Back on the Air

Well folks today we arrived at the Ayers Rock campground after being at King's Canyon Resort campground for 3 days and have had no mobile or internet coverage at all so this post will be a little heavy. We started out from Alice Springs and headed south to spend the evening in Erldunda. A roadhouse and campground at the turn off to Uluru and King's Canyon. I cannot tell you how delighted I was to actually spend some time in the warm sunshine stitching and thawing out after the previous days spent freezing my butt off in Alice Springs.

The next morning we set out for King's Canyon which is part of the George Gill range. As we drove along we espied a huge wedgetail eagle getting his breakfast on the side of the road. Gary slowed down and I managed to catch a snap as he took off into the air. They are huge birds and so magnificent when they spread their wings.

All we had read and been told about King's Canyon did not prepare us for the awesome beauty of this place. It began from the moment we drew up to our campsite and took in our outlook which happened to be the George Gill range.

My lovely friend Kay will be pleased to know that the next morning we got up bright and early and watched the sunrise over the range....me in my PJ's and a hot cuppa in hand....just beautiful!

My closest friends know how much I have wanted to do the 6km rim walk at the canyon and how terrified I was that I wouldn't be able to do it. So it was with much trepidation I set out with Gary who has had it well and truly on his bucket list for a long time. You will see over my right shoulder the beginning of the walk which is a very steep rocky climb straight up. They call this part of the walk "heart attack hill" and I wasn't sure if it was when you saw the track you had to climb or you actually climbed it that was responsible for the heart attack! And yes you climb right to the top and beyond.

I remember reading that the walk takes about 3-4hours and I thought not on your nellie...what time did you say the carpark closes.....5pm! OMG! I hope we are back by then. I swallowed my panic and set off taking my time with each step and guess what? 2-3 yoga classes a week paid off......

TA DA!!!! I made it. That is a cliff edge there behind me.Not only that I then started getting a bit too clever for my own good. I think it was the feeling of euphoria that I was still alive and hadn't plummeted off the cliff on the way up. Note the shorts. I actually got sunburned can you believe it.

We didn't realise how huge is was up there and I thought I had walked up and over a lot of rocks and boulders in the Macdonnell ranges but nothing like this. However I felt like I had been transported to a completely different world as yet another amazing vista came into view. The colour and textures and layers of the cliffs were breathtaking. This is Gary climbing up to Cotterills Lookout after crossing over a bridge across the gap between buttresses which are ancient sand dunes millions of years old.

We came across little rock totems on top of the peaks and being an old hippie I just had to add a rock to the pile.

After climbing down more rocky steps and timber ones too we made our way to what they call the 'garden of eden' for a breather and a snack. In the wet a waterfall cascades over the cliff into the waterhole but as we are visiting in the dry season there was no waterfall. The water in the waterhole was freezing. It was a lovely spot to take a rest. Four little spinifex pigeons came and kept us company and made off with the crumbs from our snacks whenever they could. They are such sweet little birds.

After lunch more stairs and we were up on the other side of the canyon and the sheer cliffs from where we had just come from were visible across the canyon. It looked as if some giant and taken a hot knife and carved straight through the rock. We couldn't believe we had walked along those rugged cliff tops.

Finally we made it back to the carpark, the last 1km we felt was by far the worst and having begun the walk at 10am I felt as if we had been up there for hours and was surprised to discover not only was the carpark still open it was only 1.30pm so we had made really good time even though we didn't rush and took lots of breaks....not bad for a pair of old fossils hey? We sure slept well that evening although both of us awoke to Dingoes howling just after midnight. Very eerie sound. We had seen them after dark prowling through the campgrounds looking for opportunities to steal food. They were very cheeky and we witnessed one make off with somebodies sausages for tea.
After our big trek Gary was keen to go back and do the 2km walk along the King Creek bed which runs through the canyon and is dry. It was a very pretty walk too but we were definitely feeling the previous day's activity.

We have loved our time here and the wildlife has been abundant. Beautiful blackheaded green parrots, little gold honeyeaters, busy top knotted pigeons and pied butcher birds. I saw my first wild camel this morning on our journey wandering through the bush close to the road....it looked so odd really.
So here we are eager to investigate Uluru (Ayers Rock) which took our breath away when it came into view.
It is Territory Day today and celebratory fireworks have been lighting up the skies tonight. We managed to view 'the rock' just as the sun set and viewed it's miraculous change of colour.
I shall try and do a couple of posts while we are here and have coverage so you don't get a huge screed like this one.
Take care all,
Blessings Michelle xx