We are done with our outback camping adventure. Glad we did it, but glad we had a guide. This is rugged country which could be dangerous if you do not plan petrol stops (when the petrol stations are open) and know where to get water. We would come across about 10 cars a day, a roadhouse every 2 hours or so selling petrol and high priced convenience items. It was H.O.T as advertised: 42 Celsius (approx.110 F). There was some interaction with the Aboriginal people (more about that later), saw cool animals, and some beautiful country, and some empty desert too.
We left Sydney on Australia Day and landed in Alice Springs on Invasion Day
Australian Day is a big holiday. Australia Day is the celebration of the landing of the first convict ship to colonize Australia. It is a big deal in Sydney with free concerts at the opera house and other venues, with big stars. The festival feeling is in the air. Conversely, the indigenous people have a hard time celebrating this event and call it Invasion Day. Like our history, there was a lot of injustice, cruelty and poor handling of the native people by the English settlers. Alice Springs is predominantly aboriginal, so no big to-dos for Australian Day. Many aboriginal people resent the white people and their culture: for example they do not want to wash or clean their clothes (they don’t really want to wear clothes). There is racism going both directions out here. We felt tension as soon as getting off the plane and a general unease. We were happy to put Alice Springs in the rear view. The Australian people have made some steps toward rectifying the prior bad acts: some lands, especially the ones with tourist value like Uluru (“Ooh-Lu-Roo”) have been returned to the aboriginals to run as they see fit. And some indigenous people are finding wealth and fame with their art and music. Still a ways to go.
It actually rained one day causing flash floods and closed roads that dictated altered plans. We tried to go one way, but crossed 4 or 5 creeks coming over the road, until we finally reached one we could not pass. At each we stopped and watched our guide slosh around in the water trying to discern whether the bus could make the cross. We went the other way, just to have the same result. So we were forced to hole up at our backpacker accommodation.
Luckily this was a day we had a roof over our head. This roof happened to be haunted, so they say. It was once a mill, turned into hotel. The hotel eventually was closed down and bought by our tour company. Rooms were laid out like a 60’s hotel, one story with drive up parking. These were turned into dormitories housing up to a dozen backpackers. The mill itself was used for the kitchen and dining and more rooms upstairs. Upstairs was closed off because of a supposed murder site. The murder happening about 100 years ago. I saw no ghosts or paranormal activity. One of the women had her headlamp quit on her when she was out collecting her laundry. When she turned it on again, it quit again. She convinced most of us that it was something ghost related, and not the need for a fresh battery (She changed the battery anyway and had no more issues, just saying).
Our group was a total of 6 plus guide. There were two 19 yr old girls, one gal in her 30’s another maybe a little older; all Germans, all traveling separately. It was Mark and 5 women in dormitory sleeping situations. We had a lot of fun with this group and continued to hang out together for another two days after the tour ended. Together we watched the Superbowl, hiked, shopped and cooked dinner another 2 nights. We had an apartment where everyone congregated and did laundry: lots of dusty clothes after our 8 days in the outback. It was a nice change from our usual situation where we are just about ready to say goodbye to the rest of the group by the end of the trip. 7 or 8 days of close quarters, with the same group of folks you did not choose yourself, is usually enough. This time we all wanted more time together.
There were two nights swagging (sleeping outside). Only one night was in the plan, but we all preferred the night sky to the hot cabins we otherwise were in so we swagged another night. These cabins are about the size and comfort of a tool shed with 2 bunk beds built in. Some cross ventilation, but not much. Plus, it is a crime to cover up that starry view. No need for our new sleeping bags, just skin between us and the stars. Mark and the guide were available to deal with any scorpions or snakes. None materialized, but there were plenty false alarms. The stars were amazing. No five star accommodation, but 50,000. Who would have thought: the stars are different here: the same constellations, but not in the same place. The milky way is oriented differently too.
Do you know the stars on the Australian flag? I finally asked what they were about. Since they are different sizes, if they were for states like ours, they are playing favorites. Nope, it is the southern cross; the constellation that guides navigators south to Australia.
One night we spent in different fashion. There is a town, Coober Pedy, built almost entirely underground. It is an opal mining town. Since they have the excavation equipment, it is cheaper to build a cave than a house. And cooler. The area is desolate, nearly no trees. We slept in a cave, blissfully cool. And toured an opal mine.
From the Outback to Civilization
Now we are in a big new house in a Melbourne suburb. This house has all the bells and whistles and everything a couple could want…except a coffee machine or wifi. Really? So I am in the mall using the free wifi to send this postcard. We had no wifi and very little cell phone coverage on the outback tour, so we were eager to get here to catch up, maybe do our taxes (requiring a secure internet connection not usually found in hotels). Not to be.
The dogs are great. We have an English pointer who’s a book end to Layla. Her size, and colored just like her, except black where she is liver. Like her, he has anxious spells completely forgotten when there is something to hunt: usually a fly or bird in the yard. He needs to be wrapped up in a blanket at night to help keep nightmares at bay. The other is a staffy cross; must be part lab. He carries around a favorite toy at all times. He loves pets so is never too far from people, and he loves food. He also suffers from allergies and licks his paws. So the two of them are the Aussie Layla and Karma.
We are here for a few more days before we leave for a month in New Zealand. Then we will be moving around fast and traveling light; no laptops, so you will not hear from us for a while. Hopefully we will have wifi once in a while so I can Instagram some envy invoking pictures. We are really looking forward to this leg of travel. Our itinerary has a lot of adventure: sailing on an America’s cup yacht, mountain biking and kayaking; hot springs, and wine tasting. There should have a lot to write about.
Love Nomads, K & M