Dinky the Singing Dingo

Sadly, we didn't get to see Dinky...

Dead Camel Camp

OK, where we camped for our seconds night wasn't really called 'Dead Camel Camp', but there were a lot of camel skulls and jaw bones about.

It wasn't really wild camping either. We had facilities...

...visitors...

...and a really nice spot to sleep.

Although I could have done with out the national anthem singing...

The Road...

...seems to go on...

...for ever.

Valley of the Winds

Another day, another walk. Still in the Uluru National Park, in the Valley of the Winds.

We started walking at 7.30 in the morning, but it soon became very hot Sue's rear included for scale :-)...).

As it was Spring, there were a few flowers...

...and the odd birdie.

If I'm honest, the walk was a bit too strenuous for me, as I sarted to suffer from heat stroke, and only finished through will power, and Adam's encouragement.

I'm glad I did it through. To be amongst such beauty is awe inspiring.

The landscape is quite incredibly old and weathered.

Having spend millennia under the hot sun.

[I realise that a lot of pics are over exposed, but our cameras just couldn't cope with the amazing light]

Dawn at Uluru

As you may have gathered...

I'm not a morning person...

...but sometimes it's the only way...

...to see something amazing.

Uluru Campfire

After our exciting day, we had something to eat...

...then went to sleep.

Walking round Uluru

I just don't have the words to describe the rock, and how it made me feel. It's such a spiritual place. I'll let the pictures tell their own story. Adam took a fair few of these pictures.









Did I mention it was 40 degrees C?


And very dusty...

Uluru, the rock formally known as Ayers

Imagine our excitement when we saw our first glimpse of Uluru.

I was almost scared about vistitng Uluru. What if it was a let down? Well it wasn't, being there was one of the most fantastic things I have ever done - a peak experience.

Sue isn't dancing, she's trying to kill one of the thousands of flies. We understood why classic Australian hats had corks dangling from them!

Five go to Uluru!

Yeah - we were VERY happy.

Hey Ho, and away we go, camel riding, camel riding...

Here are the Hunts in desert garb. Don't they look like 'Dora the Explorer'? Harry and Sue are on tiptoes because they're both trying to be the tallest.

On our loooong drive up to Uluru we had plenty of loo breaks (hurrah!) - one of them was at a camel farm. There are lots of wild camels in Australia. They were introduced to carry loads into the Outback. Once replaced by cars and lorries etc., their Afghan drivers set them free. Camels are now exported back to the Middle East.

At the farm there was a chance to have a camel ride.

In the same way young Australians are exported to run bars in England, the Outback is full of young people from all over the world. This camel wrangler was from Sheffield.

Here is Harry post camel ride, wondering if he'll ever have a family.

Alice Springs - For Virginia

Virginia dearest - we had a good look but this was the only interesting post box we found in Australia(at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station).

Alice Springs - Telegraph Station

Europeans first settled in Alice Springs when a repeater station for the Australian Overland Telegraph was built there. It linked Adelaide to Darwin, and then to Great Britain.

Previously, a message and response could take up to six months. Now it could be just an hour. Imagine the impact that made.

The telegraph was soon used for a variety of purposes, from weather reports to gossip!

There were a number of friendly wallabies on the site.

Behind the telegraph station buildings is Alice Springs itself.

Once away from the manicured and irrigated lawns, you can see just how hostile and forbidding the local terrain is.