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Published: January 22nd 2007
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As we were stopping for a couple of nights we could have a fairly chilled day though chilled in 30 degree heat isn't what it could be. After breakfast we went to Gara Gorge, which should have a spectacular waterfall, but owing to drought conditions, was barely a trickle. It was very hot, but we managed to complete a short 5.5 km walk around the gorge. Returned to camp site to cool off in the pool. A lazy afternoon, catching up on e-mails (to avoid afternoon heat) then another barbie in the evening and a couple of beers.
Saturday up and away early heading west then south. Stopped in Tamworth - "home of country music Australia's answer to Nashville. Their annual CW music festival was in full swing. Had a wander along the main street several C&W bands playing in the street (unfortunately the music was more Tammy Wynette than alt country and I doubt if there are more stetsons and embroidered shirts in most US states than were on show in Tamworth). After breakfast headed off into the sunset to the strains of "Ruby, don't take your love to town". Another long drive, if anything ground drier than ever
Gara Gorge
A very dry gorge - crossed dozens of creeks and a few rivers all of which were dry. We were heading for Coonabarabran & the Warrumbungles!
Arrived in Coobabarabran early afternoon to find the town closed for the weekend (we had hoped to book tickets on a Sydney harbour Australia Day Fireworks cruise). Booked into Imperial Hotel - sounds much grander than the reality - however at $50 (Aus) for a triple room one can't complain. Temperature now up around 35!
Spent large part of afternoon in swimming pool. Dinner was steak, salad and chips in a neighbouring hotel, run by a very cheery family who gave Cara a row for not eating all her salad! Then in the evening we went out to the local observatory for a "Tour of the Heavens". (This area has the clearest night skies in Oz). The first thing we saw was a phenomenal, unaided (ie naked eye) view of McNaught's comet, the tail sparkling in the last rays of the departed sun. We were then taken on a conducted tour of the universe using a laser pointer (Sam you must get one). Our hostess showed us the various constellations and galaxies visible to the
naked eye - the Southern Cross, Gemini, Taurus, the Pleiades, both Magellanic clouds and so much more. Both Cara and I saw falling stars. We were much entertained by two small Irish boys who, having been told the legend that Orion had been chasing the 7 Pleiades sisters and got into trouble with Zeus, asked anyone and everyone why Orion had been chasing girls: no one seemed to be able to come up with an explanation that satisfied them.
The night was hot, sticky and airless, as our hotel room had only a ceiling fan. We kept the window wide open and you could hear the extra-long Aussie trucks as they passed along the main st directly below: a wonderful way to wake up (not). We woke early and went off to the Warrumbungles for a walk. En route we saw lots of kangaroos, a few emus and some wallabies: but as yet no wild koalas. On our first short walk, we got very close to kangaroos: within touching distance, if you'd stretched your arm out, which we didn't. After a couple of short walks (we're not up to serious hiking in these temperatures - especially when told to
Barbecue @ campsite
We're becoming real professionals at this wear socks and boots, so that possible snake bites wouldn't penentrate your flesh!) - it was back to the delights of Connabarabran on a hot Sunday. It was now in the high 30's! Wendy went for a swim in the lovely open air pool. Cara watched tennis in the sauna (actually the TV lounge, but it might just as well have been a sauna, given the lack of air, the heat and the humidity). Willy moaned about the heat, read and slept, waking exhausted by his efforts about 4.30 in the afternoon.
After dinner at the Greasy Joe cafe, we went back to the Warrumbungles to watch the sunset: wouldn't you know, it came on wind and rain just as we reached the best sunset viewing area, so we headed back to town, for more reading and tennis.
We left Coonabarabran on Monday and headed further into the interior towards Dubbo...
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