I guess one thing about booking in to a 20 bed dorm, it means you're not going to lounge around your room and waste time. So you might as well go for a walk and explore the flora.
Do-it-yourself uluru tour: Day 5 - Kings Canyon
Kings canyon 6.55
Return 10.15
"The first bit is hard", I'd heard from several sources. But it wasn't that hard. Sure, it was steep. But it's just like walking up a lot of steps. And there's a nice little seat to rest part way up. And plenty of opportunities to stop and enjoy the view (catch your breath, take a photo). I struggled due to the flu. My throat was so sore it was burning. It reminded me of distance running, and it's been a long time since I've run distance. I can't even run to catch a tram now. Could barely manage a Cliffy Young shuffle with my knees. So yeah, I was glad when I got to the top and things levelled out. But in good health, I don't think it would be too hard at all.
Overall, The valley of the Winds (Kata-Tjuta) was a more difficult walk because you have to navigate loose rock much of the way, which makes it easy to turn an ankle. You have to watch each step. Kings was literally nice, evenly placed natural steps due to the geological make up of the place. And in between, some nice national parks crew have cemented in extra steps and even matched the cement colour to the rocks so you don't even notice.
I was an hour and a half in before I saw another person. And then suddenly there they were, like a herd of camels cresting a dune. (below)
I was having a lot of fun creating these impressionistic versions of the landscape and I plan to get some printed up as they really capture the feel of the place much more than a specific picture.
Back in yalara by 1.30.
Hoping to still retain my licence and that all the warning signs about speed cameras etc were all bluff.
I've lost my voice. I feel like shit. Two days off grid and the only person who noticed was a client chasing a print.
I do wish I had a nice resort room to sprawl in. Have a shower and a nap, instead of a 20 bed dorm. But at $400 a night and a two night minimum, as opposed to $38... I'll suck it up.
I feel like my throat is bleeding, my chest is imploding and my head is a cesspool of snot.
I found a sunbed by the pool and collapsed on that.
Home tomorrow. And planning to be up early and do the base walk.
My overall thoughts on Kings Canyon are that if you're driving to or from Alice, definitely do it. But I wouldn't make a special trip from Uluru.
Do-it-yourself Tour - Day 4 Kings Canyon
Back from the sunrise flight. Pack up and check out and walk from the Outback Pioneer Lodge over the red dirt to the centre of town and hire a car.
One of the best things about driving as opposed to bus'ing, it being able to stop whenever you want to take photos. Despite this wonderful opportunity, I only stopped twice (I really just wanted to get there). I hadn't heard of 'fool-uru' before (above) but apparently if you're heading to the rock from Alice many a tourist has been fooled thinking Mount Conner is Uluru. It's on private property but apparently you can get tours to there. If I were to come back again I'd definitely check it out. (The photo doesn't do it justice)
Arrived at Kings canyon resort. Questioning the cost and time of getting here. And the use of the term 'resort'. I'm at the lookout at the back of the resort and feel like in an old western movie. The isolation, desolation, quietness, heat, dryness. The wind whistles, the vista is sparse. The ridge of red rock jutting out of the ground... I'm half expecting tumbleweeds to roll past. Or roadrunner and coyote to appear.
There is one tree and the wind whistling through it is eerie.
So far, I've seen one other person in the resort. And he looked like the baddy in the western.
It's so quiet it reminds me of those camps where you don't talk for 10 days. Which is probably good at the moment as I've pretty much lost my voice the few times I have spoken ( a few words at reception when I checked in).
Maybe this is s detox camp. There's no phone service. Ergo no internet (there is an option to buy by satellite).
I find a few wildflowers to amuse me and then go and do some washing and wait for the sunset.
Suddenly, the place comes alive. People come out of the woodwork and swarm to the previously mentioned isolated tree. There is a mobile bar and laughter and Grey Nomads and Young Backpackers and families all stand in appreciation as the sun soaks the cliff face in rich warm light. And then the light fades and people wander back to their campervans, tents and caravans. I have spoken to no-one. I suck at meeting people. Ok, it doesn't help that I'm sick as a dog and my voice is a croaky, squeaky, wheeze.
I linger a while though the light is low. I start experimening with shutter speeds and movement as I couldn't be bothered using the tripod. I like the colours and mood I capture. To me, the shots evoke the 'feel' of the environment.
Warning: Worst pizza ever! Honestly, we've all had bad pizza from time to time, but nothing comes close to this. It was disgusting. I persevered through one piece thinking it must have been because I was sick that it tasted so bad. But really... No.
I was planning to have half for dinner and take the rest with me for breakfast. Not a chance. Absolutely gross. Inedible.
Do-it-yourself Uluru Tour: Day 4 - From the air
Uluru and Kata-Tjuta from the air. It's big and it's bald and it's beautiful.
I'm pretty happy with how these turned out despite being shot through the windows. The price of chartering a helicopter so I could fly with the doors off was a bit too expensive when I'm not shooting commercially. So I was happy to do the touristy thing.
I was up early thinking I'd grab a cup of tea from reception as they must put the tea out for the early morning bus pick up. I even had my gold coin ready. But when I got there, no tea! I asked at the counter and was told by a lovely young man that they only leave the urn out until the restaurant opens out the back (despite not being able to just buy a cup of tea from there). Missed it by 5 minutes. He took pity on me and found a cup and a teabag I could take to the communal kitchen and I was so very grateful to him.
Front row seat at Uluru
Do-it-yourself Uluru Tour - Day 3
Saturday.
Sleep in.
Sick.
Cold.
No room buddies = blessing.
Drag myself out of bed with the thought of a hot cup of tea to tempt me. I have a $50 note and a 10c piece. I'm just about desperate enough to donate 50 for a cuppa. I feel miserable. It's 14 degrees and between that and the cold/flu I can't stop shivering. (I'm in the desert. Why isn't it hot?). I walk in to reception. No tea. It must be only for the early bus pick ups. Shit. Plan B. Catch the shuttle into town. It's 10am. Shuttle doesn't start until 10.30. I try the restaurant at the back of the resort. Sure, $36 for a buffet. Fuck. Go to town, she says. I say the bus doesn't start til 10.30. No, she says, start at 7. She's wrong. I stick my head in the communal kitchen. I don't have the energy to initiate communication to beg a cup of tea.
So here I am sitting on a park bench waiting for a bus.
Plans for the day.
Write and send postcards.
Book bus to kings canyon
Book mon night accommodation.
Book helicopter.
Go on nature walk.
Wildflowers at sunset.
10.45 still waiting for the shuttle. Next time I'd hire a car.
There is a cafe in the town centre that is used for hospitality training for Indigenous folk. Kulata Academy Cafe. They make a pretty good hot chocolate and some decent tucker. I find a sunny corner and write some postcards. I'm still trying to figure out the best (read cheapest) way to get to Kings Canyon. The bus is too expensive and the times aren't the most suitable. You can do a day trip but I really want to go at sunrise. I've already booked accommodation, I just need to get there. I was planning to try and catch a lift with someone heading that way but I've been too sick to strike up any conversations. And I realise no one will want me coughing in the back of their car all the way to Kings Canyon anyway. So I decide to hire a car.
I book a helicopter flight for sunrise the next day. I still haven't booked anywhere to stay for the last night.
The camel rides seem popular but I'm not the least bit interested. There are plenty of free activities around the resorts so I go on an interesting nature walk given by a lovely indigenous man (though not from the local Anangu people).
After the nature talk I went in search of some art works and found an interesting blend of photography and jewellery with an Artist in Residency. Mike Fewster takes Australian nature photographs and his partner Suzette Watkins, then makes jewellery inspired by those locations. I found a lovely little ring inspired by the McDonnell ranges. I don't tend to make rash buying decisions so I thought I'd sleep on it and if I still wanted it I'd buy it on the last day. Well, I ran out of time because I got carried away with the wildflowers around Uluru. But I remembered Mike saying they would be at Floriade so I tracked them down there and bought it. So it's a souvenir of both Uluru and Floriade. And I love it. When you buy a piece of jewellery you get a little picture of the area that inspired it and I was going to photograph the ring with the photo. But I've put it somewhere safe and haven't discovered where that is yet. Oh, you can also buy prints of the images. Check out their work here (Surprisingly, the photos of the jewellery aren't that great)
Back at the Pioneer Outback I ask about the best place for wildflowers and discover there's a walk to a lookout right at the back of the accommodation. It turns out to be an absolute treasure trove of wonderfulness and I'm astounded at the abundance and variety of flowers. The gallery below is some favourites from that walk, starting with a couple from the grounds (the Geraldton Wax) before I got off the beaten path.
I've included a couple of shots for reference of scale. Look for the overall Uluru shot with the bus in it to see where I was wandering. It's also where I took the shot above of the front row seat.
The slides play automatically but if you want to pause it you can just hover your mouse over a photo.
Day 2 - Uluru Sunset
I dunno, how many photos of a rock can you look at?
Sunset was pretty spectacular. And this time I was glad to be on the bus as they have a special 'tour buses only' viewing point. There were a shit tonne of people having champagne and bbqs in the car park but at the end of the long dusty path, there wasn't another soul around. With views to the sun setting behind Kata-Tjuta and the changing light on Uluru, it was a pretty magical time. And once again. the bus was waiting for me, but I didn't care.
