Thursday April 15, 2010 – Noosa Everglades Tour

It was nice and bright this morning. How long this will last we are not sure. At least the morning looks great for the cruise up the Noosa River. We left shortly after 9. This was a very relaxing trip up the river. Our skipper took time to show us birds and stop to hear some of their calls. There have been changes in the river since Mom and I went only a few years ago. The river entrance at the far end of Lake Cootharaba became silted up after a number of big rain storms in April 09. A number of people tried to dig it out by hand while the government departments tried to get together and make a decision on dredging. Finally, it was decided to dredge the channel again.

The visitor's centre we once stopped at to use the washrooms has been abandoned by the forestry department. We stopped at fig point for morning tea. We took a walk there that showed how close the fire a few months ago came this picnic area. Up the river we could see signs of the fire along the river. There were places where the fire jumped the river. Our skipper said that it seems like a fire gets started about every 5 years. It is surprising how fast the forest is recovering. New tree growth has started. Trees that were burnt have new growth on them. Unfortunately this new fire was from careless campers.

As we went further up the river a channel has been closed by debris. Another channel that was hard to pass through before was dredged out by the river flow. Now the tour takes this channel. We arrived at Harry's Hut in time to go for a swim in the river before lunch. I was the only woman that went in. Charles and two others came in. It was a beautiful swim. Very refreshing.

A wonderful BBQ lunch was prepared for us by our skipper. During our lunch a wild turkey entered the bus we would be taking after lunch. Charles had put our two plastic bags on the bus after our swim. My bag was already ripping. However, Charles bag was pecked to death. Very little of it was left. A guana came to visit us as well. Not sure if it had just caught something big and had eaten it or it had eggs inside of it. Either way it was fat. Its belly dragged on the ground.

After lunch we got on the bus to head for the 40 mile beach. Of the 7 people on the bus 5 of us were from Canada. The other 2 were from NZ. It was a long and sometimes bumpy trip to get to the beach. It took about 1 ¾ hours to get to the beach. Mostly we saw trees during this trip. The trip had to be changed because of cyclone a few weeks ago. There in a rocky place just north of where we entered the beach. The bad weather exposed them and now it is not safe to travel over them. They will gradually fill in again so vehicles can make it through. We stopped at the Red Canyon which is along the dunes. The red sand is from the iron in the sand that is rusting. All along the way there were different coloured sands. Many people were camping up above the high tide line, some in tents and some in trailers. You really have to know the tides to camp along this beach. There were a number of people out fishing.

We took the cable ferry back to the south side of the Noosa River. Our tour was over. It had been a good day. Like all our days this week the rain came in the afternoon. We were lucky that it wasn`t raining when we wanted to stop.

We had already decided to have pizza for supper so stopped to order it from the restaurant just outside the resort gate. It was delicious pizza. Sadly our week here is just about up.

Wednesday April 14, 2010 – Sunshine Coast.

Well it has not lived up to its name here on the Sunshine Coast. We did wake up to sunshine but that only lasted till about 10am. After a delicious blueberry pancake breakfast we headed out to Eumundi for the Wednesday market. Charles' Mom and I went there when we were here 4 years ago. We slowly took in the whole market. There are many stalls with lots of goods. If we were from around here we would buy the fresh fruits and vegetables on sale. There were delicious smells of food cooking, and popcorn popping. Wonderful colours from paintings, pottery and clothing. There were so many little girl cloths, we just don't have anyone to buy for. We did pick up a couple of things. We talked to a gentleman that worked on the Mica Dam in BC. He learned to ski while there. I found a stall that Mom and I had purchased some things from before. It was nice to see them still there. It was nice to talk to this gentleman again. It had clouded over while we walked amongst the stalls.

We then went on the Mapleton to see the falls. There was a 1.3km loop walk in an eucalyptus rain forest. We did the walk before we ate. What a wonderful walk. Even though I had not done such a strenuous walk in a while I was able to do it with little trouble. I was so glad. We learned about the flora and fauna of this type of forest. One of the most interesting is the strangling fig. This is a tree that starts at the top of a tree high in the canopy. It sends down roots along the tree truck of the host tree. It then proceeds to strangle the host tree. It also robs the host tree of nutrients. It was amazing to see how intertwined the roots become with the host. There were palm trees there that were so tall and skinny in contrast to the big based eucalyptus. Hard to believe these palms stand up to wind storms. Toward the end of our walk we saw lots of vines, some wrapped around trees, some sending out runners to find new trees to curl around. You could see marks in the trees where vines had been before. Unlike the strangling fig these vines do not take from their host trees. They just live together in harmony. That is until the trunck on the host gets too big and snaps the vine.

We were going to eat here at the picnic tables. Well that was until Charles went to the car to get our lunch and I got bitten by 4 mossies. That put an end to that. Charles would be spend his whole lunch time swatting mossies. He had already fed this wildlife enough on our walk. Eating in the car again. When we headed back we took a country road instead of the highway. It was very nice. We were heading for Noosa Heads to check on our boat cruise for tomorrow. After we knew the cruise was still on for tomorrow we went to the shopping area. I was looking for a bathing suit. Even if there was one in my size I was not about to pay over $200, on sale or $400 for ones at regular price. I think if I paid these prices the suit would never be in water. They most annoying thing is Charles was able to get a suit for under $20. I had an ice-cream cone which I managed to spill all over myself.

For the second time this week we got to see a special on TV. On Monday we saw the special about the baby elephant that everyone thought would be still born at the Sydney Zoo but lived. Tonight's was about the plane landing on the Hudson River in NY. Both specials were so interesting.

Should be off to bed as we have to leave here by 8am to get to Noosa Heads for our cruise tomorrow.

Tuesday April 13, 2010 – Sunshine Coast

Not much is plan today. So much for getting better, woke up to rain. They say it should clear by the afternoon. A good day to relax.

Monday April 12, 2010 – Sunshine Coast

We have not done much over the last two days. Saturday we drove from Rockhampton to Mudjimba where we are staying a week. Yesterday we just relaxed and drove around the area.

On our return to the accommodation on Sunday there was a big black cloud over head. I rushed in and got our bathing suits and towels off the line in the back. Just in time, before the downpour started. It did not rain all that long but it was hard.

This morning we decided to go to the Australian Zoo. This is the Steve Irwin Zoo. We had a great time. We rented an electric scooter for me. I have been having a terrible time walking because of my heel. It made the zoo so much nicer for me. We arrived just in time to see the elephants being fed. People had a chance to feed them fruit. They sure knew what was coming. One hardly had time to get on the mat before the trunk was there looking for the food. These were Asian elephants. There were 2 larger once and one smaller.

After the elephant feeding we went off to see the Wildlife Warriors Show. It started with the elephants again, followed by snakes. A python was put into the water. We watched it spread out to its full length and swim very well. Just something else to worry about in the rivers of the north. There were a number of free flight birds let loose to fly over our heads. They were very noisy. Soon the star of the show came out, the crocodile. His name is Murray. We learned how fast they can come out of the water after food. They are not that fast on land because of their short legs. In the water in another matter altogether. They are quite fast and stealth. In muddy water you can hardly see them. They swim without making a ripple. Sometimes you can see their eyes above the water. Even things on low branches are not safe as the crocs can raise up on their tails to snatch food from above them. There were plenty of kangaroos, koalas, and wombats. The wombats were sleeping. We could see them through clear glass. There were tigers, crocs and snakes galore. There were lots of lizards running around the grounds. The area was very clean and there were lots of staff all around. The animals are well looked after. There had been a gentle rain off and on all afternoon. We were very glad that it was cloudy as it wasn't so hot.

After leaving the zoo we proceeded to see the Glass House Mountains. We went to the lookout. As it was cloudy the mountains took on an eerie look. It was beautiful. These mountains are ancient volcanic plugs.

The weather is scheduled to change tomorrow. It should get nicer again and maybe not so hot. We shall just have to wait and see.

Friday April 9, 2010 - Capricorn Caves

We headed north of Rockhampton to the Capricorn Caves. These are limestone caves that are above ground. At one time lots of water flowed through them but now they are dry. Just before we went inside we saw a green ant nest high in the tree. The ants secrete juices that help the leaves to stick together. These nests are waterproof and if they were to fall from the tree they would not break apart.. They are very strong.

On our tour was a family from the area that had 5 children, another family of 4 from Sri Lanka but now living in Brisbane, three ladies from Sydney, and another family from Montreal. It was fun having all the children as they added their own views on what we saw. The most impressive chamber was the Cathedral. There have been many weddings here. The acoustics in the chamber are very good. Later in April 3 opera singers are going to perform in this chamber. It should be an amazing concert. While we were in this chamber the guide played a tape of some music and turned the lights off and on to highlight some of the chambers properties. Finally all the lights were turned out. It was very dark. Before the guide did all this she told us what to expect. All the children went to be close to their parents.

After the tour was done Charles went to get our lunch from the car. He had to give a blood offering to the mosquito gods before we could eat. We were driven under the shelter to eat as the mozzies were not so bad in the shade. We were really looking forward to having a swim after lunch as it is hot and humid. The pool was very nice. The top layer of water was warm and the bottom was cold. By the time we finished swimming the layers had been stirred up to make a nice water temperature. When we got in, there were 3 dead frogs in the water. Charles got them out.

On our way home we went to the Mt Archer Lookout. We could see Rockhampton, the mountains to the north and east, and the river that runs through town. After returning to our accommodations we rested and then went for a swim. Thank goodness for swimming pools and AC.

Thursday April 8, 2010 – On to Rockhampton

We did not have that far to travel today. Only about 300km. The first thing we noticed was the pickup in the amount of traffic. It is no longer that easy to pass someone. On the way to Blackwater a semi with a huge dump box on it. It was as wide as the road. It pulled out in front of us. We followed it for awhile. I forgot to take a picture of it. Everyone had to get off the road for it. It was a little scary to see it rock back and forth on the uneven road. When we got to the next town, it pulled over to let us all by. Further down the road we saw the rest of the dump truck on the side of the road. It was stopped at the time. I took a picture of this one. These however was not the only wide load we were to see today. Further down the road we had to pull over to let a semi with another mining truck on it go by. It must have been mining equipment moving day. We did pass two other wide loads that were parts of buildings but we did not have to pull off the road for them. There were also a number of trucks hauling new tires for the mining trucks. In some ways it reminded us of home.

We stopped at Blackwater to see the International Coal Museum. Like so many other museums we have seen on this trip this one was full of videos. We learned about the two ways of underground mining and open pit mining. Things have sure changed since the pick and shovel days. There are a number of coal mines in this area. We saw many full coal trains going east to the coast and empty ones coming back west.

Continuing down the road we saw lots of transports going inland. There were soon trucks that said wide load but after what we had seen they were not really all that wide at all. There are still lots of empty cattle trucks going west. Soon they will be full and heading east again.

At Stanwell we saw a coal burning electrical power plant. We had read about it at the Coal Museum earlier. We heard about all they have done to make sure it does not pollute the atmosphere. This is also where we ate lunch.

Soon we were in Rockhampton at our next accommodation. It is so much more humid here and tropical. Each time we go north to town we cross the Tropic of Capricorn again. It is getting tiring travelling now. It will be so nice to get to the sunshine coast for a week.

 

Wednesday April 7, 2010 – Lake Maraboon

Charles went off to play golf this morning. Two of the holes are closed while they are being cleaned up after the flood. I did the laundry. One good thing is how fast everything dries outside. It only takes about 4 hours or less.

After lunch and Charles' return we went for a swim in the pool. It was so nice are refreshing. It was great to sit by the pool and read after the swim. I met another lady with a little girl. Like so many other young families they sold up everything and are touring Australia.

We went for a drive around the area. We saw the dam that made the lake and its spillway. On our way back we went to see the boat launch and day use area. It was very well looked after. Some families were down enjoying and afternoon at the lake. There must have been loads of boats on the lake as there were so many boat trailers around. There is nowhere to tie up boats so you must remove them each evening. We saw people put water skiing and fishing. A very relaxing day.

Tuesday April 6, 2010 – On to Emerald.

Another day in the outback. The road was straight for the most part. There were hills and valleys. Each dip came with the same flood warnings. It was not all that long ago that there was heavy flooding in this area. We saw another live kangaroo. It hopped across the road in front of us. Sadly there were many more dead ones.

We did see some more ant hills. They were small and not too plentiful. It was hard to see the taller ones as the grass has grown so tall. As we got close to Emerald we started to see cultivated fields. This is new as so far we had just seen cattle ranches. Cotton is grown here. We also passed through the Drummond Range. It is the first of the three ranges before the ocean.

The caravan park we are staying at is about a 15 min drive from Emerald. It is on Lake Maraboon.

Monday April 5, 2010 – Longreach

More shops were open than we thought on this Easter Monday. We were up and out by 9:15 to go to the Visitors Centre. We found out how to book for the sunset cruise on the paddle wheeler. When we got to book the cruise there were only 4 spaces left. The cruise had just started back up again after the summer. They do not operate in the summer when it is too hot.

We took in the local craft fair. I got a couple of books and a book mark made by a young girl around 12. I also had a scone with jam and cream.

After doing some grocery shopping, we returned back to the cabin. We then went over to the Qantas Founders Museum. We started with a tour of a retired 747. Qantas donated it in 2002. It was great to see it up close and personal. We had our picture taken in one of the engines. We saw the outside and found out what all the bits and pieces were for on the outside. Inside we heard about the black boxes, the slides, the cockpit and the upstairs in the front. As this was a domestic aircraft the upstairs was economy class and not first class. It was interesting to see other parts of the plane one does not normally see. In the same area is a 707 that is being restored and an old DC3. It was hot and we were hungry so we went back to the cabin and had a swim and something to eat. Longreach is having a locus invasion. They are big and everywhere. When we got to the pool there was a lady skimming locus out of the water. There must have been 50 in the pool. Charles took over the job and soon the pool was locus free for at least a few minutes. They are very good swimmers. Seem to do the breast stroke. As we swam we also got more loci out. It was a very refreshing swim.

One nice thing with the Qantas Museum was you could come and go. So after lunch we went back to see the rest of the museum. It was fun to find out how the airline got started, by whom and when. We also found out what Qantas means. It stands for Queensland And Northern Territories Aerial Service. It was started by two men who learned how to fly in WWI. They saw a need in Outback for an air service. They got a backer and finally started up by 1921. The first board meeting was held in Winton but they thought Longreach would be a better place to set up as it was the rail head. They started with a small two seater plane. For quite a while when you boarded a plane you go a leather flying cap and goggles as you were in an open plane. One of the original men dropped out just after the first flight. The other man went on to give the outback its first airline. He was very forward thinking as he thought someday this airline would fly worldwide. One thing that really sent them on their way was winning the contract to fly mail to Cloncurry. The first planes only flew at about 140km/hr which today does not seem like much but then as fast. Here were men who saw something that was needed and set about making it happen.

A number of years later the original founder met up with Rev. John Flynn who wanted to use the aircraft for transporting sick patients. Together they talked about what would be involved. Eventually John Flynn started the Flying Doctor Service.

One thing that made outback seem more accessible was the short wave radio. With no power at the stations the pedal driven radios fit the bill. The stations staff could pedal and make enough power to run the radio as needed.

We got back to relax and get ready for the cruise this evening. Unfortunately, the sky had clouded over and we did not see the sunset. The hour cruise on the Thomson River was very relaxing. We were given crackers with some vegetables, cheese, grapes and dried fruit to snack on. To young people, a girl and a boy served us these goodies. The captain kept us entertained with jokes and facts about the river. After the cruise was finished, we went ashore to have supper. The captain then picked up a guitar and entertained us with more jokes and songs. Soon a delicious stew was served with bread. This was followed by an apple tart with a custard sauce. Tea was made over the open fire in a billy. The way it was made by the bushmen of the past. We also had damper which is a bread made with flour, water and salt served with golden syrup. After we had finished eating we were entertained by the barefoot poet. He did not write the poetry he recited. He was very expressive. We laughed at some of the poetry he recited. Other poems were thought provoking. The only thing missing was the singing of Waltzing Matilda. Soon it was back on the bus and back home. When the bus started down the road the locus took to the air. Some smashing against the windshield. It was magical in the dark seeing all these locus in the lights of the bus. What a wonderful way to end this day.

We realize that we could have had another day here to see everything.

Sunday April 4, 2010 - to Longreach

As we left Mt Isa the road was windy as we made our way through the hills that surround the town. There were even passing lanes as we went up the hills. Had not seen passing lanes since entering the outback. Soon the road straightened out and the speed went up to 110km/hr. We still saw lots of ant hills in places.

After we started heading south east toward Longreach the ant hills disappeared. The land became very flat with pastureland for cattle and sheep. It seemed like miles and miles of nothing then on the horizon you would see some flat top hills. Some would have sharp edges and others were rounded more. They broke up the monotony of the drive.

We went through the town of Winton where we stopped for gas. This the town know for the home of Waltzing Matilda and the birthplace of Qantas. This is also a region known for its dinosaur fossils. For a small town it sure had great claims to fame. Lots of the shops were open on this Easter Sunday. We did not know all this when we stopped for gas. That was too bad.

On our trip today we saw one live kangaroo on the road. There were lots of dead ones. I think I passed over a brown snake as it wiggled its way across the road. Later we saw 2 Emus as well. There were los of birds playing chicken on the road. They would wait until the last second to take off as the car approached. It was very annoying. We had washed a lot of the insects off the front of the car during the rain but today we picked up many more. One grasshopper got caught under the edge of the hood. Its leg waved in the wind for the whole trip.

Arriving in Longreach, we found everything closed up for Easter Sunday.

Saturday April 3, 2010 – Mt Isa

There was not much to do on Easter Saturday. I spent the morning going though photos to post. We then went to the Top 10 park and used more of our Top 10 internet time. It was very nice of them to let us use their kitchen to do our internet work as we were not staying there.

On the way back into town we stopped at the Visitors Centre and found out that the Underground Hospital was only open until 2pm. So we went there instead of having lunch. We sadly found it closed. It was the one thing I was really interested in. It was built after the Japanese bombed Darwin in WWII. Mt Isa thought they might be next because of the mining there. An underground hospital was built by the miners to help the wounded from Darwin and a safe place for patients if the Japanese bombed here.

We went back and had lunch. We went to the lookout to see the area. We met a man from Oregon. He was doing a 2 month stint as a student doctor here at the hospital. It was nice to talk to him. We found out that they are mining lead, zinc, gold and copper. There are a number of mines in the area. The mine right in town had a smelter with it. We went downtown afterwards. It is a strange downtown because it is spread out and disjointed. We got a few groceries then went back to relax. Charles went for a swim and I just got in to cool off. We then sat by the pool and read.

The day had been overcast and there were a few misty showers. However it stayed warm and muggy all day.

Friday April 2, 2010 – Off to Mt Isa Queensland

We were on the road by 7:30. We were going 685km today. It went by very quickly. We decided when you don't have to slow down very often and can drive on the flat the kilometres go by very fast. There is very few things hold you up. Passing is quite easy. Just before Queensland the speed limit drops from 130 to 110. There was a police car just sitting waiting for someone not to slow down. Charles had been doing 110 anyway to get better gas mileage.

The landscape was as varied as before. Some areas had lots of trees others just had scrub. There was an area the reminded us very much of Alberta with its lush cattle paddocks. The trees were all gone from this area. Some areas were plentiful with ant hills and others had none. The ant hills also changed from tall one to boulder like ones. We missed them when they were not there. Then we would come across area with so many. Like a city full of high rises. At one of our stops it said that explorers, in the 1800's, of this region had to dodge ant hills all the way.

It started to rain just after we entered Queensland and has kept up ever since. We stopped for gas at Camooweal for gas and to eat lunch. We thought to eat under a shelter but the wind was so bad we decided to eat in the car. Over the last few weeks we have eaten in the car because of the bugs. This was the first time because of the weather. The rain is from cyclone Paul that hit the north coast last weekend. Charles had to fight cross winds all the way from Tennant Creek.

We were prepared to have all the stored closed as it was Good Friday. We were surprised to find the IGA was open so we picked up a few things. We plan to relax this evening.

Thursday April 1, 2010 – Tennant Creek.

We planned an easy day today. We went out to Mary Ann Recreational Area. It is a manmade lake with a dam. You can walk there from down town if you like. It is a beautiful spot and very well maintained. Hopefully it will be well used this holiday weekend.

On up the road we stopped at the Overland Telegraph Station. It was built in 1872.This is one of the repeater stations between Darwin and Adelaide. Now they could get news from the UK in 8 hours instead of months. They never talked about women at the station so we were not sure if it was just men there. The station worked 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There were the telegraph operators and line men living there. They really enjoyed getting visitors as the new people started to arrive. It remained in operation at this site until 1935 when it was moved into Tennant Creek. After a linesman found gold in 1925 Tennant Creek became a gold rush town.

We then went to see the Pebbles. After the Devils Marbles the pebbles were no so exciting. What was interesting however, was that this place was for aboriginal women only. Men had to ask permission to go through there or they had to go the long way around. After seeing so many places that were just for men it was nice to see a woman's place.

When we got back to our unit we were not able to get the door open. Then once we got it open with help from the staff we could not get it closed. Someone came to help us get the door back on track. After that we opened and closed the door very carefully.

After lunch and a time of relaxation we went back up to the Visitors Centre to see if the underground tour was running. We waited around for the others to show up but they didn't. The guide took us anyway. We were told they need 4 people to go on the tour. Out guide had worked in the local mines when he was young. This was not an actual mine but a place where men learned about explosives and practiced using them. There were three pieces of equipment that worked. The first was the drill that made the holes for the explosives. The second was the scoop that scoped up the dirt and put it in the car behind it. It was a very dangerous piece of equipment. You could lose body parts very easily. They are no longer in use after a man was killed operating one. The last was a diamond core driller. It was used to take samples of the rock for assay purposes. Many mining museums would like to get their hands on this last piece of equipment as it is the only one left in good working order. The wife of the owner will not let it be moved. It was a very interesting tour.

Wednesday March 31, 2010 – Off to Tennant Creek.

After leaving the MacDonnell Range behind us we thought we were in for the same desert landscape. We did not expect to see the ant or termite hills. They were everywhere. Each one is different in shape and height. Some placed there were only a few and other places there were too many to count. Some were short and broad others tall and narrow. They are really fascinating. They lady at the Visitors Centre here in Tennant Creek said, "These ones here are small ones. Further north they get over 2m tall." People collect them and grind them up to make floor tiles or bricks with it. We held the top of one at the centre and it was very heavy considering how porous it is.

About 100km south of Tennant Creek we stopped to see something called The Devils Marbles or Karlu Karlu. These are granite boulders left after erosion. The boulders are precariously balanced on top of one another in a seemingly impossible arrangement. We stopped for lunch here. It was a serene and peaceful place. The wind was up as a result of the cyclone around the north coast. It kept the flies at bay. It was an incredible place. Some of the boulder were scattered around the valley like giants had been playing with them. There are a number of stories by the aboriginal people tell of how the boulders got there. One story is the rocks were eggs laid by a giant lizard. Charles said it reminded him of the rock monster part in Galaxy Quest. It was so true.

We arrived at our accommodation by mid afternoon. After a swim we went downtown to get some mushroom soup and tin foil for supper. We are having pork chops with cabbage and zapped potatoes. Little did we know that this would turn out to be a difficult proportion? Charles turned on the oven to heat up and turned on the big burner on the top of the unit and set the pork chops to brown. After a while I wondered why I could not hear any sizzling. I remembered from NZ that you cannot use the big burner and the oven at the same time. However, you can use the small burner with the oven. So after browning the meat and getting it ready for the oven, we popped it in the oven. Next came how to use the microwave. With no user manual it was not an easy task. Finally we just cooked the potatoes in two minutes increments. The pot with the cabbage in it took a long time to heat up. Eventually the cabbage cooked. It was delicious meal when we finally got to eat it. We were trying to eat earlier tonight but that was not to be.

Tuesday March 30, 2010 – West MacDonnell Ranges

We decided to take a short side trip west of Alice Springs. Originally we were only going to do the Standley Chasm. On the side road to the chasm there was a sign with curves on it and under it is said 8.7km. It turned out there was curves about every few kilometres. I guess if you are use to driving straight roads a few more curves should be announced. There was still wash out damage along the way from the rain a short time ago. We arrived at the chasm just after opening at 8 am. It is much easier to do walks when it is a little cooler. There was a 1.5km walk up the creek bed to the chasm. We did not see the fire red chasm walls as we were so early. However we could see the red tops of the gorge leading to the chasm. It was a very interesting walk along the creek bed. It was very rocky. We had to climb over some large rocks. There were steps along the way to help us. When we got to the chasm it was very tranquil and quiet. We were the only ones there. At the other end were very large boulders which marked the end of our walk. There were pools of water around and some of them had tadpoles in them. It took us about an hour to do the walk. It was so much fun.

Since it was only 9:15ish by the time we got back to the car, we decided to drive further west to see what else we could see. Our next stop was Ellery Creek Big Hole. This is popular spot for tourist and locals to go for a swim. Apparently the water is very cold. We did not really try it out to see. There was a 3km walk around the area but I did not feel up to walking it.

Back on the road we went to see the Ochre Pits. Ochre is a mineral that comes in while, yellow and red. It grinds down to a fine powder. The aboriginal people mix it with water and fat then use it for ceremonial body paint or art paint. Only men are allowed to mine the ochre but women are allowed to use it. It was an interesting spot as you walked along below the cliffs. You could see the three colours plus a few more as the colours mixed together. Again we were the only ones here which made it very nice.

It is now about 11:30 and Charles said "Let's go on to see what is at Glen Helen and get some lunch." As we drove up to the road house at Glen Helen we saw a helicopter. After talking to the pilot we decide on a flight over the Glen Helen Gorge, Ormiston Gorge and Pound, and Mt Sonder. Upon arriving at the helicopter we realised that there were no doors on it. Up we went and it was wonderful. As I was having so much trouble walking, it was nice to see all these things from the air. Not having the doors made the flight nice and cool. We never felt any danger without the doors. Charles said, "this is an expensive lunch." We had a great lunch after the flight. Charles had a camel burger. He enjoyed it.

After returning back to AS we went in search of the internet where we could use our own computer. Finally we ended up at MacDonalds. Wireless internet is available here for free. It was so slow. Thank goodness it was for free. We tried looking at the pictures of the boys and the baby shower. It was painful slow and we finally gave up. We were able to upload our pictures and bring up to date the blog. After shopping we returned to make supper. We had camel sausages. I really did not like them all that much.