day 11 + 12

Day 11

Packed up and hooked on, Gas bottle refilled and up to the shopping area where the boys picked out a T-Shirt each which they bought with their own money. Back in the car and off to Kings Canyon stopping along the way to take a photo of Mt Connor. Arriving at Kings Canyon we set up camp before heading out to the canyon for a look. We did the short Kings Creek walk looking at the canyon from the ground in preparation for the Rim walk around the top the next day. Back to camp to have tea then off to the pub to see the 2 piece band called the roadies.  Well they should have been called the Con Band as what they did is con everyone else to get up and perform, Mitch and Thomas were first along with every other kid in the place as they performed a few songs as the back up band, playing the clappers.

Then it was the adults turn, Ange was coaxed up to conduct the kids as they did a rendition of Advance Australia Fair. Darren was next as he got up and did a version of the song “On the cover of the rolling stone” with 3 other suckers(wearing a multi-coloured wig to top it off)... at least he got a lollypop and a free beer voucher for his effort. Thomas pointing his fingers then dobbed both of us in as they were looking for “lovers” to get up and dance.... A quick waltz was performed before we sat down and watched a bit more as people from the audience (who did have talent) got up and played the guitar or sang.  We settled the boys into their swags and headed off to bed.   Just as we got settled Mitch bowled in the door of the van all excited because there was a dingo walking around the park, by the time I (Darren) got out of bed and dressed it had walked off .... Typical.

Day 12

The boys were up early today trying to get Thomas a look at a dingo.  They couldn’t find one.  Then we hooked on the van and headed back to Kings Canyon to do the Rim walk. The first leg is very daunting as its about 500 steps very vertical and you are fairly puffing as you get to the top but it is worth every step as the view is amazing.  Uluru was exciting to climb to the top, the Olgas very pretty but Kings Canyon was something else again. Both Ange and I thought it was the best part so far as the rock formations and the landscape were just magnificent. The photos we will attach will certainly not do the real thing justice. The boys loved it because it was over the top of the mountain, with lots of rocks to scale, even though I think they are over the walks already, well guess what boys..... Suck it up as there K’s to do yet.  About 7 K’s later we finished the Canyon and are in awe of what it has to show. Definitely a favourite so far.

Lunch in the van before setting off to Ormiston Gorge along the Mereenie loop which is 230K’s of corrugated Red dusty road....... Definitely not a favourite.... 

Well 230K’s later and I pull up to have a check of things only to find that 3 of the van windows had worked themselves open and the red dust that we had driven through had decided to hitch a ride with us.... luckily because there was more than one window open it had created a vacuum and most of the dust had settled on the floor. We finally arrived at Ormiston gorge at around 5pm and whilst looking for a nice camp spot this lady approached the car and said “Darren?” “Darren Gemmola?”  I knew the face but couldn’t put a name to it when she said “Kerrie, Kerrie Coone” Ah of course, Kerrie and her husband  David are from Ararat and are up here managing the camp sites for Parks NT.

She then directed us to the Coach parking area and said that we could camp there (much to the disgust of the Coach drivers) and that gave us an ensuite as well. So we set up our camp and got ourselves organised only to find that we had got a puncture in the Pajero. (Macgyver and his toys to the rescue) out with the electric Jack and ratchet gun, off with the wheel and the “Plugger” puncture repair kit did its Magic. One repaired tyre.....  Meanwhile Ange tackled the van and cleaned the red dust and put back the contents that were strewn all over the floor from the corrugated road.

Tea, a hard earned drink, then off to a slide show and talk about the native flora and fauna, by one of the rangers before a nice warm bed.