Oct 4

Have you ever looked up at the stars and wondered what it is that makes life so precious for you, 'precious moments' as I refer to them.  I was doing that last night and here is what I came up with:- being at one with nature, sounds of life even if you can't see the makers, being very comfortable with as few 'man-made' items as you can, not thinking about what to do in the next 5 minutes - just soaking up the present, and to top it all, being able to share what makes you so content and 'at home' with the one you love.  I guess we really are 'bush' folks at heart, this is where our love of life is, where our hearts are happiest and where we feel we belong.

It was a wonderful night, not nearly as cold as expected and oh so perfect.  I sleep like one of the logs that are lying around here, I don't think I moved an inch, even the sleeping bags stayed in place (or at least mine did <g>).

A great nights sleep under the stars.

When I eventually surfaced after having been brought my cup of coffee in bed I set to work in the outdoor kitchen.  Bringing the wee gas stove over and putting it on the camp stool I sat in my chair and cooked a whole 'big' packet of bacon which we have been carrying around in the fridge since Darwin.  Most of the bacon will be eaten cold at a later date with the cold sausages.  Then a couple of eggs were fried and we had bacon and egg buttes for breakfast - yummy.  The eggs were a new variety, pre-scrambled in an uncracked shell lol.  I hope Alan does not get the bright idea of buying me a camping stove for a present and expecting me to do all the cooking in the future, that would not be funny :)  Alan has cooked a couple of things but I have done the rest (great way of getting out of doing the washing up).

Alan sorting liquid refreshment

Jane cooking the bacon, all 40 slices!!!

We have decided not to pack up and leave this heavenly spot but to stay today and tonight then make a mad dash to Kings Canyon tomorrow.  We know it will be beautiful and a place that must be visited but we also know there will be hordes of others trying to make the same journey as us and we will have to share. 

Time to get the blog up to date.

Our find for the day, somebody had camped here back in December

The water heating up in the solar shower, do you like our bathroom, what a view.

Oops!!!!!!  After finishing the blog for the day and telling you we were spending another night under the stars things went rather different to our plan.  We had collected the firewood for the night, got dinner sorted and were just enjoying the remainder of the afternoon when we heard thunder, huge great big rumbly tummy type of thunder.  It went on and on for a couple of hours and we debated whether to put up the tent or not.  We decided against putting up the tent in the end, lots of thunder but no sign of rain (at that time), it must just have been way in the distance and with this wonderful silence around us sounds travel long distances.  The night drew in, showers were over and done with, dinner was forgotten as we were not hungry.  Time to enjoy the arrival of the night, the stars and all the other activities going on around us, when, flash - lightening.  OK it was not much, again way in the distance and the thunder kept on rumbling and cracking - it must have been a real 'barney' up there in the heavens.  There were a few spots of rain but nothing that required a tent - yet!!!!!!!!!!!!

A few drops of rain.

We watched the most wonderful light show we have ever seen, lightening 360 degrees around us and still more thunder.  Some of the lightening was so bright it hurt your eyes and left you with night blindness.  I wish I had not put my camera away for safety (just in case it rained <g>) as the pictures or video which could have been taken would have been out of this world.  We decided to turn in for the night and snuggled up under the sleeping bags, still watching the light show and listening to the accompanying sound.  Small drops of rain obsessionally landed on our heads, then they got bigger, then more frequent - should we stay or should we go to the car - the 64 million dollar question.  We stayed for a bit longer but in the end had to accept we had been beaten by nature good and proper, the car would have to be our bedroom for the second time this week.

Oct 3

Wow, I slept well, must have been the massage <g>.  Normally we have been waking up around 5am and getting ourselves organized for the day but this morning neither of us woke up till 7:30.  We checked out of the Desert Palms Resort and booked ourselves in again for the nights of 8th and 9th.  Just as well we did, the Masters is on and the place will be heaving.

With everything packed we made tracks out of Alice onto Namatjira Drive, the scenic route of the West MacDonnell Range.  We have found one bush track with three bush camping sites along it so that is where we are heading, but first we stopped at Simpsons Gap, very pretty but noisy.
Two bus loads of kids were there with their usual loud voice.  I guess they were about 15 years of age and this was obviously a school organized trip and what a wonderful one at that for them.

The only Rock Wallaby we saw!!

The obligatory school holiday pic

I rather like this one <g>

 Time to move on, hunting for that elusive, at one with nature spot we love so much. 

We nearly missed the turning for the track, the sign was pushed well back behind the shrubbery, great, if we nearly missed it fingers crossed lots of other folks will defiantly miss it <g>. 

Not sure of the different areas we found, the map as I mentioned shows 3 campsites but we have found four :).  At the first stop, by the river we came across budgies everywhere, so comical to watch and a few were rather horny!!!!!  It seemed 'nookie' was all around.  I guess we sat there for about an hour, taking photos, enjoying the sounds and drinking a cup of tea.  It really is great having the kitchen in the vehicle, tea on tap.  Oh yes, we also ate one of the newly cooked sausages each, chilli variety and scrumptious.

Alan has seen several more tracks on the sat nave so that is where we headed next, one never knows what gem is awaiting our eyes away from all our fellow tourists.  We bumbled around for a couple of hours, not as hair raising driving as we had at Old Halls Creek but great fun never the less.

And the track ran out.

Alan checking to see if he can see where it went.

Back onto the main track and time to hunt for a camp spot and look what we found.  We are a few kilometers away from the Ready Waterhole on the Stuart Pass.  We have our own stretch of the Hugh River, somebody has kindly made a circle of stone for the fire and left a couple of bits of firewood and there is ample shade to give us some shelter from the heat of the sun. 

Home for the next day, Hugh River.

The lounge furniture is set up quickly.

One of our first visitors, landed on the river, swam around for a bit then flew off.

Time to find out what the water is like, it was cool, some areas were about waist deep and very refreshing, wonderful, and the trees are full of budgies here too, you should hear them, forever chirping.  It has been rather comical watching these birds chase of unwanted flying visitors, they don't seem to be afraid of anything.

Alan getting the air beds.

Dinner is sorted for tonight, curry and potatoes and several more cups of tea <g>.  See what has happened to our tin of carrots, attacked by the curry paste!!!  That's an off-road driving casualty <g>

Now that really needed some rough treatment, I have enough problem removing tin lids but I never thought a glass jar of curry paste could do such a good job.

Looking around there are very few insects, nice to not be attacked by mosquitoes and ants, so we have decided no tent is needed.  A night under the stars with nothing blocking our vision.  Just for a change we blew up our air bed by ourselves instead of using the compressor, very challenging lol. Thinking it may well be cold we had a couple of sleeping bags to throw over ourselves and our pillows, such luxury and I doubt any 5 start hotel could beat this location <g>.

With a fire to keep us warm, we watched the sun go down and the stars come out, there were millions of them, another of those 'magic moments' to keep securely in the memory for the future when grey, cloud filled skies are the norm.

No sunset picture tonight, but instead our lovely camp fire.

Oct 2

Not a lot to say today, we have been pretty quiet, just getting things sorted for our next adventure starting tomorrow morning.  Took a quick drive out to a couple of places close by which are in the opposite direction to what we are heading in the morning.

First stop was the Visitor Center, helpful lot and we are now all sorted with the permits we need for the next few days.  I had to laugh at the bin outside the center, somebody has really used their initiative!!!!

I had to check to see if the ashtray was really attached or just put there by some kindly smoker in the past, (you can just see it in the photo, top rear left on the bin), yes it was attached btw.

Next stop was on the Ross Highway to the south east of Alice, Emily's Gap where we knew there were some rock paintings.  A 15 minute stop there was all that was needed.

Nice pic of Alan, he saw the camera on him a moment earlier and told me to beep beep <g>

A view of the gap and boy was the water cold that we had to walk through to get to this side.

Next stop was just down the road, Jessica's Gap.  Not a lot to see but on the way out we caught these two making out <g>

I think this is a really cracking picture.

 We did go further down the road to see Corroboree Rock but got out the car and back into it within a couple of minutes.  I guess we have been spoilt with the wonderful sights we have seen so far and today's was not a patch on any of them.  It was then back to our lodgings to once again get the washing done and potter around sorting the vehicle.  I have cooked up another 16 sausages which should keep us going for the next few days and tonight I made spagetti bolognaise again in one pan.  Not bad going, we have full bellies at the moment, are enjoying a cup of coffee then it is an early night so we get away at a reasonable time tomorrow morning.

Sorry it is such a short blog, no point in writing when I don't have much to say.  Just an update though on the Kimberley Hotel in Halls Creek, they have still not got back to me so I am on the rampage <g>.

Keep the comments coming, I love reading what you have to say about the blog :)

Sept 30 - Oct 1

A mammoth journey, we left Halls Creek at around 10am heading to the Tanami Road which would take us to the Stuart Highway and then onto Alice Springs tomorrow. 

1000 km of graded road (the last 100km was single track tarmac)

En-route on the Tanami Road, a graded road 1000km long is Wolfe Creek Crater about 154km from the turn off so we must go and see this, and with there being a camp site seems like a good place to break the journey saying as we have set off quite late.  We have never seen a meteor crater before so now is our chance. 

Time to don the walking boots for this

Check out the rocky climb up, I am well impressed we managed this.

The center of the crater

 

Video of Wolfe Creek Crater

As I mentioned, we plan to spend the night here but when we saw the campsite we looked at each other and nodded our head - no.  It was very hot and there were hardly any trees which meant no shade, no birds etc.  It would be hard enough putting up the tent in the heat but then there would be little to do for the next 12 or so hours.  Plan number two, continue driving on the Tanami Road to the next roadhouse where we could get extra fuel then onto the next roadhouse at Rabbit Flat and camp there, we should arrive around 6pm all being well, perfect.  There were three gates going up the road to Wolfe Creek Crater and obviously three coming back out and guess who had to do them!!!!

What a great sign on this gate!!!

Oh shoot, we missed the first roadhouse for fuel at Billiluna, not a big problem we have enough fuel with us to get to Rabbit Flat and we are also carrying a spare 40 litres just in case which we have had with us since Darwin.  What a fun road, a real tit bouncer lol.

Alan checking the temperature of the tyres, we don't want another blowout.

We had to take a second look, wild horses and what beauties too.  It seems strange seeing wild horses, so used to only seeing them in stables as pets.

What a big d*** I have <g>

Next bit of excitement on this tit bouncing road, the sign for Northern Territory, time to say goodbye to Western Australia and hello again to the NT.  Shame about the graffiti on the sign, but I should add, there is far less graffiti here than in the UK!!

We passed an Aboriginal family who had broken down, they needed a new tube for their tyre, we did stop but they were fine.  Onward we went to Rabbit Flat.

And the sun set on yet another day.

Phew there at last.  Oh - it is all dark, looks closed.  Since reading the blurb we have found out this place is only open 3 days a week, unfortunately our maps did not cover this area and it was not in the book we were using either.  We sat and contemplated our next move when the aboriginal family we had stopped to offer help to pulled up, they remembered us <g>.  Around the back they went, hammering on doors, calling for the guy to open but nothing.  They asked us where we were going, Alice our reply.  We told them we would just camp here and get fuel in the morning, not a problem.  They advised us not to camp here, not safe but to go a little further down the road where there was a site but we would have to pay, just past the bus.  Ah bless their cotton socks, we thanked them and headed on our way.  What bus, there was a crapped out mini bus just 20 feet from where we were talking to the Aboriginal guys but we did not think they meant that one lol.  No other bus, no campsite, nothing but a long rutted road ahead of us.  We pulled off to the side of the road about an hour later for a tea break and boy was it getting cold but the stars, oh the stars, there must have been millions of them visible.  Alan filled up the tank with the 40 litres we had and I took over the wheel to give him a break, (the only two times I have managed to get behind the wheel are in the dark :)  With quick calculations of fuel economy we knew we were not in trouble, we could make the next roadhouse easily if we drove no faster than 80kpm. 

I drove for about two hours then nearly ran into wildlife - flipping cows, loads of them lying on the side of the road sleeping or ambling across the road.  During my time at the wheel we stopped to help another Aboriginal group who had car problems, again they were OK but they asked if we had any sandwiches with us.  Nope, but we do have biscuits, that cheered them up.  Time to hand back to Alan and get my two matchsticks out to keep my eyelids open.  We can't remember the exact time somewhere around 1:30am Western Australia time or 3:00am Northern Territory time we came to the next roadhouse, a Aboriginal settlement at Yuendumu, plenty lights on but we could not find the petrol station and it felt a little unwise to keep driving round.  We pulled over to the side of the road and tried to get some sleep, I grabbed a sleeping back and we each had a couple of pillows.  After a hour or so of dozing we decided to move on again, knowing we had enough fuel to the next roadhouse, Tilmouth Well, they had a campsite but too late for us as they were closed when we arrived.  We pulled up a side road and kipped for a couple of hours before they opened and the sun said 'G-day mateys'.

Totally exhausted, in our room for the night (the car)

And the sun showed her face, a new day is here.

Tilmouth Well, opened at 7:00am, oh how welcoming to find somewhere warm that served coffee and grub.  A bacon and egg sandwich has never been welcomed more.

On the road again, a tree, yep time to stop for a cuppa and get the cameras out.

In my element behind the lense

And this is what I was taking a photo of.

A new bird for the collection

Road Train, roaring past us on the single lane tarmac road.

On the road again, not far now to the Stuart Highway where we will hang a right to Alice.

21 km to go.

Done it, arrived safe and sound and none the worse for wear on our epic drive.  A total of 1067km covered, Alan did 90% of the driving and as you can imagine we are now somewhat exhausted.  A rather nice wee place is our bed for the tonight and tomorrow, Desert Palms Resort.  Our plans for tomorrow, the Visitors Center to check for permits needed to access the parks containing Kings Canyon and Uluru and maybe a bit of shopping if I can twist Alan's arm.  Off to find some fast food for our bellies, a cup of coffee and hope there is a good film on tonight to watch.  Night all.