Way Outback Camping in Kakadu Day 3

The previous evening, Kim had told us that the walk into Jimjim Falls would be the hardest yet, over boulders to a slippery rock entrance into the waterhole. She also said that Twin Falls was not running at all, so the group would not be going there. Well, I had no intention of getting halfway to Jimjim and having to turn back to wait in the heat by the van. No. By morning JD decided to join me in skipping the trip to Jimjim Falls. We were not alone! It turned out that several others had made the same decision - about half of the whole group is my guess. JD and I were dismayed to find the rare rude helper at the reception desk of Kakadu Lodge was a young Canadian woman. She was less than helpful in giving us directions to the Bowali Cultural Centre. Sure enough, following her directions, we walked along the highway and made a wrong turn. We walked a long way down a dirt road until we hit a deadend. Sigh. We turned around and headed back.

The Crocodile Hotel was a short way further up the road. Dripping with sweat and desparate for shade, we headed for the mouth-like entry. What a relief. We walked into a fabulous gallery of Aboriginal art. Furthermore, we were able to watch a painter working on a new brolga painting. With a little help from the receptionist, and a better map, we found our way to the Bowali Cultural Centre. It was midday at this point, making for a very hot, shade to shade, far too long, walk through the bush to the centre. On our way, we met some of the other campers on their return. There it was at last and well-worth the trek. A coffee shop, documentary film room, museum, and a shop/gallery. I didn't buy anything. But Katie in the shop/gallery explained the mimis to me. She also recommended that we talk to Dave at Oenpilli re our old bark paintings. We watched a doc about croc control, went to the museum, had a cup of coffee, and walked back to the Crocodile Hotel. There we detoured to a bakery where we saw two uniformed gents in an SUV.

We bought a bit of lunch and cold drinks. I asked one of the men if he would be driving past Kakadu Lodge. Both men gallantly offered us a ride to our gate, which was in fact only a short way down the road. No matter! We really appreciated the lift. Anyway, it turned out that they were teachers who take Aboriginal students on field trips. Perhaps we met them in Palm Valley on our Glen Helen tour!?

Thankful to get back to camp, we put on our bathing suits and spent the rest of the afternoon at the pool with others who skipped Jimjim. Eventually, the folks who did go joined us along with Kim, until she called us for dinner. As we lingered at the table, Kim told us that the 4-day group would go to Arnhemland with another guide on Day 4 while she and the 5-day group would leave for Katherine at dawn. This news was kind of upsetting and unexpected - we thought we would separate after the day at Injalak. So, it was back to the bar and pool for the final camp night and goodbyes to many. By the end of the evening, M and A had set up a fb page for our group and as a way to keep in touch.

Way Outback Camping in Kakadu Day 2

As soon as we finished breakfast Kim drove us to the Yellow Waters Cruise. This was on a billabong which is part of the Jimjim waterways. It becomes a huge floodplain in the wet season. Even at the end of the dry, looking from the dock, the water stretched off in all directions around and through thick vegetation. In the distance we could see a field where a small herd on brumbies (wild horses) grazed. As luck would have it, and such luck remained with us throughout our stay in Australia, the guide on the cruise boat was absolutely fantastic. When he caught on to the fact that several in our party were interested, he made sure to point out birds as well as crocodiles along the way. Female crocs kept a territory of 20-30 metres along the banks. So we saw lots of them. The big 4.8 metre male cruised along beside us at times. Funnily, he ducked underwater in distain for the advances of one female. The birds, too numerous to name them all, kept us busy looking here and there. A comb-crested jacana walked on thin stilt legs over the huge lotus leaves. A brilliant tiny azure kingfisher posed for photos. And our barge glided up to the bank so we could see the perfect little basket that was a willy wagtail nest. Somewhere during the cruise, a lone water buffalo stood in the brush close to the water, never quite revealing his entire enormous self. The canopy above the seats on the deck cut the direct sun, making it comfortable. We stayed out on the water for the entire morning.

We had lunch back at camp Cooinda then quickly packed and cleaned the tents and cookhouse. It was another long drive to Kakadu Lodge at Jabiru. Along the way, we took in Nourlangie, a good walk and climb that gave us some idea of the way Aboriginal people lived in this place over the centuries. Kim was pretty well-versed in the lore. At the start of the walk was a sign featuring six photos. But 3 had been removed. That followed the tradition of removing the name and image of someone after death, the length of time depending on the customs of the particular community. Hoever, one gentleman, Big Bill Niedjie, instrumental in the development of Kakadu National Park, and its recognition as a heritage site, held his wake before he died. He told his people he would find hs way back to country in three days. Bill declared that they could restore his image and use his name then. He wanted Kakadu and its stories shared with visitors. We visited several caves and rock art galleries. Kim told the stories very well.

It was hot! By the time we made our way to Kakadu Lodge, we were ready for a break. This campground was crowded and at the edge of the grounds, with the wash house quite a walk away. But in the centre stood a bar and pool, encircled with a hedge, lawn, tables and chairs. We quickly organized the tents and headed for the pool for a refreshing swim.

The walk and climb up Ubirr was even more spectacular than Nourlangie. The aim was to watch the sunset from Ubirr but there were a number of rock art galleries along the path to the summit. As we left the main gallery we found an observer above us - a small grey walleroo. Beautiful thing! With a bit of effort, we came up onto a plateau, a flat open space cut with a few rock walls. The final height, which promised a 365 degree view loomed above us. And a lot of people were heading up, including families with small children. However, a bunch of us skipped the final climb, settled onto a low wall with our cameras, and the sunset was beautiful anyway!

Once the sun was down, we quickly descended in the twilight, the afterglow. It was quite dark by the time the stragglers made it back to the van. Kim whipped up another terrific meal and we all tucked in. After dinner, the evening was quieter than the previous one. The wash house was busy with showers after the heat of the day, and the two climbs. It was early to bed that night.

Way Outback Camping in Kakadu Day 1 p.m.

Kim made up for breakfast by taking us to lunch at the mango place. I don't remember its name, unfortunately - Kim told us we could get the best mango smoothie in the world there, and she wasn't kidding. We rode through mango orchards to get there. They are one of the few harvests that thrive in that part of the country. I added a bag of dried mango slices to my stash of snacks. This was the one lunch we had to buy - the food and coffee was excellent!

Lunch finished, we set off on the long drive into Kakadu National Park, much of it over dirt roads. We began to see more and more termite mounds among the trees and in open fields. We stopped at a viewing boardwalk which encircled a huge cathedral mound (yellow) on one side of the site, and a field of magnetic mounds (grey) on the other. The cathedrals, as you might expect, are like tall rounded towers piled one upon the other, deep and wide and high. The magnetic, on the other hand, are wide shallow peaks so thin in the top half you would think they would break in a stiff breeze - more a wall than a mound. Appoarently, scientists tried turning them off their north-south axis and found the internal temperature changed immediately.

Warned that it was our last chance if we wanted to enjoy a drink by the fire that night, we stopped at a roadhouse to buy snacks and booze - a 4-pack of Jack and Dry (gingerale) for me. At last we arrived at Cooinda campground in Kakadu. I think we crossed the South Alligator River to get there - a notorious crossing where many people stuck in high water have had to be dragged out of car windows to safety by one of the tour boat operators. Lots of crocodiles! All branches of the Alligator river are tidal and the crossing was dry when we drove over it. What crocs there were kept their distance. At last we reached Cooinda Campground in time to select tents and make our beds - no swags under the stars. It was already too hot and humid for such heavy sleeping bags. Once our tent was ready, I set out to gather a bit more firewood and made the mistake of picking up a small log infested with green ants. Man, do they bite when disturbed! I tossed that stik away and added my meager bits and pieces to the pile. Kim made dinner quickly and I had a big plate of roasted veggies, avoiding the beef and veggie substitute on offer. JD and some of the others discovered that they could find small wolf spiders on the path by making their eyes gleam with flashlights. The campfire roared under the stars and I helped one of the women toast mashmallows - she did not like the burnt sugar result, funnily enough. I wonder what she had expected!

The night was stifling, so underwear was enough. But sometime in the night, I pulled the sleeping bag up over myself and slept under it until the sun crept into the tent.

Darwin Aug 27-29 2016

We flew north to Darwin from Alice Springs to have a full day to regroup and pack for a four day camping trip through Kakadu National Park. I did not know what to expect after small town Alice Springs, so I was pleasantly surprised by the sophistication of Darwin. However, its humidity matched its high temperature, which made getting around on foot a bit daunting. Good practice, it turned out, for the heat, humidity and walking on the camping trip. We stayed at Darwin Central Hotel, which we commend for its service and simple comfort. It is situated close to the foot of the street mall, where I finally found full-length light-weight trousers. We also picked up our last few supplies. At the end of the mall, we found the Tourist Information building and bus depot. Walking on, we came to an elevated walkway over the road to a building the faced the waterfront. Taking that route and an elevator down to a tree-shaded green, we camw to a long row of restaurants featuring different types of foods. It is not often that I find GF pizza palatable. Il Lido had great choices. We shared two of them, enough for a light dinner at the end of a long day, and drinks too, at our leisure. We watched swimmers in a closed-in cove, safe from sharks and crocodiles. Then, a large bat landed in the tree beside our table. Some little kids ran over to check it out. What an odd creature, climbing around, upside down, from one tasty cluster to the next.

August 28 began with a splendid breakfast at Eco. We walked around the shops and mall again, including a visit to the Information Centre. They confirmed that car rentals with unlimited mileage, as in Alice Springs, must be booked through them - good to know. The afternoon was spent at Darwin Central resting, doing laundry, and packing our small duffles and backpacks for Kakadu. That done, we caught the bus to Mindil Markets at Mindil Beach. A vast marketplace! There wasn't any chance we'd see it all. But our search for B's recommended paw paw salad was a success. We took our dinner over the dune to the beach where a crowd had gathered to watch the sunset. Glorious! With dinner over and the sun down, we strolled through the market again, watching the buskers and eating ice cream. Suddenly I became aware of the sky purple in the afterglow. Back to the beach we went to see the entire spectacle and take a few photos. But soon it was time to catch the last bus. We had an early morning coming.

August 29 breakfast was a comedy of errors. Way Outback Australian Safaris had confirmed pick up time for 6:30 a.m. Hotel signage said the restaurant opened at 6:30 so full breakfast was impossible. We could make tea in our hotel room, but I wanted a bite before we left. "Aha," thought I, "Room service!" When I was filling in the tag for our door, I saw an offer of a breakfast box we could share. Juice for JD, fruit for me (I imagined an apple), a muffin, cereal, milk. I wrote a note: "GF muffin or cereal if possible, please." And ordered for 5:30-6:00 a.m. We were up on time and got ready to go. No brekky box at our door. We were in the foyer by 6:30. No pickup van. But the desk had the box for us! OJ for JD - for later. An orange - pooh. I can't eat citrus. No muffin. A little bowl of rice krispies. Were they GF? Is that why I got them? A box of milk that the desk managed to cut open for me. One bite. GF? Did I want to be trapped in a van for hours with the consequences if it wasn't? Nope! I put the bowl on the front desk. Sigh. I dug one of the GF snack bars out of my luggage. We wondered when on earth Way Outback would arrive. A women came into the foyer. She was Denise, another camper. She had come down from the restaurant, which had opened at 6:00! Sigh, again. Our guide Kim finally arrived to pick us up. More a 4WD bus than a van, with a trailer for the bags. She had to deal with a flat tire before setting out. Better late than never. We are off!

Final Day in Alice Springs

August 26 was our last full day in Alice Springs. The internet was down and we were without a car. Fortunately, as we were leaving for the day intending to walk or bus downtown, we met the permanent tenant. She had been away in Adelaide. Cathy works at the town hospital and she gave us a ride to Todd Mall. We ran few errands to complete our camping supplies. Then we walked down and across the dry Todd River to Olive Pink Botanic Gardens. I was curious about the name - it is named after a woman, Miss Olive Muriel Pink! Well, the garden is interesting, but Colin had been so knowledgeable about vegetation as well as birds, as had Justin been in Uluru, that we didn't think we would see much of anything new. No. Only a pair of western bower birds courting in his bower, with the male dancing and flaring the pink ruff on the back of his neck! We took photos and watched the pair for a long time. The cafe was closed of course (if I have any complaint about this entire country it is the habit of early closing, like at 3 or 4 if not 5, everywhere!) So there was nothing for it but to follow the road that ran along the Todd River back to our neighbourhood. Along the way, we came to the Hilton, and decided on dinner at the Deck there. As in so many places, and even though this was a little more high end than most places where we dined, we ordered at the bar and paid upfront, were given a number, and the food was delivered to the table. No worries at the Deck. Our meals were delicious! It was an easy walk to our place from there, to pack for the flight to Darwin.

I have to say it again, in case I didn't say it before: Becky and Craig were great hosts. He drove us to the airport on August 27. It had been fun to meet Becky's friend, Colleen, and Craig's son, Kieran. And I am glad we met Cathy, who keeps the water tub full behind the property, for the birds, the roos, and the invisible dingo. Oh, I almost forgot - besides the mother and half-grown joey that we spotted a few times behind the place, we saw a similar pair bounding about Olive Pink as we were leaving. They are called Euros, at least that's what I thought. They are a soft blond tan colour. But in the Olive Pink brochure one is identified as a Black-footed Rock Wallaby...hmmm. So, goodbye to Alice Springs! It has been a wonderful base for our red centre adventure.

Glen Helen Tour Day 2

Colin packed the secnd half of my GF egg and bacon sandwich after breakfast, saying that he already had a GF chicken sandwich for my lunch. That was OK! I finished my breakfast sandwich at coffee break. Or should I say, morning tea?

Colin started us at the Mt Sonders lookout, different in the morning light. Then on over hill and dale of alluvial sand and stones where once a huge river or inland sea flowed. I think it was from a high point there - Tyler's Pass, I think - that we could see three of the MacDonnell ranges and across the desert at the end of the alluvial section, at a great distance, the walls of Gosse Bluff as red as the ranges. On we went up Davenport Creek to Roma Gorge - I hope I have that right as I cannot find it on a map. Access on foot was a bit of a challenge, but worth the effort. The narrow waterhole was lined with steep smooth rock, trees, and shrubs. As luck would have it, not only was there a flock of zebra finches, but a large flock of budgerigars. They are notoriously shy. However, as groups of birds took turns perching on a small ledge to drink from the water, we had clear views of both species. The one thing we did not see at any of these sites were rock wallabys. On to Gosse Bluff or Tnorala Impact Crater. A gap in the wall led us to a 5 km wide shaded sandy floor. Colin stopped for lunch at what could have been a camp site. Good grub, again. And wouldn't you know, we were visited by fairie wrens - the Slendid blue one. Didn't he just hop about and pose for JD's camera. Then Colin showed us a bower bird bower. In fact there was another bower, rundown and abandoned, nearby. But no bower birds to be seen. The best part of the Gosse, of course, was climbing the small incline to the boundary toward the centre of the crater bowl. From there we had a 360 degree view of the walls. There were two sets of signs at that point. One explained that the centre of the crater had exploded outward to create a far circular rim now seen only from space. Where we stood was debris that had fallen into the bowl as huge walls had erupted up from 5 km below the earth. I still have no idea what the meteor was like that hit in anicient times. But there are two aboriginal stories here. The first links the crater to a child that fell to earth. Two women, dancing in the milky way, danced so hard they rocked a cradle until the baby fell to earth and created the crater. The morning and evening star are the parents still looking for the child. I hope I am not offending by sharing this story. However, our guide told us so I believe it is okay to share it. The second story has to do with a community of people who used to live in the crater in ancient times. There was a conflict with a neighbouring community, which lead to a massacre, which made that half of the crater bowl a place of sorrow, like a burial ground. So the way was barred and visitors were asked to go no further. No one had lived in the crater since.

The longest ride up a river bed led into Palm Valley. We had heard it was impossible without 4WD. No kidding! As soon as we got to the start of the walk into the valley itself, we began to see palms here and there along the path. Some were called cabbage palms, and some seemed to be just the fronds growing straight out of the ground. The further in we went, the denser the palm growth until it was the majority of the vegetation. At the end of the walk, we came out onto the shore of the river that runs through the valley. Wide flattish rocks, pockmarked by shallow depressions. Many of them were rimmed with a whitish line. Colin explained how the water table would push water up through the rock, collecting minerals as it seeped through into small pools and leaving salt rims as it evaporated. After exploring the terrain of the valley floor, we started the climb up the side of the valley. Huffing and puffing and sweating gallons, I did it. On the way up we met a group of 8 or 9 aboriginal schoolboys in uniform practically running down the path. Weirdly, we may have met the same two teachers who were with them when we were in Kakadu. More on that later. From the top of the valley wall, we looked across the river bed at the length of the palm stand. Colin pointed out the large gap in height caused by the over-pasturing of the station that encompassed the valley. Cattle are no longer allowed into the valley and the palm growth patterns have recovered. The decent into Palm Valley was far easier. Colin had to push us a bit, having lingered too long birdwatching and discussing varioius sights.

What that meant in the long run, is that on our return to Alice Springs, eary enough for Colin to commute back to Glen Helen, we had to give Hermannsburg a skip. It is an important historic precinct. Everyone asked if we had gone to Hermannsburg. We drove by it. Enough at the end of two splendid days, thanks to Roger and Colin and the staff at Glen Helen Homestead. If you go to Alice Springs, give them a call. It's an experience you do not want to miss.

Glen Helen 2-day Tour August 24 & 25, 2016

Thanks to the recommendation of one of L & B's friends, we booked a 2-day tour by Glen Helen Homestead Lodge. In turn, we highly recommend it. www.glenhelen.com.au (I will come back to these blogs in a few weeks time, when I have other online links at hand and can post them.) After Uluru, this tour was the next big highlight of our trip. It was a personalized tour with an experienced guide willing to cater a bit to our interests while hitting many beautiful spots in the West MacDonnell Ranges that it was a little hard to keep track of of them all after the fact. Book the tour directly with Sheila, who runs Glen Helen Homestead along with her husband Colin, one of the guides. It includes meals and overnight at the Lodge.

On Day 1 our guide Roger picked us up at our accommodations in Alice Springs. We threw our little duffle bags into the back of the 4WD and away we went. Now I might not get all of these spots in order. I'd need a map for that. I may leave some out. But this is what I remember. First stop was Flynn's Grave, just past Desert Park on Larapinta Drive. Flynn was the founder of the Flying Doctors, a much respected and honoured man. His grave is marked with a huge boulder, a replacement for the first one that had been a sacred stone mistakenly taken from a place of women's business. This replacement was given by the local Arrernte community. On to Simpsons Gap, so called as it is a divide in the range. Then to Standley Chasm, which is a place where the water in flood has dug a pit where it is forced between the rocks. Beautiful! Ellery Creek Bighole was similar, but it is a permanent waterhole, even in the dry season and we saw it at the end of the dry. Each of these places has its own spectacular upclose view of the red walls and tumbles of rock that make up the Ranges. There were birds at some, and Roger was patient to wait while JD snapped a few photos. Roger assured us that on Day 2 there would be more birds to see. At some point along a river bed, possibly the Serpentine Gorge, we stopped for morning coffee. The legs of the folding chairs sank into the sand. No GF muffins, but nuts and terrific banana chips, an apple and fresh coffee. Alright! At the end of the morning, nothing had prepared us for the sight of the Ochre Pits. Here the Rainbow Serpent came alive and the notion that the ochre is sacred made perfect sense. Since ancient times, aboriginal peoples travelled to the pits to dig and trade the ochre in all its forms - red, yellow, white, and rare purple. The layers formed eons ago erupted into sharp angles and almost vertical stripes. The walk took us through a shallow canyon with an ever changing vista. Signs asked that we not dig or remove any of the ochre in respect for the owners and caretakers of that country. Of course, we came across one couple who had scraped a small heart and their initials into a saucer sized piece on the ground. All for the sake of a selfie. Romantic? Good grief. Thank goodness most folks show the respect requested or the entire site would be spoiled. Everything else that we saw was pristine and all of it was beautiful.

At Glen Helen Homestead we stopped for lunch and had our first look at the place. Roger gave us the historical background and a chance to look through the rooms and at the art. We checked into our Lodge room with ensuite. Very simple and comfortable. GF bread for my toastie! Good tea. The homestead is situated right at Glen Helen Gorge. There was still some water. However, it was shallow enough that we were able to cross at a narrow spot using stepping stones. When we reached the water hole, it was easy to imagine swimming there at the end of a long hot workday.

After our lunch break, Roger drove on to Ormiston Gorge, his personal favourite, and it was easy to see why. The path was above the river bed, less arduous than some. At the waterhole, the riverbed was wide, the rocks flat and smooth. The far side was a sizable beach, that a few people were walking. I chose to sit on a rock and write postcards while JD and Roger climbed to the lookout over the gorge. It was shady and calm by the water. A good place. When the guys got back, Roger took a long drive up a dry river bed to Redbank Gorge where there was water - a known camping spot for 4WDs. We walked along the shore. More birds. We ended the day with a drive up above that spot to a lookout to Mt Sonder, which tells the story of the sleeping pregnant woman. Her head, breasts, belly, and legs were visible in its peaks. Roger, who runs the bar at the homestead, surprised us with a cold beer for JD and a generous shot of Jack Daniels for me. Laughter all around as we watched the sun go down.

For dinner at Glen Helen Homested, we opted for mains and desserts from the tour menu - award winning food and leisurely service gave us the time to think and chat about the day. I can't honestly remember what we ordered, we were that tired, but it was terrific. After a nightcap in the bar, we settled in for a good sleep.

Desert Park Day Pass in Alice Springs

On Tuesday, August 23, we had the car until 5 pm. What local excursion could we fit in that would best make use of the car? As we were considering the Telegraph Station or east McDonells as far as Ross River, we realized that our day passes for Desert Park were running out. So we finished the laundry and spent the afternoon at the Park. We arrived at the Nocturnal House in time to pick up a guided talk - more information and a closer look in the dim light at some of the critters we had seen on the night walk. But the best bits were the snakes and lizards that we were not to see otherwise. Brown snake is a misnomer - it is a member of the black snack familly and comes in many shades. They are all called Mulga snakes. Never mistake a snake for a legless lizard - that could be a deadly. Do not stop to check. Just slowly and carefully move off in the other direction! The last stop was the thorny devil window - an odd lizard with plates armoured by sharp points, all the valleys providing channels for water droplets to flow into its mouth. Its legs are all akimbo, making any movement look animatronic :) Anyway, JD took the long loop and saw kangaroos, emus, and lots of birds. I went to the bush medicine talk - really neat! - and the dingo demonstration. The ranger, Matt, filled us in on the pair: pure dingo, brother and sister, ambassadors for dingos, fixed against breeeding. He told us how the banning and culling of dingos increased the proliferation of feral cats and foxes that wiped out whole populations of small nocturnal creatures. And one of the greatest threats to the dingo is the viable interbreeding with feral dogs. Meanwhile the keeper walked from place to place tossing bits of food to keep the dingos moving, jumping, catching and climbing to display their lithe lean physiques. Very interesting! JD and I met up at the bird exhibit which is always fun. In the open amphitheatre the keeper asked everyone to remain seated with their arms down as the rapters were to fly low over the crowd. What clever birds! The magpie started the show, followed by a curlew who strutted among the bleachers, a barn owl that appeared out of the top of a tall stump, and a burble owl that was impossibly cute. Then came the swift flying hobby, a beautiful sleek bird, blue grey above and russet below, zipping around to take the bait. The final pair were a whistling and a black kite. A terrific show. They used to have a wedge-tailed eagle, but rumour has it that it tried to land on the pulled up hoodie of a 12 year-old boy. So no more eagle! Desert Park remains top of my list for Alice Springs. Don't miss it.

Return drive from Uluru to Alice Springs

After a terrifc breakfast buffet at the Bough House, we checked out and headed back to Alice Springs. We stopped at the roadhouses we had missed on the way down. To be honest, they are all a bit of a blur at this point. All fully serviceable but none that stands out for a recommendation. There is one place with a sort of bird santuary or zoo, that we checked out for birds we might not see otherwise. We stopped again at the Mt. Connor lookout, beautiful as before, but more to see if any of the great salt lake was visible from that place. It is not. At the Finke River crossing we pulled in and wallked down to the river bed, delighted to find some water still there at the end of the dry season. It was not flowing, but enough to have a few fish traps still set up. We had the place to ourselves until a busload of tourists arrived just as we were leaving. To refresh our understanding of the country we were driving through, we replayed the CD of the trip From Alice Springs to Uluru, running the tracks 9, 8, 7... Especially the bits we had missed on the way down. Hearing that the meteor craters were accessible by regular vehicle, we turned off to see them. However, a "4WD vehicle recommended" sign stopped us in our tracks and we turned back. The Camry rental agreement said sealed roads only. Besides, we did not want to get mired somewhere out in the middle of the back of beyond! We arrived in Alice Springs tired and happy, ready to have dinner and turn in. We parked at Todd Mall (a street mall) and ate at Sporties that night, I believe. We followed three great big guys down the mall, listening to them talking sports all the way. We expected a dark bar filled with TV Sports screens everywhere. Surprise! Sporties is a bright blue, white, and silver diner, with a full bar, large menu, and friendly service. A perfect way to end the day!

Sunset at Kata Tjuta

With our last full day at Uluru waning, we drove to Kata Tjuta to watch the sunset. The viewing station is between the western horizon and the domes of this complex geological site. Its name means 'many heads' and it is still so sacred that there is little talked of it. However, if we ever come again, we will spend several more days to walk into the Valley of the Winds and other parts of it. At the end of our long walk at Uluru, we were content to stand with the other pilgrims, backs to the sun, watching the changing colours and shadows on the domes and in the sky around them. We had a number of pleasant conversations with other watchers. Then we drove back to the resort in time to  make a reservation for dinner at the Bough House, where we enjoyed a leisurely meal and a double helping of GF panna cotta for dessert!

Uluru: 1st Full Day

The next morning our 6:30 wakeup call coincided with the earlier pick up time for Dawn's Awakening. So that was a scramble! Our guide, Justin, circled around through the resort to pick up the rest of his party and came back for us. Whew! Made it! There were  only 8 pasengers in the van and no sign of Sondra and Gordon - they must have been with a different tour. Too bad. We had hoped to see them again. Anyway, out to another dune we went, a bit closer to Uluru, and out of sight of Kata Tjuta. Cold! I was glad I wore so many layers: underwear, undershirt, tee shirt, jacket, serape, jeans, wool socks, boots. The wrap kept my hands warm in between gulps of hot coffee and chocolate, and there were a couple of big heaters going. The chef handed me a bacon and egg GF sandwich in place of the bun for the others. They take care of me here! Dawn crept slowly across the land, gradually revealing the colours in the tree, shrubs, flowers, and grasses that surrounded us. The stars were replaced by that clear blue with the pale moon still hanging low in the sky as the sun broke the horizon and painted Uluru its brillint rosy hue. Justin was a charming fellow, friendly and gregarioius. He talked o the group, of course, for tour purposes. But in between, he happily carried on individual conversations. Justin was particularily good with 12 year-old James who was full of questions and contributions. Before starting our drive around Uluru, we made a stop at the base of the climb near the start of the Mala walk. Justin made it clear that he, like every employee of the territory that we met, supported the Aboriginal request to forbid the climb - the lives lost, the injuries to persons and the rock itself, the damage to the fragile ancient ecology at its sumit, and the pollution of the waterholes at its base from lack of toilet facilities. But primarily because it was an ancient site, sacred to the four aboriginal peoples who share ownership and responsibility for it. The board governing the site has majority Aboriginal representation, and the climb is destined to end in 2020. If the percentage of tourists wanting to do the climb drops fast enough, they will close it sooner. Justin told us the stories he was allowed to tell, in relation to Urulu. He started with the Mala people, and as we drove, pointed out the features on the rockface that went with the story, ending with the Mala being chased to the south where their story continues. He told the story of Kuniya, the python woman, and Liru, the poisonous snake. We got out and walked into the water hole just below the marks of Kuniya's attack and Liru's death. There was the story, too, of the Lizard man, who left the imprint of his skin when he rolled down the rockface - I bought a book of these stories and more at the Cultural Centre. I also watched 2 women painting and very nearly bought one. The centre houses a good museum, documentary theatre, and two galleries, one strictly local. But no time to decide on a painting. Our last stop was on a low dune for refreshments and an iconic photo. That afternoon we rested and spent time at the resort. Dinner at Banya Bar, Desert Gardens Hotel, was relaxing and delicious, Jack Daniels Manhatten and all. I won't say much about Field of Light that evening. An impressive art installation of ever changing coloured lights over many football sized fields of rolling countryside. Beautiful, but walking through it was enough. I can't imagine what they do with the folks who come for dinner.

En Route to Uluru

I am writing this on a short layover at the Melbourne airport, en route to Alice Springs from Canberra. As I mentioned earlier, I have had a lovely lazy couple of weeks visiting family in Canberra and Melbourne.

A month of adventure begins. First stop Alice Springs, today until the 27th. We have a room with a couple on the edge of town, so reasonable we are going to keep it while we tour further afield. On the weekend we will be in Uluru, to see the sunset on the rock, the sunrise the next morning, and to take a walk around it - my bucket list items. Back in Alice Springs there are bird watching opportunities, and then we take a two day Glen Helen tour of other desert sites. 

Off to Darwin on the 27th, where we will take a four day camping (yes!) tour of Kakadu park ending in Arnhem Land, a site with an aboriginal guide and ending at an art centre. L&B join us in Darwin Sept 1 when we will stay with their niece for a few days to see the sights there 

Sept 6 we four fly to the north west coast at Broome, to stay in a house near Cable Beach for a week. We may take a flying tour up the peninsula there. On Sept 14 we all fly back to Canberra. No plans yet for the last 2 1/2 weeks, but we hope to see family again. And maybe other places. 

There are lots of stories and photos to share. I will try to get some photos posted in the down times over the next week or so. And news from time to time :) 

Long Weekend in Melbourne Part 2

On Sunday, we drove out to JL & E's home on the Mornington peninsula, on the outskirts of Melbourne. We had not seen E since they were living in Whistler, BC, so it was wonderful to be with her, JL, and their boys again. Even more fun was meeting the latest addition, a 15 month old elf boy with strawberry blonde hair and a wicked smile.

After giving the boys their books (In Flanders Fields for the oldest, Roche Carrier's The Hockey Sweater, and Robert Munsch books for the other two) I showed them all pictures of their cousins and our grandchildren on my iPad. We caught up on family, homes, jobs and so on. And enjoyed watching the boys with their grandparents. Then we piled into two cars and went to Sorrento.

From what I could understand, Sorrento is further up the Mornington peninsula out toward the coast. As we came into the town along the waterfront, we saw small colorful buildings side by side along the beach. These windowless structures are privately owned and are used to store umbrellas, buckets and whatever might be needed for a day at the seaside. At first I thought that these were the beach homes that we had come to see. But that was far from correct.

We drove through town and out to a park, then continued on foot - three boys, one toddler in a stroller, parents, grandparents, and us - the aunt and uncle - until we came to a dirt road that headed toward the water. At the end was a path that led along the cliff on the public allowance at the edge of lands overlooking the coves and the jetties below. These properties are substantial, to say the least, with beautiful homes and gardens, some with matching boathouses on the docks. It was a challenging walk, up and down and uneven, but worth every step. At the end of it, we came to a path that went down to a sheltered beach where we found seashells and more of the beach huts.

The boys explored every inch, built sand castles, and helped look for shells. Even though we were wearing a few layers against the cool air, the wee one was stripped down and had a bit of a splash at the edge of the water until he did a face plant into the sand. That was the signal that it was time to go back to the cars and find a restaurant. We ate at place with a large dining room, a bar, a generous seniors menu, and a playroom for the kids. It was amazing how easy going the meal was until the little guy took off at full speed around the dining room with me in pursuit. I finally corralled him in the playroom and delivered him back to his Mom and Dad. We said goodnight, goodbye, thanks for the great day, and tired from the long walk and all the fresh air, L, B, J and I headed back to our hotel.

Making Pie in Canberra

L & B have a new kitchen with lots of big drawers that close automatically at the touch of a finger. There is an induction stovetop that works like magic and a new conventional oven. Sort of conventional. The lower element is hidden by the floor of the oven. L ignored the warning to avoid putting anything on the oven floor and now has strips of foil welded to the blue-black enamel. There is a Function button that allows the chef to choose from a preset menu of settings for temperature and type of cooking - grilling fish or chicken for example.

I decided that the fall apples on offer at the market would be perfect for my new apple cider pie recipe, which would give me a chance to contribute to the meals. A search for fresh apple cider yielded apple crush. The hunt for lard for the pastry was a little more difficult but finally turned up in the cooler section at a supermarket. B pointed out that it was right in front of the stock boy who had insisted that the store had no such thing and that the alternative of vegetable shortening was not available either. I found everything else that I needed in B's pantry and mixed up a batch of plain pastry. Later that day, I pared and cut the apples and then prepped the filling. That involved a bit of cooking to carmelize the cider sauce without cooking the apple chunks through. I left it to cool.

It was our first Saturday in Canberra. K's grandson Ben and his indie band, Ben Wells and the Middle Names, were playing at a small club called The Phoenix at 10:30 that night. We arrived on time but too late to get in. B begged the bouncer but he said that if he let us in there would be a riot in the line at the door. We would have had to arrive at 8:30 or 9:00 and the night was too cold and rainy for that. Not that you would know from the mini-dressed, high-heeled, giggling young women that we passed on the street. I have no issue with the fashion as it reminds me of the late '60s and early '70s. The wonder is why they don't know enough to put on a coat overtop to keep off the cold or what they are using for fuel to keep themselves warm. Ach! Old age. Anyway, we gave up, went back to the car, and went home.

So it was already 11:00 pm when I began to roll out the pastry. I lined a deep ceramic pie plate, poured in the filling, and topped it with a well-vented crust. I pinched the edge together carefully, making sure that it was sealed. Then I pressed the oven function button until it read Pastry (muffins, pie) 230 C (that's about 450 F). After 15 minutes I turned it down to 180 (~350 F) as I usually do. Fifteen minutes later it did not look as if anything was happening in the oven so I turned it back up to 230 C as per the recipe, which says to cook at that temperature for 45 minutes. I figured it needed another 30 minutes but after 15 minutes I heard a veritable roaring from the oven. I rushed into the kitchen and found the pie boiling like mad, the top crust sitting a good two inches above the pie plate, molten caramel apple filling bubbling below it.

It was midnight by this time. I ran into the lounge - "B! B!," I called softly. She was asleep in front of the TV. I ran to our bedroom - "J! J!," I called. He slept on. I ran to their bedroom. "L!," I cried, "I need help in the kitchen!" I ran back to the kitchen. He jumped out of bed and hopped through the kitchen door in his boxers. I opened the oven door. "Oven door is open!" read the oven and turned up the heat. The pie boiled higher! L reached for the pot holders. "No, no," I warned, "Don't touch it! Where is a cookie sheet?" While L found a cookie sheet, I turned off the oven and left the door open to reduce the heat. We put the tray on the lower rack, left the door ajar, and went to our respective beds.

The next morning the pie looked fine. However, all attempts to remove the final layer of baked on apple pie filling met with failure. The warning obviously means that any splashes or overflows onto this oven floor must be prevented. The next evening, surprisingly, the pie was fine. It was firm and the crust was in tact. It lifted out of the pie plate beautifully and tasted especially great with vanilla ice cream.

Week One in Canberra

Our first week was easy going, a kind of a low-key-to-lazy vacation at our brother and sister-in-law's home in Canberra. After lunch at her sister's that first day, B went off to walk K's dog with her and then K joined us for dinner. B made a most delicious potato and celery soup that night and a day or so later made pumpkin soup - what we would consider squash soup. We puttered about for a couple of days, looking after household bits and pieces and catching up with one another. The weather is coming on to fall, mostly warm clear days with cold nights. The temperature drops rapidly as the sun sets and it sets early, of course. But it is not freezing the bird bath overnight like it did four years ago. On that last visit we would wake up to see the cockatoos trying to break the ice on their bath. However, the colder nights make running to the bathroom in the middle of the night an attempt to set a land speed record - there is no heat in the loo and the window remains open! Nonetheless, without central heating I tend to sleep more soundly once the space heater has been turned off for the night. How odd to hear that there is a heat wave back home.

We are seeing more than cockatoos of course...galahs, mynas, eastern rosellas, king parrots, rainbow lorikeets, for example. We have also spotted kangaroos, sheep, and cattle. But no luck so far in finding koalas, although we passed through a section on the highway between Canberra and Melbourne where signs were posted indicating koala territory. Our outings in Canberra have primarily been for family shopping. But that has included a number of trips to various groceries and markets. The range of fresh local produce is fantastic, even as the fall approaches winter. B and I did go out to find her a new jacket before they set off to Sydney on Monday for B's cousin's funeral. We did not go with them. S came over and took us to lunch at a cafe. We sat outside and ate Fried Flake & Chips and a Lamb Burger. Delish!

We spent a day with L at the War Memorial, a truly outstanding museum documenting Australia's history of combat from South Africa through to Afganistan. The museum sits atop a long incline rising up from Lake Burley-Griffin across from the Parliament Houses. It is the sort of noble prospect that should be due the great architecture in any major city. It was a privilege to visit the museum with L, a knowledgeable and experienced veteran. I wore my knee braces and took my walking stick but still needed to take a break before the guys were ready to quit. Fortunately, there was a handy cafe offering good coffee and something called a mud cake.

Going to The Glassworks was great fun. I bought a "Scrabbled Egg" cup, blown glass with a glass E scrabble tile on the side of the cup - E for Egg, for my egg collection. The exhibit was delightful and the works were in a fascinting old power plant. We watched a glass blower teach a young student how to gather glass and shape a paperweight. B has signed up for the same session but we will be gone by then. Behind the works is a huge market for produce and crafts which we hope to visit later.

One morning we headed out toward Yass and the Yass Valley to visit L & B's friends on Manton's Creek. T & J were wine merchants for many years but closed their shop when the mall was redeveloped. They have moved out of the city onto 100 acres of land. They are in the process of building their new home on the top of a low hill with an almost 360 degree view of the breathtaking surrounding landscape. We were invited to see the building blocks that comprise the frame of the spacious new house. A team of men had raised half the walls in only a couple of days using these oblong bricks of compressed polystyrene held in place and reinforced with rebar. Once the walls are constucted, a cement truck will come and fill the bricks resulting in a strong concrete wall pre-insulated by the polystyrene shells. Tres cool! It will be a beautiful place once the building is complete.

Between day trips we watched and encouraged while L & B planted their winter garden in several raised beds along the end of their back yard. They have broccoli, peas, onions, garlic, squash, etc. All ready to grow in their winter. Go figure! If we planted broccoli outdoors in November we would end up with green mush after the first deep freeze. Laundry done, linens changed, cat care set up, and we were off to Melbourne. That's our second week here and that is another story.

Beginning to get the feel of it

I danced a little hula around the dining room this morning, singing "I am beginning to feel it." "It" being "retired." Husband cracked up when he caught on. It seemed late again when I got up at 9:30 today. But last night I did not sleep solidly as I usually do. The night was punctuated by restlessness, coughing, a strange bird cry flying down the hydro cut, irritating fabric in my new pajama pantlegs, pain in my injured rotator cuff making comfort impossible, the Guernsey book calling to be finished which I managed by moving to the couch, the mantle clock striking 3:00 and then insisting on tick-tocking noticeably instead of silently. I returned to bed and slept from 3:30 to 9:30 - sort of. And yet when I did get up, I was elated by the lack of agenda, at least any outside agenda, dictating how I would spend my day. I had to look over a letter to be sent with the documents required for an audit of last year's medical expenses claim on our taxes. Other than that, I got the pot of beans put together by 11 to cook for 8 hours in a slow oven. As it turned out, they were not quite the right beans after all and cooked a little quickly so they were ready in 6 hours. I made us some toast for sandwiches at lunch - slicing half of a bright yellow tomato for mine. Past mid-afternoon I tackled the trimming of three shrubs in our front garden. It went quickly because I was not pruning them, just giving them a bit of a haircut. Nonetheless, by the time I finished I was hot and tired and ready to put my feet up. As I sat in my recliner, I sorted through bundles of receipts and statements and enjoyed a vodka and soda. Supper was simply a bowl of the baked brown beans with bread and butter, followed by sliced strawberries. Yum! Frittered away the rest of the evening playing solitaire while watching an old Video of Brigadoon. Van Johnson, Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse. What could be better? A fat packet of receipts, summary statements and a fine cover letter is ready to send off to the Tax man, no great thanks to me (I did make encouraging and approving noises as well as find a couple of receipts and proof the letter). Oh, and alas, our daughter called and we told her that due to her dad's summer cold, we could not possibly come to the cottage tomorrow. It will have to wait until Saturday. Good thing. I'm not packed.

Summer Holidays Coming to an End

So here we are closing in on the end of August. And I have been on vacation for 2 full months - the first real holiday I have taken in 4 years. I am still going to finish my stories of our English holiday in July, if only as a great way to edit and share our photos, with text to explain them. However, those and the other stories about what I did on my summer vacation may have to wait for the time I spend commuting to work. I start back on Wednesday, September 1. Tomorrow, Tuesday August 31, I have a lot going on. It is my mother's 97th birthday, but the annual family celebration was held yesterday and it was a blast. I have an appointment in the morning for a minor medical procedure which shouldn't take more than half an hour. Then I am going for a pedicure with Pam at Soleil Salon and Spa, a monthly treat. http://www.soleilsalonandspa.ca/contact.html
For the rest of the day, I will just enjoy my last day of freedom. There are cucumbers waiting on the garden wall for a deep watering promised for tomorrow morning. I'll get them in and maybe I'll have the energy to make a plum tart or peach pie - I was just too hot and breathless after today's harvest of tomatoes and beans, and after planting a few seeds for a fall crop of mesclen mix, carrots, radishes, and peas. As long as the weather stays this hot, the new seeds will need water every day. But that is a change. In spite of our long absences this summer, everything has remained green and the garden has yielded wonderful crops.
Well, I must to bed to be ready to leave the house by 8:30 tomorrow. I'm really not too nervous but the test on my thyroid involves an endocrinologist sticking needles into my neck. Fun, eh!? I'll let you know how it goes. 'Night now!

Arriving in London

Monday, July 5
London, Day 1
Immigration and customs was painless and we were still in good spirits when our City Transfer driver found us. However, he led us a merry chase until he finally figured out where he had parked his car, then bundled us through the streets of London to our hotel. I chatted madly with another passsemger for the first half of the long drive, then slept the other half away.
July 5-12 We stayed at the Ibis London Earls Court Hotel
47 Lillie Road, Earls Court, London, UK SW6 1UD
Phone: 011.44.207.610.0880
How great that we were able to get our room right away. That is, after Jan's Visa got declined and we called the number and they told the hotel it was fine, especially since we had bothered to let Visa know that we would be in England for 2 weeks. Mine worked fine, so we got into the room and just crashed. Got up in an hour or so and took a tour of the neighborhood.
Sample comments heard in passing were colorful. Examples include a youngish blonde hustling along with her cell phone to her ear, caught saying loudly "You are a fat, stupid, lazy, fucking slag!" Wonder who she was talking to. And there was a barrow man shouting his wares, "Strawberries! Fresh berries! Anyway you like 'em. Berries for your belly, berries by the bowl. Strawberries!" Otherwise, we could be in any one of many Toronto neighborhoods with Halal meat markets, coffeshops, and pubs. In other words, I loved it. Even the Macdonalds where I signed onto The Cloud open wifi, although the guys trailing dogs that looked like nasty bits of business made us leery of attracting too much attention with the use of the iPad. It garnered lots of interest whenever we used it. There were also the 'Amusement' venues, for slots and so on, and the off-license betting houses, about one per city block. Odd, that.
This first night we ate at a very impressive neighbourhood pub called The Goose. It was easy to pick out the locals, a diverse lot arguing noisily over everything from soccer to politics. We considered the ease and civility of ordering both food and drink at the bar, so that the waitress need only deliver it and clean up afterward. I think we tried the local version of a burger. Good, but a reminder to me that having gone off red meat for the most part I now have a problem digesting it. No more burgers for me.
Next stop was a series of phone stores, looking for the one that could add time to the UK cell that Jim and Lila had lent us. And for any answer to the question of how we might be able to link our camera to my iPad. No luck, really, although one store thought that they could set up a data plan for the phone if we returned the next day. Back to the hotel where we crashed again for a couple of hours and then decided to try the transit system and have a look at the city. The West Brompton stop on the District or Green line was a short walk in the other direction from the Ibis, where we found a most helpful ticket agent who sold us the Oyster cards (topped up Erin's) with a week of time in zones 1 & 2, enough to get us most places in London. And to be used to discount those zones from train tickets to Salisbury. Hello TTC & GO, are you listening??? Two stops later we were at the Earls Court station to make what became our standard change to the Piccadilly or Blue line for a trip to Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square.


It was a lovely "We're here!" feeling.
















Perhaps because daylight lasts so late into the evening in summertime England, the streets were packed with folks from everywhere as we strolled around, taking pictures of landmarks and architecture.































I was delighted to find a crew from Sadlers Wells setting up an installation for Slow Dance for later in the week.
Back to the hotel for bedtime snacks and it was time to sleep.

[note re iPad limitations: have uploaded these photo images on a laptop and now it is the blogspot composition function that is less than user friendly. However, I am learning and will get better as I go along, I hope.]

Taking off for England

Sunday, July 4
Overnight flight to London
We departed Sunday, July 4, and had hoped to pick up Meghan to drive us to Lester Pearson airport. However, to prove the old adage that if it ain't broke, don't fix it - Jan replaced the old battery the day before we left and then the car wouldn't idle. So Hans drove us to the airport on his way to work in Wasaga Beach. Thanks, Hans! Sorry that Meghan and Erin won't get to use the car while we are away, but dat's da way it is! Left a big "do not drive this car" sign on the steering wheel. Also left the keys with Geoff in hopes that he would fix the car while we were away and the girls would get some use of it. Perhaps Erin could pick us up on our return after all.

At last we were waiting at gate C30 Terminal 3. They were calling the first groups for boarding. We did not buy the Plus package so that would not be us. But I didn't mind. I waited so long for this trip that a few more minutes didn't matter.
Once on board, Erin's observation proved true - Transat does indeed pack every possible seat into their planes, and fills every one. I like a window seat but in fact there was wall beside me rather than a window well, so my space was really cramped. And we had to do quite a dance every time one of us had to move around a bit. We slept fitfully if at all but everyone on board remained cheerful. We departed Toronto via Air Transat TS722 July 4 at 9:55 pm to arrive at Gatwick July 5 at 9:55 am. There is a 5 hour time difference and it was a 7 hour flight.

Taking the Trip to Emgland from the top

Dear Readers
Well, being somewhat on-line and photo challenged through out the trip, I have decided to share my post-trip journals with you. This requires taking it from the top and with apologies to those who have already read my three previous blogs. They will be expanded or repeated on subsequent notes. Still getting the hang of this, folks. I know, you'd think that after fooling about with this blog for the past 4 or 5 years I would be an expert. Alas, not so. What I am going to attempt to do is to post the notes for each day nor part thereof accompanied by the relevant photos - assuming that is possible and that I can figure out how to do it. Worse comes to worse, I will blog the notes, and post the albums on Facebook. Probably have to do that anyway as the notes show up there too, but I do not know whether the photos will accompany them. Okay. Here goes.