Venturing West
Trip Start
Mar 14, 2006
1
258
374
Trip End
Mar 15, 2007
Hughenden,
Queensland,
Australia
Saturday, November 25, 2006
The Serpents hostel had so far won me over but stumbled badly on the final hurdle on checkout on failing to return my $20 key deposit due to checking out before the reception opened despite the guy telling me this standing behind the reception desk at the time. You would think they would have twig on to telling me when I ordered a wakeup call last night (still need a new alarm). Still having him wakeup everyone else in the dorm before reaching me probably didn't get him onto too many people's Christmas card lists.
Anyway, when first looking into traveling to Alice Springs flying seemed the obvious choice until I came upon the Desert Venturer bus which runs from Cairns to Alice Springs taken two nights and three days to get there and costing around the same as the flight
Atherton Tablelands
. The difference though is that it takes a road less traveled on the way there traveling through the more remote areas on the outback stopping at really off the beaten track places (apart from previous Desert Venturer groups I guess) with two nights accommodation and all food included.The thankfully comfortable bus was full with most falling asleep until the first stop at Millstream Waterfall, Australia's widest waterfall and guessing the last we would see for a while.
Lunch was of the self-made sandwich variety at apparently Australia's smallest pub at 1430mm long and 540mm wide yet still big enough to entice a few into ordering from the spacious bar area, although one at a time.
Continuing down the road the tarmac soon gave way to a dusty red dirt track with the number of vehicles encountered falling but the amount of wildlife increasing including a huge wedge tailed eagle and some emus. Yup emus in the outback, first I knew about that.
Porcupine Gorge was out next stop a sort of mini-mini-Grand Canyon of sorts yet given some great views from the top and out first real taste of the heat out here as we walked down to the gorge floor and (slowly) back up.
Hughenden was the final stop of the day after nearly 800kms covered with the town not really appearing to me much more than a couple of crossroads. After a big buffet style dinner I got talking with a Belgium couple and a trio of Danish as we began to hear fireworks outside. It turned out to be a Christmas party in the town, one month early and around 40 degrees to hot.
