Young Hoovers adventure

First thing Sat morning Mark, Syd and I picked up our 4 wheel drive Nissan X Trail. Then we set off for the never never. We stpped a bunch of times to take pictures or to eat (can't forget to do that with thIs crowd). We also saw some giant paper mache animals that aussies love so much at a gas station. Don't ask. Anyways we made Ayers Rock Resort in th afternoon. We were pretty tired so we pretty much had dinner, took baths and went to bed.

Sunday we went to Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park. First stop the Rock. From far away it looks almost completely smooth and symmetrical. However once you're up close to it it has caves and ridges and looks totally different. It is the most breathtaking sight. We tried to walk the base trail but snicklefritz wouldn't cooperate. She thought it was much more fun to eat the dirt and rocks. So we walked about a quarter of it before we left.

Second stop was the Olgas. They are in the same park but 50 k away from the rock. They were every bit as spectacular as th rock but completly different. Instead of one big monolith, they are a cluster of different shaped ones. Mark and I had to carry Syd up one walk that went up into one of th valleys because it wasn't stroller friendly. Because of that, we couldn' really do much else, so we went back to the hotel for the night.

Day three we went to Kings Canyon. I imagine that it is very beautiful from the top, but once again, dirt and rocks were much more interesting to Sydney. Mark and I realized that our days of exploring outdoor activities are pretty much on hold for the forseeable future.

On Tuesday morning bright and early we set off for the Alice via the four wheel drive only dirt track that starts at Kings Canyon. Mark was a little hesitant to take this route at first but I talked him into it. When are we ever going to get a chance like that again? Nervermind that we might break down in the middle of nowhere without another soul in sight! So we set off armed with extra water and lunch provisions. For the first 60 k, Mark was afraid the X Trail was going to vibrate apart. However, ignorance is bliss, and I didn't have a clue that there was a prblem, so I was having a grand time. We saw lots of Brumbys, wild camels and even saw a heard of wild donkeys. I think it was my favorite part of the whole trip.

Before going into Alice, we stopped at a four wheel drive only park called Finke Gorge National park to go see Palm Valley. It's where prehistoric palm tree survived the last climate change and still grow. The drive to get to palm valley almost killed me. Mark had a grand old time climbing the boulders and swishing through the river bed, but it was my turn to think the car was going to fall apart. But we made it safe and sound. We had some lunch and set off to see the palm grove. I think Syd lasted 15 minutes. Again, facinated with eating the red dirt. Anyways, it was the fourwheeling that was fun, so off we went again.

We are back in Alice springs safe and sound packing for our trip home. Hope this finds everyone well. See you all very soon.

Love,

Barbara
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