Week 2 beginning Fri 10th July 1998

 Day 8

The day we:

• set a record by leaving the park at 6.50am, mind you not having to collapse the camper makes a difference
• had a flat tyre on the van just 10mins down the road and Libby managed to shred it before realising and pulling over
• had to change it in the dark, on the side of the road. It really only took 15mins but we were asking ourselves, "what have we done to deserve this?" 
• travelled 535kms to Coober Pedy playing games of Noughts and Crosses, Spotto, I Spy, Suck the Kool Mint, etc
• saw a majestic wedge-tailed eagle that must have stood at least 1m tall and appeared to be cloaked in a golden cape. There are many dead cows and 'roos by the roadside (very nearly go one ourselves this morning) attracting crows, eagles etc
• arrived about 1pm and set up in Oasis C'van Park. Had planned to stay underground but we've blown the budget already this week
• sent Libby off to find a new tyre which proved difficult - no match in town so they'll freight 2 new ones in from Adelaide overnight. Meanwhile Eric and the boys toured the town and got a look at opals, how they are mined, polished etc

• joined The Breakaways Tour in the afternoon, a 30km drive out to colourful outcrops that make staggering viewing and are hence used as backdrops for scenes in movies including Mad Max & Priscilla. A film crew is presently setting up for Pitch Black. 

• We also saw evidence of busy mining claims which result in these mounds of tailings that surround the town on all sides

• and the Dingo Fence. Enjoyed a great afternoon tea. 

Day 9

The day we:

• packed up while Eric went for a run to have a look at the golf course; not going to fall for that trick again. Golfers here carry their own turf mat with them
• had the two new tyres fitted on the van then departed around 9.30am after refuelling at 88.9cpl
• called in for refreshments at Marla and had lunch in a parking bay overlooking Mt Chandler just a bit further on
• crossed the next state border of our trip and rolled into Kulgera about 2.30pm

• saw our first emus in the wild
• full of enthusiasm, decided to drive on to Erldunda and cut 75kms off tomorrow's trip
• patted ourselves on the back for a good decision, it's a much nicer park with a tennis court too.

• played tennis, kicked the soccer ball and relaxed, caught up with diaries
• enjoyed the clear night sky with a full moon rising and brilliant stars.

Day 10

The day we:

• awoke early and it's freezing, ice on the canvas and windscreen. Only thing getting us out of our warm sleeping bags is the need to get to 'the rock 
• stopped briefly at Curtain Springs for petrol (97 cpl) and took photos of Mt Connor

• played 'Spotto the Rock". Having done it all before on several school bus trips takes nothing away from sharing in the excitement of everyone else in the car

• set up at Yulara, put up the awning for the first time as we are staying more than one night
• had lunch then went climbing. It's steeper than it was 15 yrs ago! Libby found the going tough up the chain section but then recovered ok. Boys both did a marvellous job - no complaints from them, Eric did it comfortably too. 

Waiting for Mum

Done!

Done!

• got down just in time for Libby to join a guided tour of the local flora around the Anangu Information Centre at 3pm. Boys and Eric enjoyed a well-earned ice-cream and looked over the Centre.
• went on the Mutitjulu walk

Watching the climbers who look like a trail of ants from here

• enjoyed a fabulous sunset from the lookout point back at Yulara then had dinner and finished the evening with scrabble and a game of Yahtzee which Luke won.

a

Sunset from our campsite at Yulara

Day 11

The day we:

• enjoyed a lazy morning which included a cooked breakfast for some. It's nice not packing up for a change
• packed a picnic lunch and drove to the Kata Tjuta (Olgas), followed the 7.5km Valley of the Winds Walk. Libby loves the Olgas, Eric Enjoyed it but is ultimately more impressed by Uluru. Boys found this walk today a bit hard going; probably not enough climbing challenges

• decided to return to the van for lunch; respite from the flies and heat. After a good rest we returned to the rock to do the Mala Walk then the Visitor Information Centre at the resort
• enjoyed another super sunset as we ate dinner and sipped a Tony Sergi (Cobram) shiraz - fantastic, this is the life
• have been meeting lots of interesting people along the way; young couple from St Andrews on top of the rock, Kevin and his wife from Perth who are camped behind us and keep feeding the boys fresh coconut they collected in the Daintree, John the truck driver from Pt Lincoln camped next door who loaded his 3 kids in the car to do Uluru, Olgas, Kings Canyon  and return home in 5 days!

Day 12

The day we:

• left for Kings Canyon; we've clocked-up 3,184kms as we leave Yulara. Eric first had a run at sunrise and we got supplies and petrol (91.9cpl)
• travelled the easy 308kms, enjoying the scenery and arriving for lunch
• set out to do the short walk through the canyon but when we got there decided to attack the long walk around and down into the Garden of Eden because it was a pleasant, slightly overcast day 

• followed Luke who we nicknamed 'Rock Wallaby' as he happily scrambled over rocks all afternoon, what a contrast to the boy who complained every step of the way yesterday
• enjoyed fantastic views of rugged sandstone 400 million years old, the serenity of a shaded water-hole, gumtrees whose roots seek out the smallest cracks in the stone, palms that have existed for 200 million years outliving the dinosaurs, formations in the stone that looks like a tiled courtyard

• enjoyed a bbq and glass of red as we watched the sun set over the canyon. Ah yes!

View from our campsite

• paid 99.8cpl to refuel at Kings Canyon Resort.   

Day 13

The day we:

• got away about 8.30am after considering the Ernest Giles Rd as a short cut but on advice from other travellers took the sealed route back to the Lassiter Hwy and Erldunda. We've done nearly 1000kms since we were last here. Libby offered to shout a cappuccino in the roadhouse but they don't serve them!
• drove on to the Finke River where we stopped for lunch on the shady, dry riverbed. A lovely spot but the flies drove us quickly back into the car and on the road

• arrived in Alice Springs about 1.30 and set up in Macdonnell Ranges C'van park near Heavitree Gap, everyone tired after a long trip

• relaxed in the park, boys tried the pool but the water was too chilly. It's 23 deg today, just glorious. Bought today's paper. It's 9 deg in Cobram. Ha Ha.
• went downtown in the afternoon, delivered a parcel to locals for Cobram family, visited Anzac Hill lookout then Anzac Plaza for that cappuccino and bowls of hot chips for the boys

• cooked dinner then attended the Barry Skipsey song and slide show held in the c'van park. 

Day 14

The day we:

• enjoyed a lazy morning then Eric and the boys visited the telegraph station while Libby wrote postcards and then climbed the escarpment behind the park for great views of town, the dry Todd Riverbed and Macdonnell Ranges

• had lunch then visited Alice Springs Desert Park. Began with a 20min video about the desert evolution and then the screen became a 17x6m window overlooking the park, very impressive. Listened to a talk about bush  tucker and medicine, visited the nocturnal house and then were captivated by a demonstration at the nature theatre of raptor behavior (brown falcon, black breasted buzzard, barn owl and black kite) then caught a tour of woodlands habitat. There is also a sand country habitat and a desert rivers habitat to explore but we had absorbed enough for one day. We'll have to come back. 
  
  
  
  
  
  

• picked up supplies in town. Boys are thrilled to discover Bi-Lo's lollies by the scoopful!
• after dinner we played Yahtzee and this time Libby was champion