bill_the_cat

So here's the story, with pictures. A lot of pictures, actually, except I've linked them all, because 1) they're too big to post here and I don't want to make them smaller, and 2) My family reads my journal and apparently it is no longer possible to have "public" pics folders that are actually viewable by the public. Weird, huh?
So this is the story, pay attention, I'll be asking questions at the end (1)
Of course, if you'd much rather just look at the pictures, go here

I flew to Darwin last Monday. A 12 hour flight through Brisbane- "12 Hours?! Through Brisbane?!!" you ask. Yes. Like I said, pay attention. I'll explain.- It was the cheapest flight available. Apparently Qantas has a strangle hold on flights through the centre of the country via Alice Springs, and as a result Alice is expensive to fly through unless you're lucky enough to get a cheap ticket on-line like I did. But I'm getting ahead of myself. The cheap ticket happened for my return, thank god, or I wouldn't have been able to take all these awesome pictures.
So yes. A 12 hour flight (incl. the 5 hour stop-over in Brisbane) that got me into Darwin at 1 am Tuesday morning and into my hostel by 2. needless to say the better part of Tuesday was a write-off. I mostly tooled around and figured out were to buy food, hire cars, and watch women, as one does in a new city. Then, on Wednesday, I ran into Marco. Marco is a friend of mine I met and had some adventures with in Perth. He's Swiss.
I had an idea that I might see him In Darwin, though I'd kinda given up on it since I arrived a week later than I'd expected he'd be there, on account of my employers temporarily forgetting the terms of my employment (see previous entries).
You see Marco is making an epic journey. When I met him he was just starting it. He hired a car in Perth (a Subaru Outback- what my mom would drive if she could afford to, though she'd never drive it like Marco) and drove North along the West coast, taking passangers to help share the costs. Hitting Broome he turned East, skirted the Kimberleys (with a 100km foray along the Gibb River Rd,) and found himself in Darwin a week later than expected, and looking for new people to share the drive South. He was staying at the same hostel as I, and it didn't take long for us to reach an agreement on taking the trip. By the afternon on Friday we were headed south to Katherine and a meeting with my dear friends Phantasy and lovemyway. It was then that the picture taking started. Of these termite mounds, and this skink on some antique mining equipment.

That night we reached Katherine, checked into our Hostel and happily fell asleep. The next day we went canoing at Katherine Gorge. Actually the craft we were in was more akin to a bathtub and couldn't handle more than 5 strokes from the paddles before being sideways in the almost non existant current. We paddled as much in reverse as forward in the end, turning slow circles up the Katherine river, and back down again. We ended up being late back to the rental office, mostly on account of Marco deciding he'd rather swim the last 500m. Turns out the supposedly double canoe handled better with 1 person in it. The ironic name of that style of canoe, btw, is Canadian. Odd, since Canadians have been building canoes for centuries, and actually have some idea how to build them so that they go straight.
I took a picture of Marco swimming, but as the canoe chose that moment to turn around it came out blurry.
I did snap a picture of this kangaroo however. Afterwords we went for BBQ at P&L's. It was a cold night, and everyone was bundling up and complaining about the 10 degree weather. I of course was only mildly uncomfortable in my short-sleaves and jeans. I cuddled the dog to keep him warm more than myself. Some sadist had chosen to cut his hair only a week before and he was shivering. Hopefully Phantasy has some pictures from that night, since she hid her face everytime I tried to take one.
The next day we went to the other end of the park, near Edith falls, to find a place to swim. Much clicking of digital shutters ensued.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18

That night we went back to P&L's and played the Aussie version of the Canadian game Trivial Pursuit. I maintained tradition by winning, though, to be honest my partner was just as much responsible for that as I.

That night, at 2 am, I did laundry.
The next morning we loaded the car with the essentials, and headed South again.
Our first stop was at Mataranka hot springs for a warm swim:
1
2
3

and a walk
1
2
3

After that it was straight on to Tennent Creek where we stayed the night, and left early the next morning on a 1100km drive to Uluru (Ayers Rock). First, though, we stopped at the Devils Marbles:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Nearing Uluru we stopped to take a piss, and admire the view of Mt. Conner.
We arrived at Uluru just in time to see the sunset against the rock. I took a bunch of pictures with different lighting and settings.

That night we camped and the next morning went to see the other half of the Park- The Kata-Juta. For my money it's more impressive than the rock:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Afterwards we left for our next destination, making one side trip to get a better view of Mt. Conner, And, unexpectedly this wild camel
The sun set and we drove the next 200km in the dark to our next camp at Kings Canyon, where we spent the next morning hiking:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Then we bought a $2.50 pass for the scenic and Aboriginally owned Mereenie Loop Road, and kicked up some dust


Stopped at the ancient meteorite crater of Gosse Bluff, which we later drove tried to drive up this hill to get a sunset view of. In the twighlight we passed through rolling hills and reached Alice Springs well after dark. We stayed there the night, then said our farewells. I got on a plane and flew back to Adelaide. Marco will be here visiting by next weekend when we plan on camping on Kangaroo Island, then he's off on the next leg of his drive to Brisbane, and, eventually, Cairns. Who knows. I might join him on that last leg too, depending on when it occures. It's good to make friends on the road.
THE END

Footnotes
1.Not really.