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Have I said it before? That I could get used to this...
This is day 30 of the trip, we're not at each others throats, we're still loving what we're doing, and it's been a month... still 2 to go!! I could get used to this... The caravan would need replacing, and I'd never buy another Jayco, but this is the life!
After a lazy start this morning, cause it was quite cold out of bed, we decided to explore the East Macdonnell Ranges for a bit. We'd seen mostly the west side, and apparently, the country on the east side was very different... Yeah, I had my doubts too, but that's what we'd been told, and so we decided to see for ourselves. We headed east from Alice Springs, along the Ross Highway, towards a place called Trephina Gorge. Our research had suggested that Trephina Gorge was the prettiest place on the east side, that wouldn't take hours to get to. We'd spent alot of time in the car over the last couple of days, and although the boys have been great, we didn't want to overdo it... On the way there, we went past Jessie and Emily Gaps, and we stopped for a look, but needn't have bothered. They weren't overly pretty or significant compared to what we'd seen to date.
Trephina Gorge is 76km out of town, and the road is sealed the entire way, other than the last 8km when you turn off the Ross Highway. Again, it's a good quality dirt road, and would be completely accessible in a normal 2wd car (at least, when we saw it). The walk we did was amazing, and beautiful, and made you glad to be alive, and to be able to enjoy it... But it was very similar to the other gorges we've visited, and the landscape was the same. I fear we've come to take this scenery for granted, and driving for an hour to see the same type of thing has lost a bit of it's sheen. Luckily, we all enjoy the bushwalking aspect of the day. This gorge had more water in the creek bed, and a very sandy base, so the boys were able to take off their shoes and socks and run through it, which was a nice change. It also wasn't freezing cold like the other gorges and waterholes we'd visited. However, when we'd finished our walk (approx 90 mins), we jumped back in the car and headed back to town.
Our plans were to depart Alice Springs the next morning, so we needed to fill the car with fuel, fill the fridge with fresh food for the next couple of days, and organise a 'thank you' gift for Brendan for his hospitality. I also wanted to give Pixie a proper wash after all the dirt roads we'd done, and this would be our last chance (unless there's a Carlovers in Tennant Creek?). This red dust and sand gets bloody everywhere, and I think we'll be fighting it for the next three years. Jo now lives with "other Dyson" (vacuum cleaner), permanently grafted to one hand. I must admit I'm looking forward to moving on! We've spent over a week in Alice Springs (by default), and although we've loved every minute (I'm not whingeing, really I'm not!), I think we've seen most of what there is to see. The cultural aspect doesn't interest us much, and I don't want to start a slanging match, or be accused of racism, or fly any kind of flag, but I find it really difficult to reconcile the thousands of years of culture that exists here, with what you see in the street on a daily basis... It just doesn't make me want to immerse myself in it, or learn of it's origins and meanings, if the best of it is in the past... Go and stand in the shadow of Uluru, and it's unmistakeable, the significance and the power, you can feel it, it's just awesome! Come to Todd Mall in downtown Alice Springs and look around. There's just no way they're of the same culture... This is only my opinion, and if I've offended you, remember whose blog you're reading, I'm entitled to it.
It's time, time for us to leave...
- comments
Aunty Min Goodbye farewell .......... Hmm, well Pete, don't hold back, stop sitting on the fence son. You be careful of those Martians as you head north now ya hear me. I don't have any tips for you from here on in, so you're on ya own (I'm planning a trip across from Barkley to Rocky, so I'll be watching intently tho). Don't forget to ring ahead & book Pixie in for a well deserved service, she'll have earnt some top shelf oil (none of that cheap crap), a sexy set of new wiper blades (that red dust is a killer) & she'd feel like a new car with a tyre rotation, balance & alignment. Pmsl. I reckon when you all get to the coast you'll all want A,B,C & D as above. On second thoughts, you might want to book all of you in, In advance, for a bit of tlc. Hmmmm might get my phone book out.......... Travel safe o-wanderers. Xxx