Farewell to Alice and now heading home

Heading home

• We said farewell to Alice Springs, Lucy and Daniel on  Mon 24th Oct. Now the long trip home- this time up north, then east, then south.
• Started on the Stuart Highway ( he's an important figure up here!) and headed towards Tenant Creek. Long straight roads with many sections again having no speed limit! Arvi passing road trains at 130km per hour! Sally doesn't pass anything and Mark says at the speed she drives she will never catch up with anything unless its horse and cart!
  Started to see the ant/termite mounds some of which reminded us of the Terracotta Warriors! There are millions of them and in some parts they stretch as far as the eye can see. People have dressed them up in rugby jerseys, dresses, t-shirts, hats and even underwear!
• We passed Barrow Creek where Peter Falconio was murdered and Joanne Lees fled for her life into the bush in the dark! Its a lonely stretch of highway and even in the daylight not a lot of traffic about. As for the bushes there a lots of creepy crawlies and slithering things so can't imagine running in there in the pitch black.
• Stopped at the Devils Marbles which we pretty amazing. Rocks piled on top of each other in different combinations some like huge round cheeses (cheeserlings). Its a sacred spot so can't walk all over them (even if one wanted to -why?!!) and many behind fences.
• Of course Mojo is excited at any stop as its time for a play and usually a spot of lunch! So many new smells and a lot of marking in case he ever comes back this way!!!
• At Tenant Creek caravan park used the primus for the first time! Sally was also roasting vegetables in the oven- change that to thought she was as Mark had not turned the motorhome on! Will need list of things to do when setting up camp - those important steps BEFORE you sit down with a beer!
• Just after Tenant Creek turned right onto the Barkley highway and heading east at last!
• Made it to Queensland and stopped for night at Camooweal where we had a swim in the caravan park pool!  Met 2 teachers for the School of the Air who travel to various stations giving lessons and providing activities for children. Treated ourselves to a pub dinner on the outside balcony- schnitzel parmy of course for mark and Sally had little choice but to have a plain parmy! Didn't think snapper would be local!
• From Camooweal to Mt Isa where we walked around the racecourse on the outside as it is locked up like Alcatraz and the did a bit of shopping at Coles- life on the road does have its dull moments.! At Cloncurry turned  south east onto the Landsborough highway and called in briefly at McKinlay Pub- the Crocodile Dundee hotel!
• Stopped for the night at Winton. The PM ( yes Malcolm Turnbull no less) popped by to say  to us and reassure us that our superannuation is safe- not! He was actually pledging 8 million dollars to rebuilding the Matilda museum which burnt down not long ago -Banjo Patterson wrote the song Waltzing Matilda nearby. All the locals were dressed very smartly and initially we thought it was a sausage sizzle so walked in with Mojo in our best casual ( probably on day 3 of wear) to find the very honourable PM in his Arkuba.  Apart from that highlight Winton had many bugs including grasshoppers which jumped into Mark's wine! Grateful for AC as very hot and still.
• From Winton to Longreach which was a spectacular  drive with the whole range of wildflowers we have seen everywhere else with some newer ones. It is all so lush and the mulga trees go off into  the distance their tops looking like green balls!
• Longreach a very pretty town with wide main street and good landscaping according to the expert nice shops (target for shorts) and cafes! We looked at the Qantas museum and the Stockmans hall of fame from the outside ( mojo not welcome! ) so another time.
• Then onto the Capricorn highway with a stop at Barcaldine the home of the first trade union  with the shearers strike in the late 1800's. The birth of the Labour party and the site of the old Tree of Knowledge which was poisoned in 2006.
• Stopped for night at the Willows caravan park which was the site of my Mum's visits to see her friends and go fossicking for sapphires! We were the only ones there and had  lovely night with plenty of stars and time to reminisce about Granny Helen!
• From the Willows we did a major drive ( divorce was on the cards at about the 8 hr mark) and  finally hit the coast at Moore Park Beach not far from Bundaberg. Not like the Gold Coast ie no white sand, brown water and no surf! But it smells like the ocean and we can walk along the slightly pebbly beach. Caravan park is a bit full and can't stand the thought of getting back in the van for another drive so will stay still for a day before Hervey Bay where will see friends and then Monday 31st home!!!!
• Over and out. Hope you enjoyed the blog which is also my travel diary!

Bush Camping

Bush Camping

• Lucy and Daniel took us away for 2 days to show us a couple of their favourite spots where they have camped. We had Arvi and they had their Hilux with the tent on top! 
• Fist stop was a coffee shop in town for a coffee and a snack we didn't need- nor the cakes I bought for afternoon tea! 
• We drove to Standley Chasm and walked down a path to the chasm of red rocks and boulders. Hats off to the elderly overweight gentleman who was pushing his wife in a wheel chair - we secretly breathed a sigh of relief when they made it to the chasm as Lucy and I had thoughts of heart attacks etc. 
• Wonderful cycads and other plant and trees along the way and a creek bed which was devoid of water but still very pretty. 
• Then drove to Glen Helen Lodge for another shop stop although this one had art work as well as coffee and cakes! Walked down to the lagoon and Daniel braved the icy water. 
• Then onto Redbank Gorge our stop for the night. The road into the camp site was dirt but said to be suitable for cars not just 4 wheel drives. Very corrugated so slow going and then 3 creek bed crossings (dry!) which were little scary! Did not want to get bogged in the soft sand or stuck in the rocks in the middle! Arvi made it through and there was a lot of cheering on my part. 
•  We set up camp on the top of the ridge looking over the the West McDonnell ranges- our first free camping! 
• Then off to the gorge with our bright pink floating ring and a black one as well! This time there were no excuses we had come to float down the gorge so just had to toughen up and get in that ring! Freezing our butts off does not explain the feeling of the icy water seeping into all the nooks and crannies! We floated along until met shallow water or rocky obstacles when we had to climb with the rings, warn up briefly and then get back in! The gorge was truly beautiful although we stopped a little short of the really narrow crevice due to numb blue hands and feet!   
• Lucy and Sally spied what they thought was a small dead snake in the water and then got the fright of their lives when it stated swimming at the same time as they got in the water. A lot of screams!
• Once back at camp Daniel and Mark went off to get firewood like true cavemen, Mark was very happy that his tomahawk would finally have a purpose but he couldn't find it! It was hidden at the bottom of the BBQ box! But it was found in time for the cheese platter!
• Lucy and Sally did something - it might have involved white wine! 
• Then the sunset - oh it was magic. The changing of the colours over the ranges as the sun got lower and then the final redness as it disappeared. 
• Time to eat - Daniel had bought viking steaks for the BBQ  and they were Fred Flintstone enormous! Delicious with a fresh salad and a nice bottle of red wine. 
• Stars came out and unlike Uluru when the full moon washed them out they were bright and in great numbers. We saw a falling star with a bright red flare as a tail and some unusual lights on the horizon which we discussed could have been UFO's! 
• Overnight a storm came in with strong winds- poor Lucy and Daniel didn't sleep too well with the flapping of their tent! The oldies were pretty comfortable in Arvi! 
• Quick pack up into morning due to threatening rain and luckily managed to be on our way as the rain came in. Put a bit of a damper on our planned 7km walk around Ormiston Pound so instead we did a smaller walk in our raincoats! 
• All good until we had to cross the river to get back. Found a part which was probably hip high and Mark decided to jump off the rocks to the safety of the opposite bank! Sally and Lucy thinking broken ankles!  Mark happy he made it. We though our shoes and back packs etc to him - sadly my gym pants which i gave Daniel to throw didn't quite make it and landed in the water! And he's  cricketer! 
• What the heck took of my top as well and got in the cold water and swam in my bras and undies! All alone in the gorge (well hoped there were no critters with me) and could admire the rocky walls from a unique vantage point. Pulling on wet gym pants when I got out was interesting! 
• Stopped at Ellery Big Hole for a look then home to Alice and another chance to hear Daniel sing at the Casino beer bar! 
• Great 2 days - thank you kiddly winks ie Lucy and Daniel. 

 

Uluru - Field of Light

Field of Light Dinner

• Saturday night finally arrived and we picked up by coach in our finery (walking shoes, pants recommended due to potential bitey's) on a sunny, balmy clear sky night with a nearly full moon which was just rising. Off to the Field of Light dinner which was our "special" night for David's impending 60th and a thank you to Pete and Sarah for all their hard work over years but particularly the last 6 months of Mark's mother's life. 
• The Field of Light is an art installation by UK artist Bruce Munro. He loved in Australia for 8 years before  returning to the UK via Uluru. He has had an image of this installation since and in fact made a small one which was shown in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Since 2004 he has done these in various places, but at Uluru he is bringing it "home ".
• It comprises 50,000 light stems covering an area of 49,000 square metres or nearly 7 football fields. It is solar powered and all materials are reusable and recycled.
• We started with sparkling wine and canapés as the sun set over Uluru (oh we have done that already!! ) and could see all the stems waiting for the night to fall! We enjoyed some local indigenous dancing from a front row position although some cheeky chinese girl pushed her way in! We are used to that. 
• Then to our table clothed dinner table with crockery glasses all set out - perfect there was 10 of us and that made a table! 
• Mostly a buffet dinner which was nice with lots of options and even sweet moist prawns- where did they come I wondered. Everything had an Australian theme- think wattle seed, bush tomatoes, lemon myrtle, davidson plums, kangaroo, emu, crocodile. Plenty of wine to pair with food! 
• Then bit by bit the lights came on -first white then changing to different colours - purple, red, green , yellow and each light would change several times. The moon was up and for a while we could still see Uluru behind all the flowers. It was spectacular and finally we walked along paths through the Field of Ligh to our coaches waiting to the us home! 
• Well worth the 3000 plus kms and the dollars!  
• Sunday morning some had hangovers AGAIN! Adelaide,But willing helpers to take down the annexe which was surprisingly quick compared to putting the damn thing up! 
• Pete and Sarah had already headed for Adelaide via Coober Pedy, David,Ginna, Sue and Steve went to the Olgas before heading back to Alice aso it was a two vehicle convey back to Alice for the remainder.
• We all had time to see Daniel do his singing gig at the Casino beer bar and we were not the only ones clapping and cheering etc! He's very good and some of the women old and young really like him! Not just his mother in law. 
• Back for final BBQ this time for 8 not ten and then monday morning after breakfast it was good bye to Sally's brothers.
• Rest time at last!  

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