Australian Outback Adventure - Day 3 - Kings Canyon

Sunday, October 21, 2012 - Spectacular Kings Canyon

In the wee hours of the morning, I felt something small crawling in my ear - ant, spider, not sure as I immediately squished it with my finger.  Ick!  I'll never forget the Start Trek episode when a bug was released in an ear so that it could eat its way to the brain.  

After that little incident, I slept a little more lightly.  The clouds had cleared and I could see the moon and stars for the first time on our trip as I fell back to sleep.  

We awoke to a nearby rustle of crunching sticks.  Was it a camel, a dingo, a crawling snake, what???   I listened a bit more.  I heard it again.  Opening my eyes, the black sky was still twinkling with southern stars.  The rustle continued and then the campfire sparked to life sending an orange glow over the camp.  It was just Dave giving us our 4:00 a.m. wakeup call.  

One lives life on the desert early before the sun bakes the soil and the skin.

We proceeded through our morning routine of eating breakfast, rolling up the swags in the dark, and packing up camp.  We turned in our sleeping bags,  sheets, and pillow case, as this was our last night on this leg of our adventure.  We would return to Alice Springs this evening and have two nights in our hotel with clean sheets, and a refrigerator.  For days now we have been drinking solar heated water from our individual bottles.  It would be a treat to drink water cooler than the ambient temperature of the desert. 

Way Outback  Itinerary for Day 3

A leisurely start to the day before we head off to Watarrka (Kings Canyon) for a mind blowing 6 km walk through the towering walls, crevices and plateaus of Watarrka. We'll visit the Amphitheatre and the Lost City plus a swim in the tranquil "Garden of Eden" if you wish. Later we start making our way back to Alice Springs travelling on a typical outback dirt road. Two nights’ accommodation in Alice Springs is included (hotel room with ensuite). Dinner is at own expense tonight.

• Watarrka (Kings Canyon)   
• Outback Dirt Roads   
• Finke River   
• Jims Place

Question for the day: If  4:00 a.m.  is a "leisurely" wakeup, what would an early wakeup be?   

We did enjoy seeing a desert sunrise as we left camp and headed for Watarrka (Kings Canyon), and the 6 km rim walk.  

We were on the trail by 7:00 a.m.  The views and terrain were spectacular.  The sun was cooperating and the red rocks were on fire....and as it rose in the sky, so were we.  

Here are some of the photos from our hike.

The climb up "heart attack hill" was a challenge, but we were up to it. 

After that everything else seemed relatively benign except for the descent and only because it was so darned hot!  

Up!  Up!

Once on the rim there was a slight breeze.

On our way to the rim

Out Back is Appropriately Named the Red Center

Layers of Ancient Sand Stone

We make it to the top as the blaring sun climbs in the sky!

Flowers and Trees Find a Niche to Grow

On the Edge

Nature's Art  - Genesis of Indigenous Creation "Dream Time" Legends

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Descent into the Garden of Eden

Stunning

The Descent Back

Once we left the rim with the slight breeze, we dropped back down.  The further down we went the hotter it seemed.  I thought I was going to collapse the last kilometer even though I was misting myself, wearing a breathable wide rimmed hat, and drinking lots of water.   My vision was getting cloudy (sunscreen dripping down onto my eyes under my contacts, swarming flies, and relentless sun and heat).  

When we got to the base, I took off my long sleeve shirt and ran it under the faucet and threw it dripping wet over my head. I was really on the verge of sunstroke.  It took over an hour for me to get my body temperature under control.  The wet shirt in the air conditioned bus worked the miracle.

We are on this trip before November which is the beginning of the wet summer season.  Summer seems to be getting to the outback earlier than expected.  After bar-b-quing  burgers back at King station, we took a short cut to Alice Springs on a rutted sand/soil road for two hours of bumpity-bump, rock and roll.  Dave dropped Russ and me off first about 5:30 p.m.  We gathered up our gear and said our goodbyes to everyone incase we did not see them that evening for and end of trip party.

After a swim and a shower, we ended our day with our new travel mates at Annie's place over cold beer and pizza.  And so ends the first leg of our down and dirty Way Outback Adventure.  We will explore Alice Springs on foot tomorrow.