Alice Springs to Adelaide
Trip Start
Jul 31, 2005
1
20
116
Trip End
Feb 18, 2007
Adelaide,
Australia
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Our first stop is at Kings Canyon, where we embark on a 6km trek up and around it. Here, we're told by our guide, the distinctive red rock, sparse vegetation, and deep blue sky, is similar to how the world would have looked, in the days of the dinosaurs. We weren't around in the days of the dinosaurs, so we just took his word for it, but we've never seen scenery like it, so unique.
Later that day, we arrive at our camp site, on the edge of Ayers Rock
01 Kings Canyon walk
.As we were out partying the night before, and had an early start today, we were already knackered. So we waited anxiously as the guide detailed our itinerary for the following day...
3.45am, wake up call.
4:30am, departure from camp.
5:30am, sunrise over Ayers Rock.
6am, half base walk of Ayers Rock, distance 5km.
7am, drive to Olgas.
8:30am, hike over rocky terrain around the Olgas in near 40c heat, distance 9km.
12:30pm, arrive back at camp for lunch.
2pm, back to Ayers Rock to do 2km walk around the historical aboriginal sites.
4pm, complete the other half of the base walk, distance 5km.
6pm, over to sunset viewing area for sunset at 6.30pm.
It was hilarious to see the expression on Patricia's already tired face, while the guide was reading this out
02 Kings Canyon
. Marc heard her mumble something in Spanish to the effect of "Christ, does he think we are in the f***king army or something!?:)"Nevertheless, despite neither of us receiving army training when we were younger, we did it!
There was a bonus to getting up early. We saw the Southern Cross in the sky for the first time. Then, to see the rock with our own eyes was tremendous, and we were treated to the dazzling change of colours as the sun rose and set.
We had to arrive at the Olgas early because as soon as the temperature hits 38c they close the walk for safety. When we arrive back from the walk, it is already closed. Not surprising as this level of activity in the scorching, unshaded desert is pretty dangerous.
We made it back to the camp. Normally, Marc has trouble sleeping in a tent, but this night, funny enough, he has no trouble.
The next day, we begin our travel from the red centre, down towards South Australia. After a quick stop for photos at the Northen Territory/South Australia border, we continue on to the weird, remote desert town of Coober Pedy, famous for it's Opal mines
03 Sunrise at Uluru (Ayers Rock)
. It's so hot here that most of the population live underground in dugouts which are carved into the sides of hills. Curious enough, that's how the backpacker accommodation is built as well.We were a bit dubious at first, as we hadn't slept in a cave tunnel before, but we must say that we haven't slept so well in ages. It was pitch black, quite as a church, and at a constant cool temperature. Import these to Europe now!
Before departing Coober Pedy, we try our hand at noodling (searching for Opal with your bare hands).
We tried for as long as we could bear the heat, but unfortunately we had no luck. This is not easy work we can tell you.
After Coober Pedy, our next stop was at an enormous salt lake. This only fills up with water in times of floods, so when we visited it was just a crunchy white mass for as far as we could see. We walked on the lake for a while but turned back as it would have taken days to get to the other side.
After a few more hours drive, the countryside became slightly less barren, as we headed over to the Flinders Ranges, which look like endless glowing folds of various colours
04 The Olgas walk
.We spend a couple of days hiking in the ranges and make our final outback stop in the historical town of Parachilna. It now has a population of 4, but it used to be a bustling stop on the Adelaide-Alice train line, before the track was re-routed. It was a good experience to see what life is like in an extremely isolated, tiny, outback town.
The town is famous for it's use as the railway station, and accompanying water tank, in the movie "Rabbit proof fence" and for it's award winning pub which does a memorable BBQ of Emu, Camel and Kangaroo. Patricia indulged, Marc turned vegetarian for the night :)
Our last stop was at a winery in the Clare Valley, to try some of Australia's famous wines.
Finally, we arrive in Adelaide. It seemed so strange to see so many cars, houses, shops and people after being in the remote, desolate outback for the past 10 days!
