Kings Canyon21 Jul 2011
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| Kings Canyon….. Truly spectacular…. And very very isolated, well it must be the diesel is $2.19/litre… The drive in is through different country, in places there are tall trees and in others it’s scrubby Staying at the Kings Canyon Resort and its very nice here, the staff at reception are crisp, professional & efficient as opposed to the slack arsed attitude at Yulara,mind you @ $42/night I expect efficiency. Well laid out with 6 amenities blocks. There are “dingo” gates across the entry to the amenities with signs advising one not to feed the dingoes and to not leave food out for them. Also employment available for most building trades, mechanics etc., alas no retrenched spooks are needed (not that I’d live here, no cake shops within COOEEEEEEEEE). No phone or web access either which is why you’re reading this monster update now. Jim & I were involved in some male bonding when we emptied our cassettes at the dump point (yes they have a dump point here in the middle of the desert) We opted to take the disabled walk along the Creek and to the springs in the morning. It got to 28c this afternoon but we have nice sites with shade. I’m contemplating a flight in a Helicopter its only $85 but further enquiries have to be made… Well that was quick… organised for a $135 flight which gets us 2 laps of the canyon and a side trip over some waterholes and then to view a drop off, should be really exciting. Note to myself before departure to have a change of undies, fresh batteries for the camera and go to the loo before departure, we have to be at the airfield 30 mins prior to clear security…. The walk into the canyon was really very good and ended at a look up where we could see the others rimming in the distance, we didn’t attempt to do the rim, just too much energy needed as one drives into the mouth of the canyon and then you walk to the head of the canyon and its quite a climb to do the rim. Then we drove around 20km further down the road and walked into Kathleen Springs a 1.2 km pleasant walk past ruined stockyards to a lovely waterhole. Walked back to the picnic area for lunch and watched Gracie “point” at some mice that were running around in the undergrowth waiting for us to leave so they could scrounge scraps………. The helicopter flight was awesome, First time I’d been in a chopper since Vietnam and this was so smooth, no one shot at us, and the doors were closed… From the air the scenery is spectacular and I got some HD video with the new camera along with some stills. Oh strewth the drop off was well a real drop off, everything out here is very dramatic, maybe enhanced by the intensity of the colours. We can’t wait to see the wild flowers that should come out in a few days after the drenching rains. Last year they had 857mm here normally it’s around 130mm annually. The mice and birds are really spooking Gracie, she let out a woof this morning, then spent an hour trying to get at something under the Gin Palaise and nearly caught a crow… Today was a lay day & Carol has been baking, we now have a larder full of Anzac biscuits, Date Loaf and had a chocolate cake for afternoon tea which as the pics demonstrate was eagerly consumed. So the investment in the Convection Microwave it would appear was sound…. I had to send this from near Alice Springs where we are staying, intimate little park, rustic facilities but very scenic nestled into the ranges…. |
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