Saturday...26 May 2012

Himself went to the Truck Museum today. He left at 10am and returned at 5pm. I think he found lots to look at. He even found the name of the bloke he signed his apprenticeship under.

He took lots of photos of trucks. There were a lot of names all through the museum that he recognised. He was in truck heaven.
Tomorrow he is planning a day trip to Hermansburg.

Friday...25 May 2012

A nice lazy day in Alice Springs. Went down to town for lunch with friends then had visitors for happy hour. Now I am listening to the live entertainment here in the caravan park. Some bloke doing a fairly reasonable effort at easy listening songs and a bit of country and western. Has a good crowd but I am staying indoors as the cold night air is making me cough rather badly. Never mind I can hear him from here, he is only a couple of bays away from us.
Tomorrow Himself is going to the Truck museum that Alice is famous for. He will enjoy that. Lots of pics tomorrows entry........

Thursday...24 May 2012

Happy Birthday to my sister.

Finally back on line after a two day outage at Kings Canyon. 

Was a bit surprised as we had total coverage at Ayers Rock and although Kings Canyon is 300kms away it is as popular and the resort is on the same level so expected everything including mobile coverage to be the same. Nope. Not even television. Two days of silence!
Yesterday we did the Kings Canyon Rim Walk.
It is a 6km trek up and around the canyon. Getting started is hard work as it is fairly steep to begin with. Much huff and puff and lots of stopping to admire the view (that is shorthand for me catching my breath). It took us nearly 5 hours which is a bit longer than the 3.5hours they suggest the walk will take but we took our time and really enjoyed ourselves.
We walked with another couple and that added another element to the experience. All of us were a bit sore and I personally was staggering by the time we reached the carpark again.
There was so much to see it is hard to pick a particular part to mention.

Today we moved to Alice Springs. I seem to have developed a bit of a cough. Probably just my lungs unable to cope with all that fresh air on top of the canyon. The bonus for Himself is that by tomorrow I probably will not have a voice at all!

Monday...21 May 2012

Up really early today, to go out to watch the sunrise over Ayers Rock.
Freezing cold, we are in the desert and it gets down to zero overnight, but worth the effort to get up and go. It is a popular event, with hundreds of people out there. The carpark was full and I counted a dozen tour buses as well. The only sounds were the clicking of cameras.

When the sun had risen, we drove down to the Culture Centre and walked around the exhibits which were quite informative, and looked into the Art Galleries, then we went into the little coffee shop and had a toasted sandwich and a cuppa.
Nourished and watered we set off to the Rock and began the climb.

No I did not get to the top, this was never my intention, I made it far enough up to be able to say to myself that I had once again conquered the Rock. Himself did a sterling job upholding the family honour by climbing higher than last time we tried it some twenty years ago. His knees decided for him how far he was going. It was entertaining watching how others went about climbing or realising they were not physically or mentally up to the challenge. One Japanese lass freaked out part way up and had to be helped by others to return to the bottom. At least she tried! It is a daunting climb and you need to be physically fit to take it on. Not being scared of heights is a big plus too!!

Back on terra firma, we followed up with a base walk for a couple of kms.
We ended up tagging onto the end of a ranger guided walk and by golly that lass knew her stuff, and it was obvious that she loves her job and more importantly she loves the Rock.
We completed the day with a drive around the base of the Rock, then back to camp for a late lunch and we went down to the Yalata village to the shops. Himself watched an older aboriginal lady doing some dot painting on the lawns outside the shops.
We both love the dot paintings. The colours are wonderful and sometimes we can understand the story they are telling.
When we were leaving the sunrise viewing area we spotted a herd of wild camels grazing near the Rock and then when we got back to the camp area we passed a group of camels that are used for tourist camel rides resting after their early morning sight seeing rides.

Tomorrow we are moving to Kings Canyon. I hope my aches and pains from today are better by then....

Sunday...20 May 2012

Yesterday we drove to Kulgera. It is the first place you come to after crossing the SA/NT border.
The people who pulled in beside us used to live in Paraburdoo. Small world! Much talking and catching up on  their news.
While we have been travelling we have watched the price of fuel around Australia. We all know that Nanutarra in the north west of WA is expensive, but last year we found that Barkly Homestead  in outback Queensland topped that. However, Kulgera today had fuel for 210.0/lt. I think we have a winner folks.
These clever people drove 75km up the road to Erldunda where it was 13c/lt cheaper.
As we were leaving Kulgera this morning we spotted The Chook Man.
There was an article about him in last weeks copy of Take 5. And there he was sitting in our little nowhere caravan park, complete with chooks and a very different type of rig!
He is travelling with a film maker who is filming his travels for a movie at some later date.

Then we came to Ayers Rock. Uluru. Yalara.
We checked in then went out to the Olgas. They are about 50kms past Ayers Rock. There is an area before you actually get to the Olgas where you can pull up to look at them from a specially built viewing platform. You can also see Ayers Rock from there too.
At the Olgas,we went to the Valley of the Winds and Himself did the walk to the lookout.

Then we went around the other side and walked into a gorge between the big domes.

On the way back to camp we stopped at Ayers Rock. There was hundreds of people all waiting patiently with cameras ready and we all watched The Rock as the sun set. It changes colour as the light alters. Beautiful.

Tomorrow we are going to spend the day walking around and maybe up the Rock. It is a seriously special place and I think every Australian that can should come here to see it.

Friday...18 May 2012

Today we have driven north. Went through a little place called Glendambo.
Sign at the entry says: Sheep - 32,000; Flies - 2,000,000; People - 30!
They have a couple of service stations and a beautiful pub. It has been built to look like a huge shearing shed and has been 'decorated' inside with bales of wool and other shearing gear.

We eventually ended up in Coober Pedy. Only staying the one night as we have already been to this little town some time ago. The bonus is the little pizza shop in the caravan park. Pizza for tea tonight!

Thursday...17 May 2012

Well I was right, Himself did find things to take pictures of on his walk yesterday.
Woomera was built by the Australian Government during the early days of space exploration.
Over time the Australians, the British and the Americans fired all sorts of things into the atmosphere from here.
Now any country can apply to the Australians to use the area for testing purposes. Once approved the waiting list is two years to access the facilities. I am guessing that North Korea is not one of the approved countries to blast things into the atmosphere right now!!!
The town centre has a display of 'left overs', 'duds' and assorted machinery and equipment once used in the business of Woomera.

Woomera township is a fascinating place. Half empty now but imagine a town in the Australian 'never never' that has a proper picture theatre/ performing arts centre and a six lane ten pin bowling alley! It has all sorts of other things but those two items buzzed me!
One of the things I saw today was the cheque for $1.00 , folks that's one dollar, the price Australia paid to buy all the stuff America built here for its workers and did not want to take home or go to the trouble of dismantling at the end of their stay.

Today we drove to Roxby Downs and Andamooka,

Roxby Downs is the town for the Olympic Dam mine site, which is a Uranium mine among other things. It is one of the worlds great treasure chests of minerals. If it is an expensive ore they have it!!!
The town has been built the way every mining town should have been built. Beautiful.  All sorts of facilities. Middle of nowhere. Perfect. Could not access the 'dam' as the security gates for the mine are at least three kilometres before the actual mine site. Guess they are a bit 'thing' about what they mine......
Himself did say if I took off all my clothes and ran around the town oval three times I would glow in the dark.
Not going to happen!
No way could I run around the oval three times, I get puffed too quick.

Andamooka was one of those place where you say 'Welcome to the wild west!'
It is an opal field.
Barren, mullock heaps everywhere, mine shafts all over the place, messy, dirty, dusty. Very much like Coober Pedy.

We saw samples of the Andamooka Opals. Beautiful. I also saw opal in its raw state, in the rock. Very pretty stuff. I saw a piece of raw rock on display and as I liked it I asked the price. $100,000.00.
Ok, a bit pricey for me so I looked at the jewellery pieces. The one I liked was only $6850.00. Nice to know I have not lost my touch for picking the most expensive pieces in a shop!
We did not buy any opal. I like the colours but it is not one of the gems I fancy wearing.
Tomorrow we move again, heading north. Probably to either Glendambo or Coober Pedy.

Wednesday...16 May 2012

Happy 85th Birthday Uncle Wilf.

Well I did not get back to the blog yesterday. I spent most of the day watching the dog owners of Whyalla, well the responsible ones anyway, walking their dogs along the beach front.
All sorts of dogs came and went along my patch of shore. Big dogs, little dogs, good dogs, naughty dogs, friendly dogs, socially challenged dogs. Young pups and old dogs. The owners on the whole were fairly well behaved!
There was Boston Terriers, Jack Russells, Poodles, Spoodles, Border Collies, Blue Heelers, Kelpies, Shitzsus, Pomeranians, Beagles, and some with mixed genetics.
Some walked sedately along, some ran and ran for miles, some chased birds, some chased the incoming tide, some rolled in the smelly seaweed.
I found the entire thing quite entertaining.
Today we have moved again.
We travelled from Whyalla to Pt Augusta or Pt Augudda depending on your manner of speech......
From there we have turned onto the Stuart Highway and are heading north.
Tonight we have stopped at Woomera. I believe they like to propel things into the sky around this way. Himself has gone off to look at the local museum so no doubt he will come back with all sorts of useful information I can relay to you tomorrow.

Monday...14 May 2012

Happy Birthday for grandson who had a birthday yesterday.
Today we moved from Pt Lincoln to Whyalla.
Met a local who told us its called Windyalla.  He got that right. Its blowing a gale and freezing cold.
However we are snug and warm inside our little house on wheels and I have a roast dinner nearly ready to serve and that is sure to make us feel warm and fuzzy for a while. Got ourselves another million dollar view. This caravan park is on the shore of the Spencer Gulf.
More on Whyalla tomorrow.

Saturday...12 May 2012

Yesterday we wandered down the street in sleepy little Streaky Bay.
We found a powerhouse museum stacked full of all sorts of old generators and other equipment from the surrounding farms and businesses. Brilliant display and by the smell of fuel I am guessing a lot still actually work.
The volunteers are all old retired men and certainly know their machinery.

Leaving the museum we walked over the road to the local Shell Service Station to view an exact replica of the biggest white pointer shark caught. It was caught locally by a young lad on a lightweight hand held line and took him five hours to be able to get a rope on it and tow it to shore. Enormous. Scary stuff.

Today we packed up and moved down the road to Pt Lincoln, home of the tuna fishermen.
Tomorrow we will go out and look at the local scenery and check out the locals.
The caravan park is another beach front property. Great views from the van.

 

Friday...11 May 2012

Happy 60th Birthday Keith.

The phone has been ringing all day.  Friends and family all wishing him a happy birthday.
My Facebook is busy but it is all birthday wishes for Keith!
We were going to move to Port Lincoln today but it was raining rather heavily so have decided to stay here another day as they promise that the sun will be shining tomorrow.
Guess it is my turn to cook tea tonight!

Wednesday...9 May 2012

Ended up having a second day in Ceduna, did a grocery grab to replenish the fresh stuff after coming through a fruit fly inspection place just before Ceduna. This little fox is one step in front of them. I made a stew bursting with goodness from the 13 different vegetables I had on board the night before we hit Ceduna. And what I could not possibly cook I gave away to others coming the other way. They were very grateful as they had no fresh vegetables after being caught out.
Today we have moved down the road to a place called Streaky Bay. They grow a lot of crops here, we passed miles and miles of broad acre crop paddocks. Also saw lots of new born lambs. Been a while since I saw paddocks full of sheep with new born lambs at foot.
But what Streaky Bay is more widely known for is its aquaculture. They farm oysters here, lots and lots of them. They get southern rock lobsters , abalone (fresh and farmed) and King George whiting.
Himself has already been out to the oyster farm and is having fresh oysters for tea. Perfect!

This caravan park backs onto the sea. Himself went for a walk around after we arrived and spotted some pelicans.

Monday...7 May 2012

Have just completed our first caravan trip on the Nullabor crossing.
It was entirely different to our numerous crossings way back when we crossed regularly to visit Himself's mum for Xmas every two years. That was usually done at the speed of sound trying to get it over and done with as quickly as possible before war broke out between our many children in the back seats of the car.
I always wanted to do that trip one more time at a more sedate pace so that we could see the scenery and finally it has happened.
Believe it or not, but we took nearly four days to cross, stopping at free camps out there in the middle of nowhere. Last night I sat watching the moon rise in the total silence of the Australian Outback. Complete silence can be a bit unnerving but so special.
On day one we crossed the longest straight stretch of road in the world, measuring 145km without a bend! Slightly dangerous as one can become bored and fixated but so so special. One of the sights along the way was the skeletons of broken or burnt vehicles that stand testament to the harshness of the conditions or the stupidity of the drivers.We also passed some goose riding a push bike across the Nullabor.
On day two we stopped to look at the Great Australian Bight, sadly it is too early to have seen any whales migrating north.

The Great Australian Bight

Mind you we did see two juvenile snakes taking a stroll across the designated walkway. Was actually walking along the path back to the car thinking to myself that the path looked a lot like that one back in Augusta where we saw the other snake and bingo there they were! Must have known I was about to step on them or maybe my thinking caused them to be there???
During the day we also saw an emu and a magnificent eagle lifting off from a dead kangaroo carcass on the side of the road. His wing span was awesome.
We also saw another bike rider out there. Just them and their push bike. All alone, no support vehicle.
On day three we had yet another push bike rider and we also passed half a dozen Chamberlain tractors putting down the road on the way to Perth. Each one was towing a small pop top caravan. Himself says Chamberlains used to be made in Perth so maybe they were heading over for a reunion of some sort.
Eventually we crossed the actual Nullabor and arrived in Ceduna which is the end of the crossing.
Couple of days here catching up with showers and washing and we will be on our way again.
We think we will do the Eyre Peninsula next.

The Nullabor

Friday...4 May 2012

Was told last night that today is moving day. If that happens then we begin the trip over the Nullabor and reception will be hit and miss. Mostly miss. Will post where and when I can. 

Have had a fun time here in Esperance. Will miss the good company. Our thanks to our hosts for the hospitality and entertainment.

Tuesday...1 May 2012

Missed a couple of days and cannot even blame poor old Telstra!
The computer had heart failure and sent itself and me into meltdown.
We are in Esperance again and our friends from Kalbarri are also here visiting their daughter so we were able to get help from them to totally wipe our hard drive and reload the entire system from scratch and that has got us back up and happening. Heaps of thanks to Pedro for the help. Continuing without the computer for entertainment and blog entries was not part of the plan.
We will spend a couple of days here then head off in the direction of the Nullabor. No rush. No schedule.