just stay here for another day.  “Nope,” he said, “King’s Canyon is way too important to you, we’re not staying here.”  So we packed up, except, oh oops, seems we may have forgotten the castle, and headed to the now wet Mereenie Loop. 

First stop, Tnorala – a meteorite site.  The rocks did nothing to impress but the ground was a sea of wildflowers.  Amazing! How lucky to be in the desert after rain on and off for a month or so! 

OK, deep breath, here comes the Mereenie Loop.  It wasn’t as bad as we had imagined, slippery in a few spots, low water crossings in a few spots but all and all nothing compared to last year’s Ernest Giles Road.

Lunch was at the only designated rest area on the Mereenie Loop – with a magnificent view of misty rain all over the Kings Canyon region.  By 2.30pm we were in at King’s Canyon Resort enquiring about a room for the night.  Seems many others had too due to the rain but there was still a standard room available, a shared kitchen and bathroom, but a bedroom and TV to ourselves.  Will made himself comfortable on the bed and I went exploring.  A quiet evening ensured as Will was still struggling with headaches and body aches. 

 

 

Going Bush

Wednesday morning the day started yet again with misty rain.  We’d heard out west hadn’t had any rain so we were pleased to be heading in that direction. As always, Will was in holiday mode - at home he’s up and out the door in half an hour always by 7.00am and often earlier, but not when he’s on holidays!  Seems I’m the reverse, when I’m away I’m up early to blog, catch a sunrise or get ready to see what lies ahead, so I reminded myself to slow down and be grateful, and remember that ‘It will happen, just let it happen in its own time’. 

By about 10.30am we had the Patrol packed – tent, mattress, doona, b.b.q., plates, saucepans etc. and although it was a little cramped we were ready for our night under the stars.  We collected our Mereenie Loop pass which allows us to cross Aboriginal Land, completed a check of the tyres, found one quite low, and the day before there had been smoke or maybe mist from the exhaust which had Will a little unsettled, especially as a motor rebuild should have made this year’s trip mechanical issue free!

Just after 11.00am we were pulled up at Stanley Chasm, an unscheduled stop but one where we knew we could purchase clean water – seems our radiator issues from the first day of the trip had reappeared.  Bugger!  Anyway, a stock of water, a cup of tea, some radiator stop leak later and we were back on the road, although both a little anxious about heading into unknown territory with maybe a slightly dodgy vehicle. 

Next stop, Serpentine Gorge, as planned.  I left Will, who had mentioned he felt very lethargic, to check the vehicle while I wandered down to the gorge.  A beautiful water hole!  This seems to be the difference between the East and the West MacDonnell’s – water is much more frequent in the West.

We had our picnic lunch, Will replaced the water from the expansion bottle back into the radiator again and off we went.      

Next stop the Ochre Pits, only a 300m walk so Will joined me for this one. Amazing colours and I was pleased to see these as I’ve heard about how vital ochre was as an item to trade as well as how often it was used in art and ceremony. No reorganisation to the radiator this time.

Ormiston Gorge was the next sign post, Will gave me the ‘Are we stopping there too? look’, he received the ‘Sure are nod’, so in we went.  Just down the track a little a helicopter was parked in the river bed, hmm, seemed unusual.  As we got to the walking track to the gorge there was a sign ‘TV crew working ahead.  I thought to myself, ‘Thankfully they’re packing up, peace and quiet to enjoy the gorge’ and this was confirmed as we past a ‘crew’ member carrying a garbage bin up the steps.  Will said, ‘Do you recognise this guy?’ then said to the bloke, “Look out, Brax is in town!” to which the actor mumbled, ‘Yep, Brax is now doing community service as a garbo.’  Could you believe it, the one day we go to the gorge Will passes an actor from one of his favourite TV series? Bizarre! After a quiet climb through the gorge and a peaceful sit of about 10 minutes we wandered back to the kiosk for an ice-cream.  As so often happens, Will found a bird to feed and then we were ready to hit the road again – oh, except for the now routine issue of tipping the coolant from the expansion container back into the radiator.

Next stop, only 4kms up the road was Glen Helen Gorge.  A place to refuel, it was now 4pm and the next leg of the trip was to be the tricky part – The Mereenie Loop which can quickly turn to a four wheel drive track if the slightest bit of rain hits.  Whilst it is only 200km long it can sometimes take many hours to complete.  Will said ‘I’ve had enough, we’re not going any further today.’  I was wrapped – a camp in a quietish place, water flowing and now a guaranteed two nights in the West MacDonnell Ranges.  Wins all round, I thought!!

A go at setting up the tent was met with its usual results, swearing, frustration, tongue biting and ta da, a castle was built! OK, not quite a castle, more like a rickety structure, but hey, we are in the desert, it’s not windy, it doesn’t rain, she’ll be right mate.  I left Will with his drink to go and explore.  You could hear children laughing and playing in the creek, made me think of Moyhu, and parents saying, ‘Come on, time to get out’ with very little effect. The gorge was lovely, it was quiet and peaceful and I felt very grateful to be staying here for the night.

When I got back to camp Will headed to bed, it seems the lethargy he’d been feeling had turned into body aches and pains and a piercing headache!!  So a quiet night ensured for us both, he laid down, I read, photographed the sunset, cooked tea in the camp kitchen which Will then joined me for and we chatted to a lovely Indian lady and her mother.  Back to the tent for some more reading and a nights rest.