Advertisement
Published: August 21st 2006
Edit Blog Post
We arrived in Alice Springs on Thursday 3rd August and had a great first night at Casa Nostra with Barb and Lowy catching up and drinking too much red wine. Haven’t I said that before? Barb is one of my oldest mates so in the 12 days we stayed in Alice we didn’t run out of things to talk about. Because we have been here before we were able to be a bit more selective about where to go and what to do but the Lows’ had already organised a trip out bush for the long weekend and were only too pleased to have us along - or so they said. Left on the Saturday afternoon after John and Lowy played golf and headed out to D’hala gorge with another couple Ursula and Scotty. Both these couples have graduated from ‘swags on the ground camping’ to quite upmarket camper trailers. We on the other hand, could not take the van so finally bought a tent. Now before you all collapse into paroxysms of laughter, we managed to get it up in double quick time and slept in borrowed swags for a great night’s sleep. Considering the temperature in Alice is around
The new tent
Now which way was up? zero overnight that was no mean feat. In fact we would love to buy swags but they are really big to carry around so will have to settle for an airbed next time. Our sleep may have been aided by the amount of champagne and red wine we drank around the campfire, but I doubt it!! (Please note one and all, there was only a long drop toilet here and no showers, so we were really out bush!!) On the Sunday morning after a great outdoor breakfast, we headed to Bond Springs station to meet two other couples at a lovely campsite beside a dry creek bed. Neil Phillips aka ‘Ginga’, (or if you are a really good friend you can call him ‘Pig’) is a Ranger so had the keys to get into this property without hordes of other people and it was just lovely. We spent Sunday afternoon walking up hill and down dale and then had to stop for drinks and nibbles that ran into drinks and dinner, which ran into drinks and singing with guitars around a great campfire. A number of the people there actually earn money singing and playing for real, so it was
Success!
The honeymoon suite is ready for occupation. a terrific night under the most glorious moonlit sky. They wanted John and I to do a solo or two but we declined - didn’t want to make them all look bad. As a compromise John set up his telescope and everyone got to see what was almost a full moon up real close-the craters were so clear it was amazing. Ginga is another old mate of mine, I shared a house with him in my first life here in Alice and it was great to spend a little bit of time with him, his wife Mel and boys Ben and Dan. All good things must come to an end and Barb, Lowy and John were booked in at 12.37 pm to play golf so we sadly left the gang and headed back to Alice, after another great breakfast. I might add that this last camp site had no toilet OR shower, so getting back to Alice was a bit of a priority by then - I don’t operate very well with a shovel !!! Spending a weekend like that with experienced bush people who also know how to have a good time will remain one of the highlights of
Sunday morning
The campsite at D'hala Gorge the trip.
Tuesday after the long weekend and the van was booked in for a service. We had been having battery trouble and to make a long story short ended up having to make a couple of trips to the auto electrician and replacing a battery and charger in the van itself. The next day we set off without the van to Kings Canyon. Stayed at Kings Creek Station about 30 k’s from the Canyon itself and is another property earning a buck providing accommodation etc for tourists. We stayed in one of their safari tents and cooked in the camp kitchen each night. There is a campfire outside the camp kitchen where we had 2 lovely evenings comparing notes with other travellers both Aussie and overseas. Walked the rim of the canyon on Thursday morning, had a lunch siesta and walked the floor in the afternoon. The rim walk is about 3 and a half hours and quite strenuous. Also access to the edge of the canyon is at your discretion so quite frightening at times to say the least. Our photos won’t do Kings Canyon justice, suffice to say it was quite spectacular and well worth the
Sunday afternoon bushwalk
Another climb up another hill trying not to put the hands down on the spinifex. effort. Met up again with Val Prior here. I knew her in my first life in Alice Springs where she worked in Westpac. She married Gary Prior, had 2 kids and now they manage Kings Creek Station and doing a great job.
We had left the van in the Low’s driveway and stayed there for the rest of the time in Alice. Did a lot of day touring from here, Simpson’s Gap, Standley Chasm, Glen Helen and the absolutely stunning Ormiston Gorge. This was a surprise - it’s on the tourist trail but for our money one of the loveliest gorges that is easily accessible. Meanwhile back at the ranch, Lowy had left on the ‘Bash’ from Port Darwin to Port Douglas so sadly we didn’t see him for the last 5 days or so we were in Alice (our livers were quite grateful!!!) . We did manage to catch up with a number of my old friends, John had already met most on a previous trip to Alice so he wasn’t bored to tears, and most nights I was able to have a long chat with my mate Barb. (Just trying to make you jealous Paula. No, truly,
Around the campfire
What a great night. we did miss you!!) Left Alice yesterday morning Tues 15th August making another short stop at the auto electrician on the way out and spent last night free camping at the Devil’s Marbles. Barb had cooked a roast pork dinner the night before and we drank 3 bottles of red wine - mainly me and Chris Turner I think, so an early night was much appreciated after looking at one of the most amazing starry skies you could ever imagine and we didn’t need the doona for the first night in ages - Bliss!! Tonight at Barkly Homestead and probably all the way to Mt Isa and Qld tomorrow.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.151s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 12; qc: 53; dbt: 0.0992s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Jan
non-member comment
Wine
Dont stand on the edge of Canyon with the wine.There is a King's Canyon in Utah, did you see Ayers Rock or seen before?still 90 degrees here. My idea of camping is a motel without carpet. Been in Colorado. 40 degrees, nearly froze, you need to tour the U.S.