Wednesday 14/7/2010 Docker River to Yulara

(Docker River to Yulara)
There were dingos howling overnight and the temperature again dropped to at least 0 C, with ice on our tents. Off to Yulara today (town near Uluru). With an extra night up our sleeves we've decided to stay in a powered site there for 2 nights to do some jobs (washing, bathing, shopping and diaries).
Driving along the kids were discussing their future career choices with us ...aahh family bonding. Saw more camels. One ran onto the road and jogged along in front of us for a bit.
Missed the turn off to Lasseter's Cave at first as it is only signed as a rest stop.

This viewing sent us off on more history lessons. Jordan and Jack are now keen to read his diary and work out where the reef of gold is. Well they've learnt about ancient maps and offroad exploration and will soon be learning to be cameleers at King's Creek Station. So there is hope!
Lasseter's Cave is amongst a beautiful mountain range overlooking a river bed, so he spent his last days living in beautiful scenery.
This was followed by a history lesson on Giles and Gibson's explorations.
Seeing, galahs, budgies, magpies and crows.

At Kata Tjuta we did the 7.4km hike through the domes. It took 1hr and 50mins at a fast pace (1200hrs-1350hrs).

It was great exercise after so much sitting, and just beautiful. They are huge.
Uluru looked purple and pink as we headed east to it.

All 4 of us climbed it to see spectacular views. Jack was very nervous, but pleased with his accomplishment afterwards. You couldn't get more respect and love for the rock than we had. We passed 2 Aboriginal girls near the top.

Huge day!!! Lots of exertion. Ended up deciding to lash out and have a couple of nights luxury for everyone to recouperate for the next part of our adventures.
5 Star Sails in the Desert.
I feel soooo clean now!

Tuesday 13/7/2010 Len Beadell's Tree to Docker River

(Len Beadell's Tree to Docker River)
Woke at 0600hrs to the sound of birds. The coals were still hot and the fire stoked.
It must have been at least 5C again last night, very mild.
Everyone is in good spirits again.
Jordan and Jack have been having fun taking it in turns to start the car of a morning to warm it up. Left at 0750hrs.

The car has been great. It's handled everything well.
Col had fun with a bumpier, rockier track today. Surprisingly the track between the Gunbarrel and the Heather Highway was even rougher. Nothing too bad though.

Jordan got the surprise of her life when Col offered for her to have a go driving.

She did so well. Drove at 40km/hr changing gears and only stalling once. Great first lesson. Well! What were the chances of a vehicle passing us out here in the middle of the Gibson, and a police car at that! We all happily waved at each other and Jordan continued her driving lesson. :)

The graded section of the Heather Highway is wide and smooth and like a rollercoaster, but the Great Central Road is corrugated before Warburton and needs regrading.

We arrived there at 1100hrs and toured the art gallery. They were in the process of digitally cataloging the entire collection. Bought some music sticks for our Jet minders the Pockrans.

A smooth run from Warburton to Giles Weather Station, 80km/hr, arriving at 1530hrs. We stopped for lunch on the way, saw 3 camels, about 50 burnt out cars and a Swedish pushbike rider who wanted us to tell him where he was.

Had to put our watches forward to 1700hrs at Giles.

Jack spotted a dingo at the station and the kids tried to pat it but it was quite flighty and took off.

Len Beadell's grader is here. The office was open and we had a look around but noone was about.

We were blown away by the fantastic specticle of the sunset on ranges coming in to the NT. Wow!

Setting up camp at Docker River at 1800hrs NT time (1630hrs SA time). There were Aboriginal children playing up on the hill. Jordan wanted to visit them. Jack wouldn't go with her, so I did, but they were called away into a car before we got there. Jack saw another dingo and just suddenly took off chasing it?

Jordan now plans to save up for a car.
Funny, but the river bed is actually about 1km to the east of here.