Days 34 -37(Monday31/8- Thursday3/9)

Monday: After waiting a few hours for our computer to be 'de-virused' we finally headed out to the West Macdonells intending over the next few days to camp out in 2 areas of the park. Last time we were through here we stayed in Alice and toured out each day, often driving the same initial road.
First stop Simpsons Gap which has a small waterhole. Often the endangered Black-Footed Wallaby can be sighted near the waterholes late in the afternoon but it was early still. Last time here we were lucky. We decided to by-pass Standley Chasm and do it on the return journey on Thursday as it is a very narrow gorge and best seen around midday when the sunlight floods the chasm making the rock walls shine a golden coloured red.
Our last stop for the day,and where we planned to camp was Ellery Creek Waterhole. This had changed a lot since our last visit but still beautiful and very few people.We sat till dusk by the waterhole and talked with a young American who later came into the bus and discussed life with us over a coffee and cake. (Even out here I still manage to bake in the Dreampot and we have shared quite a few chocolate cakes and slices with fellow travellers)
Chris was a christian and devoted "constitutional right" adherent. Confused by our breathaliser tests and gun laws. Could not understand why we were not affronted by the challenges to our rights.Spent ages talking about our 2 governing systems till... my slow brain realised how to explain that these weren't forced on us by the PM but rather forced on governments by the people eg a family loses someone in an accident,and lobbies till it is acted on. We also spent ages discussing social support, and/or lack of it in the US. Won't tell you anymore as it would take forever. Ask if you like when we get home.
Tuesday: We walked 'The Dolomites' walk through the ranges and river bed at Ellery Creek before heading off.I surprised myself and managed quite ok. The plant life is diverse if you take the time to look carefully. The rivers I should explain are 'dry river sytems', this does not mean there isn't water, they flow upside down so the water lies between 6cm and a metre under the surface. Then headed to The Ochre Pits, a traditional area for collecting ochre but a heavy fine if removed by non-tradional owners. The Aboriginal owners of this area trust travellers not to damage areas open to the public(there is no supervision). Last stop was Ormiston Gorge where we planned to camp for 1 night but extended it to 2. A very scenic spot with a large waterhole and dry river system, a gorge walk and lookout walk. We spent 2 late afternoons sitting watching for Black-footed rock wallabies and were wel rewarded. Many people walked through,too impatient to sit still and quietly.
Thursday:Had to pack up and leave. We drove back into Alice, stopping to see Standley Chasm on the way,and headed straight out the other side to the East Macdonells.
Standley Chasm was a real mixture of cloud, sunshine and light rain! The only thing to do was to sit and patiently wait for the clouds to roll in and out. Well worth it. The overseas tourists donned rain jackets and left,the Australians rejoiced in the rain.

Days 31 to 33(Friday 28- Sun 30th Aug)

We arrived in Alice Springs on Friday after driving the last 100km'sand crossing the Tropic of Capricorn again. This time there was a marker. We had booked into the Macdonnell Range Tourist Park which money-wise was a big mistake. It is a beautiful park with everything a camper and children could want, so was full of children... unfortunately all younger than Jessica. But ... expensive, cost us $49.50 a night and I had booked 3 nights. Why did I book here you may ask?? Memories – we had stayed here in 1998 and enjoyed it then, before it went upmarket. Have planned to stay elsewhere on our return in a weeks time.

After lunch we headed down to Todd Mall which is the central tourist hub in Alice for shopping. While we looked through the shops George went to a Didgeridoo workshop which he thoroughly enjoyed. We are yet to see the results as we did not bring our didge with us. (P.S Jessica had breathing lessons for the didge back in Maleny off a friend through the CMCA. She has had extensive lessons in WA and studied the instrument in of all places...Sydney.)

Saturday : Jessica's b'day - so she chose to stay in bed late, 9.30am, and then asked to watch a DVD ( "of course" say all you who know her well). While she did this we did the washing and cooked her B'day dinner as she could not be cajoled into going out to dinner. She just wanted corned beef and a banana cake. This was all prepared in our Dreampot, including the veges, and left to finish cooking while we went out for the afternoon. We have baked a few dinners, sweets and cakes in our dreampot but due to the heat are yet to use our camp oven etc.

The afternoon was spent visiting the Royal Flying Doctor Service and Anzac Hill, a lookout which provides a 360 degree view of Alice. The RFDS here covers an area of 600km radius and not only services outback properties and Aboriginal Communities with health clinics and emergency services but is also used for transport to major capital hospitals and travellers. We did not find this one as interesting as the one in Broken Hill we have visited previously as it had tours of the hangers and planes.

Sunday was spent at The Desert Park after a free pancake breakfast at the C'van park.

The Desert Park is a great day outand it had developed a lot since our last trip in 1998, when it had only been opened 2 years. It is divided into 3 sections which represent tne 3 environments : Desert woodlands, Desert Rivers and Desert Sand Country, each diverse in their own way. Each area has it's own habitat with flora,aviaries and fauna. There was also a Nocturnal and Diurnal ouse, a Birds of flight show and demonstrations of Aboriginal livestyle etc. This is a not to be missed Park!

Days 28 to 30(Tuesday 25- Thursday 27)

We left early on Tuesday morning and began our drive across to the border. First stop was Camooweal 200km's away where we refuelled for the day($1.65).We would not be able to refill till Barkley Homestead in the N.T on Wednesday, where we only wanted to top up as fuel was $1.78. Camooweal is a small town with a Roadhouse come c'van park and not much else, run by Aboriginals. Soon after we crossed the border into the Territory.

The Barkley Hwy is long and straight and flat. The country surrounding it is low grass land and desert. We travelled much better and were able to travel further than expected, about 350km's. We bush camped at Woonarah Bore where there were only 2 others camped , a big change from elsewhere so far. We had a beautiful night and realised how lucky we were to be free camping under the stars in our own country. No wonder people are fighting so hard to keep this right from being removed by the Caravan Parks Assoc. Old timers who have been doing this for decades are angry – fancy removing this privilege from old bushies, drovers, shearers, travellers etc for the sake of money...???? The bore no longer supplies the dam, as we discovered was now common at all the old bore stops, but the windmill here was still functioning. We never use the water at these stops as we feel it is best left to those who may need it – we have plenty on board for drinking, cooking, showering etc.

Wednesday - we continued on our way early to beat the heat , topping up at Barkley Homestead. We reached Tennant Creek at lunchtime so headed out to Lake Mary Ann for a few hours. This was gorgeous – grass to have lunch on under big trees, next to a dammed area with water you could swim in. For others travelling this way later, we discovered a bonus – hot showers. We used these and drove onto the Devil's Marbles, a favourite from our last trip out here. The camp ground here, like many in the Territory Parks, was very well set up and a great bush camp. We spent the last couple of hours wandering through these amazing outcrops and climbing them, some too hard for me but not for Jessica and George, and watching the sunset with a few others.

Thursday morning was spent wandering the Devil's Marbles in another direction before setting out at lunchtime towards Alice Springs. We were heading for another Bore about 100 km's from Alice for the night where we spent the night talking with other travellers in a free rest stop before heading into Alice on Friday morning. Couldn't believe it – we were pulled up 120 km's out of Alice for a random Breathe test !!!!

Beware: Virus -'Personal Antivirus' 8/9

Hi Everyone !!
You might by now be thinking we've got lost or been too lazy to Blog. No!! not me!

Since the last time I posted we were hit by a virus 30/8 which came in on an email. Beware this comes up as a 'Personal Antivirus software' and will not let you access your internet sites until you pay a fee(which we didn't) and apparently some short time later it presents itself again.
It is so new that there is no antivirus software that will pick it up and it can only be removed manually at the moment. The guys here had a go on Monday 31/8 and we headed out to the West and East Macdonell Ranges for 5 days( no phone/ internet service).
Came back in on Saturday 5/8 in the afternoon and opened computer to write to you all, to find it was still there. As nothing is open on weekends we had to stay in Alice till Monday.
Choice: wait overnight for it to be fixed at their cost or move on and wait till Adelaide in 3 weeks and pay Again!! easy choice !
So here we are Tuesday 8/9 midday, just picked it up and seems alright. Will post this quickly as we are itching to leave Alice and head down to Uluru, Kata Juta and Kings Canyon.

Have been saving some posts on Microsoft word blog so will post these and will write others at next stop with service.

Love lynne

Day 27 (Monday24th)

We spent the morning doing the obligatory shopping and fuelled up ready to leave tomorrow. I have begun to fear eating and drinking, and that includes the bus's drinking!! We have a budget of $100 a day but both food and fuel is more expensive out here. Fuel in the coming weeks will range from $1.60 to $1.80, possibly as high as $2, and a trip to Mt Isa woolworths for a small shop this morning cost $182.This is a mining community and miners can earn up to $2/3000 a week but we have heard that those servicing them earn about $20 - $25 an hour and therefore struggle with the prices. But as I keep saying all's good,I just thought some might be interested in these everday issues.

The afternoon was spent at the Riversleigh Dinosaur Fossil Collection which included a tour of the laboratories where they slowly separate the bones from the rock/soil using a vinegar solution - very potent! and then identify them. Interesting but smelly work. This area and Winton are the richest areas for dinosaur finds and both have been in the news in recent months for their latest amazing archaelogical finds.