27 Aug 2007 Almost time to go.
All being well we leave for our trip on Friday afternoon.
We will get to Yulara (Ayres Rock (Uluru), and the Olgas (Kata Tjuta) on Sunday and probably stay for 3 nights before moving on to Kings Canyon , Glen Helen and Alice Springs.
Hopefully we will be able to update here reasonably often during our trip, if not I will do a big update when we get back, photos and everything.
31 Aug to 3 Sept 2007 Adelaide to Yalara
Howdy
We have travelled 1800 km and are at Yalara, we have had a wonderful time, the landscape is very beautiful green and red and blue sky. On Fathers day, hope both our dads had a good day, we had dinner under the stars at the sounds of silence, met some nice people.
Yesterday we were at Uluru by 6.30am to watch the rock change colours at sunrise, then walked around the base over 9 km we did it in 21/4 hrs. Last night we went back to the rock with a cheese platter and wine and watched sunset, have great photos, what a life.
Today we went to Kata Tjuta (Olgas) and walked to the middle of them, it has been our favourite thing so far, was over 8km walk up hill and down dale took 21/4 hrs was a wonderful walk, hope our photos do it justice. Tonight in an hour we are going to be flying over uluru and kata tjuta at sunset in a small plane.
Tomorrow we are off to Kings Canyon, will spend two nights there and hope to walk around the rim and through the canyon.
The weather has been great, first day was a bit hot but the rest of the time has been high 20’s and down to cold in the evening.
We cant upload pics here, hopefully when we get to Alice springs in 5 days time.
Hope you are all well, much love to you all from us.
4 Sept to 8 Sept 2007 Uluru, Kata Tjuta, Kings Canyon to Glen Helen via The Mereenie Loop, and all the gorges
Howdy
We are having a wonderful time exploring the outback. The flight over Uluru and Kata Tjuta was great, gave us a different perspective. We left for Kings Canyon on Wed morning, got a great sight overlooking the George Gill range, we sat in the evening and had a cheese platter and glass of wine watching the range change colour as the sunset, was magical. The next morning we did the walk around the rim, was hard going for me at the beginning very steep lots of steps but once we were up on the rim, was an easy couple of hours walk, great views, in the afternoon we read and enjoyed the view.
On Thursday morning we were away early along the Mereenie Loop 250 km of corrugated dirt road, it was hard going, we saw a dingo, 3 camels and some guys working on the road, one of them was holding up a stop sign, made us laugh, not much traffic in the middle of nowhere.
Arrived Glen Helen early afternoon and set up again had another nice view. Spent the next day going to Ormiston Gorge, The Ochre pits, Serpentine Gorge and Ellery Creek big hole, had a cheese platter at Ellery Creek for lunch very nice. In the afternoon we read again, then before dinner we went for a walk to Glen Helen Gorge, the one we liked the most. We had dinner in the restaurant then after beating Greg at cards 🙂 we went and sat at a bonfire our neighbours had going, another great evening.
This morning, Sunday, we were away at 8am, to Alice Springs, didnt take very long, went to the Todd Mall markets, saw Christine Anu singing for 3/4 of an hour, was great. We did a bit of shopping, have eaten everything we had, we have enjoyed being isolated for the last 4 days, no phone or news. We both noticed when we were driving into Alice and heard the news on the radio that it had been a while since we had heard any.
Tomorrow we are going to Hermansberg and maybe a few more gorges.
We will try to put some photos on here for you now.
Dante & Tessa hope you have enjoyed the show, we cant wait to hear all about it.
Lots of love to you all from us
9 Sept 2007 Glen Helen to Alice Springs
Howdy
we had a great day, went out to Hermansberg, a German Lutheran mission settlement where Albert Namanjiro is from. Was very interesting began around 1860’s. Then we went to Standley Chasm, that was beautiful, we managed to be there at midday when it is at its best, with the sun beaming down into the chasm, you should see the photos, hopefully you will sooon 🙂
This evening we are going to Simpson Gap for a barbecue dinner, evidently the wallabies come out then, we are looking forward to it.
It is a milder day today, much more to my liking, mid 20’s very pleasant, the skies have been clear while we have been here, we have been lucky with the weather, I think tomorrow will be cooler too. The rest of the time it has been in the low 30’s. Down to around 8 degrees at night.
Greg beat me at cards last night, we are 3 all now, think we are going for a best out of 15! will let you know how we go. Tomorrow we are going to look at the art galleries in and around Alice and generally have an easy day. The day after we head for Marla, then onto the Oodnadatta track, Staying at William Creek for one night, then Parachilna, then off to Wilpena pound for about 4 nights I think.
Greg has the photos now, so I will let him download them. Cant wait to see them on the screen.
Hope you are having a better week in the office and that you are on the mend carly.
Happy birthday for the 12th Vonnie, we will have a drink to you. And Happy Anniversary Ben & Sarah for the 14th. Not sure Dante if we will be on a computer before the 16th, hey only 6 more sleeps, we will be thinking of you on your birthday.
Lots of love and hugs to you all from us.
10 Sept 2007 Last Day in Alice
Howdy
we had a relaxing morning, left around 10am and went to look at the old Telegraph station was very interesting, we spent much longer there than we normally do. Lots of very interesting history. Then we went to Anzac hill got a good view of Alice which is surrounded by hills.
Had lunch in the mall, then we are typing away here. We are going to look at the galleries this afternoon there are a couple of dozen of them.
We have changed our plans for our trip home, we are staying at William Creek tomorrow night, then Parachilna the night after, then two nights in Arkaroola, then 4 nights in Wilpena, getting home on Thursday 20th of Sept. I presume some of those places will not have phone coverage, so if you need us we will be staying at the pub in the first two places and the caravan park of the last two.
We are off to look at the galleries now, love to you all from us
Hi Dante Tessa Ella and Ethan, 🙂
We just thought you all should know that the postcards we have sent today were posted from the Old Telegraph Station in Alice Springs and have a special stamp (Franking mark) on them that you get when you post something from the Telegraph Station.
Also, today we both walked across the Todd River. Clever aren’t we!! 🙂
The Todd River is very dry at this time of the year and it is only sand and small rocks.
But even so, each year in late August they hold a boat race on the dry river, where people build special boats with no bottoms in them and then they all jump inside them hold the edges and run down the river racing each other. The people up here get a little crazy!!!!
Anyway, tomorrow we start our trip down the Oodnadatta Track, its a 600km long dirt road, thats like driving from nanny’s office to her home 20 times!!!!
Nanny is hoping they have been looking after it really well so its a smooth ride. We will let you know. I will try not to shake her up too much 😛
lots and love and hugs to you all.
PS
We both cant wait to see you all and tell you all about our adventures and to here all about the fun times you have been having while we have been away.
11 Sept 2007 to 14 Sept 2007 Alice Springs to Wilpena Pound via The Oodnadatta Track
Howdy We have had some adventures since our last entry, but I only have a few mins left on here to tell you about them and I dont have my glasses with me!!
we had a big day travelling on wed, hope you had a good birthday von. we ended in William creek, that was a great pub we stayed the night, 15 mins before we got in at 6.30pm, we smashed the back windscreen in and got a flat, you should see the stars in the mddle of nowhere, they are magnificent. the next mornign we had a flight over the painted hills, stped at prominent hill mine and then anna creek station was an amazing few hours.
that day we drove to parachilna and stayed at the prairie hotel. was another great pub. had a lovely sunset there and a feral mixed grill for tea. as we were leaving we were told we had another puncture. didnt take long to fix this one. got it repared yesterday at hawker.
we decided not to do arkaroola, with the windscreen, dont think it would stand up to it. so here we are at wilpena for a few nights, it is beautiful here. we are going to go exploring this morning and then relax this afternoon. sounds good for the next few days
Ella thankyou for your lovely message we were smiling all the way through it. Thanks to both our mums for your emails too, it is lovely to hear your news.
Hey Dante we will be thinking of you tomorrow, there is a public phone here, so we will try to ring you tomrrow morning. we will be thinking of you we are sure you will be having a lovely birthday.
Well the sun is shining, so we are off to explore.
we will be seeing you soon.
lots of love and hugs to you all from us.
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