THE GREAT OZ EXPERIENCE (PART II: Monoliths, Canyons and Springs)

October 24th @ 10:47AM

Idalis:

The Red Center. Nothing epitomized my ideas of Australia more than this area, known as the “Outback.” Hot, dry, dusty, arid, and ochre-colored. The red dirt gets on everything, especially once mixed with your sweat! Crimson heels, dry and cracked, just like the parched earth around us. We've been camping under the stars every night, surprisingly cool amidst all this desert. The distances are long, very long. Nothing but spinifex and the occasional thirsty cow to break up the monotony of the same barren landscape. But the vistas in between are well worth the kilometers. This is where we've come to see some of Australia's most awesome iconic sights including the world's largest monolith and a beautiful canyon. It's also the home of most of the country's Aboriginal population, trying to maintain their culture while the world quickly changes around them. This was our road trip through the “Red Heart,” all 3,167 kilometers of it!

Kevin:







1973.0 KM – Arrived at Curtin Springs Roadhouse at 7:38 PM after driving a full eight hours from Coober Pedy. Made it just in time to set up the large tent before a beautiful sunset. Made fettuccini with mushrooms and white sauce. Bought a cask of wine for $27 and sat around Maurice's mini German lantern discussing how lucky we are while gazing at a sky full of stars. Slept incredibly well in great weather.
1973.1 KM – Woke up, broke camp, and ate breakfast. Fill up gas tank from fuel pump at Curtin Springs. Camping was free but gas was $1.73 per liter. Most expensive fill up yet. Heading to Yulara to set up camp before exploring Uluru! Nic eats a fly, we all have a laugh!
2080.2 KM – After an hour's drive, arrived at campground to be shocked by camping fee, $49 a night per sight. Set up camp on empty lawn between grill and toilets with shade and...a pic-nic table! Eat leftovers and head into park.
2102.8 KM – Arrived at car park at base of Uluru and trail heads for base walk, Mala walk, Mutitjulu and the climb. Decided long before we ever knew we would actually be here one day, we opt to honor the wishes of the local Aboriginal people and not climb Uluru. Instead, we do the 10 KM base walk, circumnavigating the mighty monolith.
2111.4 KM – Arrived at the Uluru sunset car park at the time suggested by the park office, which was far too early considering we had not adjusted our clocks for the time change. Afforded a great front row seat and a chance to cool the legs down after a hot mid day hike. Witnessed a stunning sunset and the famous changing colors (moods) of Uluru under a cloudless sky. Hundreds of photos taken.
2122.7 KM – Return to a dark camp to enjoy perfectly cooked roo steaks, garlic mash potatoes, mushroom gravy and red wine before retiring exhausted and uncertain about our ability to wake up in time for an Uluru sunrise.
2149.8 KM – After a slight diversion and early morning drive around the base of Uluru, we located the sunrise car park and hike up to the multi-tiered viewing platform just in time to catch sunrise on a very chilly morning. Share the experience with a couple hundred tour patrons and then move on to the Cultural Center for a visit. Ultimately decide that the sunset is more dramatic and stunning.
2170.2 KM – Return to camp for a very slow cooked breakfast of bacon rashers, eggs, toast and coffee. take a nap, catch up on this log and take a dip in the campground pool before heading out to the less popular monoliths of Kata Juta (meaning “many heads), also known as the Olgas.
2218.1 KM – Arrive at the striking Kata Juta monoliths and stop at a lookout for photos of the panorama. Beautiful scenery and surprisingly lush and green. Overhear guide telling tour group that trees are all the same height as they all began to grow at the same time after a brush fire.
2230.3 KM – Arrive at Kata Juta car park and hike the Walpa Gorge. Teach Nic the importance of reflections in photography.
2238.4 KM – Arrive at Kata Juta sunset lookout point and post up at a shaded pic-nic area for a lunch of tuna and crackers, BLT's, and biscuits with Nutella. Share another striking sunset with a tour group and a swarm of black flies.
2285.9 KM – Arrive back at camp after a quick stop at the IGA for dinner, potato chips and carrot sticks with smoked salmon and sour cream and chive dips. Followed up with dessert of chocolate covered honeycomb and wash it all down with red wine.
2286.4 KM – Break camp, getting good and quick at it. Breakfast and shower and off to King's Canyon. A last minute decision and a supposed Northern Territory must see.










2598.2 KM – Arrive in King's Canyon resort. Use ATM in reception to pull money to pay for exorbitant camping fees. Paruse campground looking for perfect site. Don't find it. Choices are little shade far from bathrooms or no shade close to bathrooms. Opt for shade. After a lunch time snack, swim in the pool and a nap, it is off to King's Canyon.
2607.6 KM – Find shady spot in car park and begin afternoon stroll into King's Canyon. Short, easy walk ends at observation deck overlooking vegetation in the crevice. Drive a short distance to sunset lookout and eventually realize the best view is not of the changing colors of the canyon, but rather the brilliant and dazzling sunset on the horizon behind.
2617.5 KM – Return to camp enchanted by sunset. Dine on couscous and chick peas, Moroccan style a la Nic. Wash it down with red wine then a decaf tea and retire completely fulfilled and satisfied. Wake up early next morning and decide to skip breakfast in order to get an early start.
2627.4 KM – Find another shady spot in the car park and begin a steep ascent onto the King Canyon rim. Hike a glorious and mystifying 7.4 KM walk around the rim of the canyon and down into the lush water hole known as the Garden of Eden. Finish before lunch time and head back to camp.
2637.1 KM – Return to camp and enjoy a late breakfast of baked beans, toast and fried eggs. Do some laundry, take a dip in the pool and a nap. Break out the kite salvaged from a Singapore trash can and spend about an hour untangling the string before giving it a go. This bird does not want to fly.
2637.4 KM – Refuel, grab a Golden North Giant Twin ice cream bar and begin the drive towards Alice Springs.
2916.3 KM – Stop in Erldunda for fuel, a “chico roll”, a “sausage roll” and a “cherry ripe”, all Australian favorites.






3124.8 KM – Arrive in Alice Springs at the Winter Sun caravan park and are assigned space #58. Set up camp in record time, even considering the extra time needed to drive stakes into the rock hard ground. Turn right back around and head into town. First stop, K-Mart for a singlet for Nic and capri pants for Idalis. Next stop, Target, which is closed as it is Sunday.
3132.3 KM – After much talk about a restaurant meal, and more specifically an all you can eat salad bar, we stumbled upon Todd's Tavern in the heart of town where we indulge in “roast night”, roast beef, roast pork and an all you can eat vegetable and salad bar. First restaurant meal since the start of the road trip and long overdue!
3139.1 KM – After a much anticipated breakfast with fresh biodynamic yogurt, it was off to the Cultural Precinct and a visit to the gallery containing water color paintings by members of the Hermannsburg school, most notably Australia's first Aboriginal citizen, Albert Namatjira and his mentor Rex Battarbee. The entry fee also included the Central Australia Museum, loaded with scientific facts regarding the geology and formation of Australia and an amazing display of taxidermy containing every animal known to these parts. Also included was the Strehlow Research Center, the controversial Lutheran missionary whose son compiled what is known as the rosetta stone of Aboriginal relics (known as tjurunga), history, culture, practices and dreaming ceremonies.
3145.9 KM – back at camp for toasted salami, tomato and cheese sandwiches, a nap and a dip in the pool.
3151.0 KM – Arrive at the crest of Anzac Hill, important historical Aboriginal site, home of the war memorial and the best place to catch a sunset in “The Alice”.
3156.1 KM – Back to camp for stir fry and an early evening.
3206.3 KM – Another amazing breakfast containing yogurt chilled in the campsite fridge and then off to Standley Chasm. A very narrow and deep gorge at the end of a great walk with a stunning lookout. Admire the myriad of stones made from fused minerals and metals. Want to take them all home, but being fused with ancient spiritual lands we simply admire them and move on.
3254.6 KM – Back to the Cultural Precinct to pick up the much anticipated post cards that we forgot to purchase the day before.
3257.4 KM – Apparently feeling the need to splurge once again, we stop for lunch at “Hungry Jack's”, which is actually Burger King (why the name change no one seems to know), and enjoy a good old value meal that at Australian prices is not much of a value!
3258.3 KM – Go to Target to get shampoo, conditioner and body butter before heading onto the Todd Mall to check out the Aboriginal art galleries and a didgeridoo playing class. Into the internet cafe for some much needed catch up and the most expensive internet fees since Europe.
3262.0 KM – On to Coles for last minute grocery items to accompany us on our two to three day journey to the east coast.
3262.5 KM – Quick stop at St. Vincent de Pauls to drop off clothing donations.
3264.7 KM – Back to camp to catch up on journal and enjoy a very rare roo steak meal with corn and mashed potatoes. Early rise tomorrow and a marathon drive to the coast.
3264.9 KM – Drop off electric gate pass to Winter Sun caravan park reception office to collect our $10 deposit and head out of “The Alice”.