Tuesday 23 July 2013 – Curtain Springs, Kata Tjuta Uluru

No swim this morning as no pool.  Off early (for us) at 8:30am to travel to Kata Tjuta (formerly the Olgas).

Lots of wildflowers on the way.  Upside down flowers and honey grevilleas.

Walked around the Valley of the Winds – first a steep climb to a couple of lookouts and then a pretty walk back through a green valley enclosed by the Kata Tjuta’s heads. 

Plenty of birds – little zebra finches, buggies and parrots.

Rodger found the rocks hard to break – and in fact enjoyed his break at the end of the walk – the bench was just a work of art!

On the way to register for camping we encountered a herd of camels grazing beside the road – the first we have seen up close.

Decided to watch the sunset at Uluru in style – out with the chairs, ginger beer, chips and biscuits and cheese – that would have cost us $200 if we had gone on the tour!  Beautiful sunset viewing of the rock.

Now back to the campsite for dinner – BBQ the biggest pork chop we had ever seen – big enough for both of us to share and bought on special at Coober Pedy.

Monday 22 July 2013 – Marla (last town in SA) to Curtain Springs

Monday 22 July 2013 – Marla (last town in SA) to Curtain Springs

Woke up thought I try the pool – went and found the key from reception – they thought I was crazy.  Was it freezing or what!  Only managed to do 8 laps came out blue and went for a hot shower – eat your heart out Bondi Icebergs.  But even though cold it was so good to swim again – first swim since leaving Bondi.

While I’m doing some guitar practice, Mel is cooking up a storm in the Dream Pot – just the best invention.  She heats up the chicken stew for about 15 minutes, puts it into the Dream pot and hey presto it then cooks away in the Dream Pot while we are traveling and when we stop it’s ready to eat – saves on gas and the hassle of cooking at night when you’re tired and just wanting something to eat.  Mel says it’s like having takeaway without the queue, nasty containers and the expense.

Marla is the last town in SA so we soon crossed the border in the NT.

On the road to Curtain Springs with beautiful scenery changing now to red sand dunes but still with green scrub from the recent rains. 

Accident up ahead with a caravan and car upside down and another smashed – thankfully no one was injured – no police or tow trucks yet.

Along the road spotted some wedge-tailed eagles in the bush – investigating found they had killed a sheep and were feasting – one eating, one keeping watch and one circling in the air.

Stopped to look at the beautiful view of Mt Connor, then walked back over the road and dunes to view the salt lake which stretched for miles.

Stayed the night at Curtain Springs which has a store/bar motel like accommodation and free camping with $3 showers – great place.  As we arrived about 3pm we had time for guitar and harp practice – nice just to veg out.  The emu around the camp was scrounging for food and almost ate this dog!

Later that night we heard a tow truck come in – evidently one of the campers cars had been hit by a roo and was smashed in at the front, so the towies ad brought them back, dumped their gear and then took the car off to be repaired.  Quiet night after this – fantastic moon over the last few days.

Sunday 21 July 2013 Church at Coober Pedy and travel to Marla

Sunday 21 July 2013 Church at Coober Pedy and travel to Marla

Stayed at Stuart Range Caravan Park - very clean caravan park with good amenities – although Mel would have liked some signage as to what coins to put in the washing machines.  Did a load of washing and with a clean set of clothes (as we didn’t think that the congregation would appreciate our eau d’campfire) we set off for the underground Catacomb Church. 

Lovely service – with the minister away, different people from the meeting shared what God had been doing in their lives by changing their thinking and attitudes towards others around them.  The guy preaching the sermon talked about the power of God to change lives and about Jesus always being there to help especially in times of trouble and distress.

After the service, Albert, one of the people who helped dig out the Church in 1977, took us for a tour of the Church which is cut out of sandstone in the shape of a cross.  It has lots of rooms and halls off it and an underground minister’s house next to it.  He explained how dugouts are made (he was an earth moving contractor).

We also met at Church an Aboriginal Elder, Ian, who had just returned from Germany where remains of his people has been taken many years ago back to Germany.  They had a special handing over ceremony and Ian spoke on behalf of his people, then brought the remains back to Australia for a proper burial on traditional land.

Called in to visit the Serbian Church which had also been dug out with lofty high ceilings and stained glass windows – we preferred the simplicity of the Catacomb Church, with its simple mulga cross and old winding winch bucket as the communion table.

Stocked up with food at the local IGA and purchased 30 litres of water for 20c for our van at the caravan park before we left.

Now travelling north and the country side has changed from an arid landscape surrounded by mullock heaps from all the mining to flat land well covered by grass and scrub trees possibly due to the good winter rains.

Really feels funny today to be off the outback dirt roads and traveling on good bitumen – we can actually hold a conversation without the clattering and rattling of everything in our van.  Yesterday it even blew the handle off the dream pot handle and the screw ended up in Mel’s dinner!

Ended up stopping at Marla about 5pm for a BBQ and camping – the place has a pool that looks like it might be a goer for a swim in the morning – locked up now.

Saturday 20 July 2013 – Arkaringa, wild flowers, mining at Coober Pedy.

Saturday 20 July 2013 – Arkaringa, wild flowers, mining at Coober Pedy.

After breakfast our hosts suggested we travel to Coober Pedy via Mt Barry, as due to the recent rains and warm temperatures, the moon plains were full of yellow wildflowers.  They were beautiful and lightened up the landscape.

Nearing Coober Pedy the sights of The Breakaways (hills of astounding beauty and colour) provided a visual feast.

Most of Coober Pedy’s population lives and works underground – working to discover opals and living underground at a constant temperature of 24 degrees – very pleasant throughout the year. 

We went down one of the old opal mines now converted into a tourist showplace and museum giving us an idea of what it was like to work the mines.

  

Underground were homes, pubs, café’s and churches – we look forward to worshiping underground in the Catacomb Church tomorrow.

So lovely to talk to my children and grandchildren on Skype and catch up on news from home.

Friday 19 July 2013 – Flight over Lake Eyre and Travel to Arkaringa Homestead

Friday 19 July 2013 – Flight over Lake Eyre and Travel to Arkaringa Homestead

Fantastic flight over Lake Eyre in a small Cessna aircraft – different colours of the water, salt and mud and such a great expanse – it had high water levels over the past three years, however, there was only a small amount in the south of North Lake Eyre for our viewing.

In Oonadatta a must see was the Pink Roadhouse which was recently been sold.  The Plate family has owned it for many years and have done a remarkable job in advertising the roadhouse with pink and white plates scattered over the desert highlighting points of interest.  It seemed that the Pink roadhouse was the only spark of joy and life in this run down mainly aboriginal town.

Decide to travel across to the painted desert and saw remarkable hills with great colours.

The painted desert lies across the cattle station of Arkaringa, and we spent the night camped at their Homestead.  The family were gracious hosts providing large hot showers, BBQ, campfire and spots to camp.  We had a great night of fun with 4 other families, cooking jaffles and spuds in the campfire and swapping stories and experiences.  Especially with a lovely couple Andy and Caroline Trenfield from the UK now in OZ who were travelling for an indeterminate time and who were serious bloggers - writing a travel blog that was close to 1 million words - www.mytb/kangaroojack

Hi to all at Lighthouse Community – we miss you all and Friday Night Group – sorry no internet otherwise we would have tried to Skype you.

Slept like logs!