Seven days of mostly driving: that was the Desert Patrol tour. Of course that was to be expected: Adelaide-Alice Springs is quite the distance. And then there are people who do it in two, apparently. Brrrr...
The first three days of the tour were the biggest driving days. On day two we had to backtrack to Quorn (which was the lunch stop of day 1), because the roads were flooded. So we took the highway (instead of much more interesting dirt roads) and double-timed it both ways, only to find an OzExperience van caked with mud in Coober Pedy: they went on regardless and had made it. Damn it. Ah well, what's done is done and we still got to Coober on time. The world's most famous opal-mining town. Of course we had to go noodling (searching for opals) and apart from a few people who found colourless (and therefore worthless) opals, we had no luck. Of course we went noodling in the tourist-piles, that might have had something to do with it. That night we slept underground (like most of the people in the town).
The next major stop was also the unofficial highlight of the tour: Uluru. Yes, I have finally seen The Rock. There was much debate about whether to climb it or not. I already made up my mind ages ago: I would not climb it. Two reasons: one, it's a sacred site you're climbing and two, once up there, you see nothing at all. Of course the people who did want to climb thought I was being an idiot, but then again, I sort of felt same way about them. When we actually arrived, all debate was closed, for so was the climb: too windy. So we all did the base walk. And that was definitely interesting, if not particularly mind-blowing. I did not have an awakening or a religious experience (which is common, or so our guide said). The Rock is just that: a rock. But it's a good walk and the historical and cultural significance of the site made the visit well worth it. I have to admit I can't remember much of Kata Tjuta (many heads), except for the story attached to it.
More driving and we made it to King's Canyon. After a climb up 'Cardiac Hill' (which I thought a relatively easy walk up) we did a good walk around the canyon, once again with Kodak moments galore. The most beautiful walk of the trip.
The best thing of the trip? Sleeping in swags! Curling up in something akin to a skin-hugging tent with your head out in the open sounded like hell to a few people on the tour, but I loved it, even though I was woken up by spatters of rain on the first night. The best part would have to be the mornings: opening your eyes to a starry sky. And then getting out of your warm swag and into the freezing cold (ice on swag), trying to put on your clothes as quickly as possible and then sprinting to the loos (because that keeps you warm). Adventure!
And now I am in Alice Springs. Not the safest of towns: you really need to get a taxi when you're out a night, or you chance getting stabbed. Since I like going out for a walk at night, it's not my favourite feature of the town. But overall I really like it. I have a thing for trucks, 4WDs and utes and I am definitely getting my fill here! For me this town has a certain je ne sais quois. But this is only a rest stop: I'm flying to Cairns tomorrow.
Pictures coming up.
