Drive to Kings Canyon

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Geo: -24.2676, 131.545

Today we have decided to do an early guided tour of Uluru at the Mala Walk. We were originally going to do a very expensive helicopter flight until we discovered that the flight path has been restricted to a wide birth around the rock due to the fact that the noise disturbs the peace.

There are about 30 people waiting for the Park Ranger (guide) who has been contracted by the Aboriginal owners to tell their story 365 days of the year. The guide is very informative but is taking forever to move between viewing points, so Deb an I decide to continue by ourselves. The walk was very impressive, somewhat spiritual and took as about 45 minutes to complete.

We head back to our hotel leaving Uluru in the distance knowing we may never return. We make it just in time for the last breakfast sitting then check out as we are heading to Kings Canyon some 3 hours away.

We refuel at $1.40 per litre and stock up with more water and head towards Curtain Springs an old cattle station now offering fuel, cold beer, meals and low end accommodation. We spot Mt Connor which many tourists mistake as Uluru then cruise into Curtain Springs for a morning beer at $10 each, thank you very much. On the road again we turn left of the Lasseter Highway and head toward Kings Canyon where we will be staying for the night.

Two solid hours have gone by before we roll into town consisting of the resort, a van park, a pub called the Thirsty Dingo and a garage come store. We check into our room which is very basic at $310 per night and also very musty after being closed up for some time. We are met on the balcony by a pack of wild dingoes who we shoo off before heading to the pub to wash the dust down.

Just outside the pub is a sunset viewing area serving (you guessed it) cold beers and we chat with the tourists as the sun sets over Kings Canyon. Well that was poetic license as it actually set in the opposite direction. After sunset we headed back to the pub for some barbecue and country music then off to bed for an early night.

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