Leaving Coober Pedy early on a Friday morning, we both felt glad to be moving once again after nearly a full week spent in the area. What felt like a 30Kn tail-wind made the normal parachute effect of the caravan feel more like the downwind spinnaker run on "Wild Oats", as we comfortably cruised northward toward our first rest stop of the day Cadney Homestead.

Being only 150 (wind assisted!) kilometres north we made it in time for an early smoko and a look around. A good balance between a functioning truck stop and tourist attraction I think best describes Cadney Homestead. It has a full kitchen setup serving the usual truck stop fare as well as evening meals and a tourist trinket/gift shop with the usual overpriced "made in China" boomerangs and furry Koalas. There is a caravan park/campground for longer stays as well as pool and bar facilities. However it was the "cuppa and cake" combo and the kid's area that made our short little stop. The whole restaurant/bar area is also full of memorabilia from the early days of exploration and farming right through to the current and past trends in road transport. Being one of the first to pull up in the morning there were many more vans pulled over when we made our way back out to get moving. There had been a very noticeable increase in the number of vans and travellers in general since we had been in Coober Pedy.

We had made plans to do a couple more free overnight stays before reaching our next major destination of Uluru. With this in mind we had picked out a free camp about 40 kays south of the NT/SA border. We noticed a well set up land cruiser ute towing a good looking Retreat caravan (same brand as ours) as we pulled back onto the Stuart H/way. Didn't hurt that it had QLD plates!? After fuelling up in Marla, a large service station with beautiful green grass and a caravan park, and once again rejoining the northern flow of traffic, we came across the Cruiser and Retreat. Striking up a conversation over the UHF (amazing how when you give someone a UHF they instantly become born again truckies!?) and covering the next couple hundred kilometres together we both pulled up at the same rest area. Our new friends were Jim and Del from just outside Boonah, down near Ipswich. Being still pretty early, bout 2.30, it wasn't till one of us mentioned beers that we made a firm decision to stay put for the night.

That arvo was spent collecting firewood and swapping yarns as we enjoyed a couple of frosties. Turns out Jim is an ex truckie. Also turns out that you can find witchetty grubs while knocking over trees for fire wood? You will have to catch us up for news on what happened to that little fella!? We also received another demo of the mouse plague as the sun dipped in the west. Little b*****s everywhere. In the morning, with us wanting to pull over at the border and Jim and Del continuing straight up north, we had a coffee and said our good-byes. We talked about it in the car, with Kylz once again at the wheel of the Silver Bullet, and we had both enjoyed Jim and Del's company and hoped to catch them up again someday in the future. Maybe at Jim's watering hole, the Mount Alford Hotel.

Stopping at the NT/SA border, for the obligatory tourist snap to add to the album, we met another family travelling on an extended holiday. They had four daughters! We thought we had it tough?! Continuing on and after fuelling up in Erldunda we turned west, where the country became vaguely familiar to Kylz and I. We had been this way a few years earlier with a slightly lighter load, and I don't mean the caravan, if you're picking up what I'm putting down!? Kylz made the comment that she did not recognise much of it. While, after having been bush with Kylz many times I was not that surprised, I reminded her that last time we were out here the place was in the grip of a 10 year drought and if they had have been running two goannas back then they would have been hand feeding one of them!? However after the incredible season that saw many drought stricken areas receive more than enough "overdue" rain the place really has been transformed. Its reward for effort that's been a long time coming for the hardworking people that farm this harsh arid land.

Curtain Springs is one working cattle station that has for a long time reached into the tourist market to supplement its income. Providing a roadhouse, restaurant, cabins and free camp sites, it is a busy little place. We pulled up here for a night as the camp sites are free and there is plenty of room. The place also has a resident emu that has free run of the joint. He provided plenty of entertainment as he patrolled around and trashed a few unattended tents, and pretty much did as he pleased. A few bigger kids gave him a bit of a hurry up but it was probably "even stevens" at the end of the day. With an honesty system running to pay for hot showers, in a very clean outback style facility, we decided to adjourn to the bar to make a "donation!?" When you are out this way you don't mind spending a few bucks with the locals. After being slugged nearly $20 for a can of beer, nip of rum and a can of coke I'm pretty sure they are doing alright without my contribution! They can argue distance and location to me all day and night but I did not just get off the boat over here and know a rip off when I see one. The story was worse at Yulara where they tried to slug one poor bloke $140 for a carton of beer, WTF! (that is for you Chelle & Chris).

Curtain Springs however is a top spot to pull up and left us with only about 80km to do the next morning before we could set up in the Yulara caravan park. Having the setup that we do we were given a double site which we were thankful for and had ourselves set up in no time. Another fellow traveller and Queenslander than did us a huge favour by rolling up with a "g'day" and two parks passes with a full two days left on them. Not being able to use them and saving us $50, we slung him six of "Castlemaine's" finest and headed out to the rock. With the bikes on the back of the Patrol the plan was to ride around the base of the rock. There is a path that takes you around and has stopping bays and info areas located along its length. Kylz and I climbed the rock last time and we were both sure we would enjoy the base track just as much, if not more.

Climbing the rock is something I have changed my perspective on in recent times. Seeing the amount of tourist busses and trail of people walking up the chain really seems to devalue the achievement of actually climbing the "Rock" as an Aussie. My opinion only and I'm sure others will feel the same or argue the point. The beauty of living in Australia.

Having the girls on the back of the bikes and spending the arvo riding around Ayres rock in near perfect weather was quite a treat. Pulling over for photos and play racing with the girls were a few of the highlights. They are really easy to wind up for a good battle between whoever is their chosen mount for the day. I must say, with my superior top speed, I am the most sought after peddler, and has led to some fairly loud arguments between the girls. (Yeah right!) The "Rock" has many amazing features when you get up close to it, from wide open caves to craggy type overhangs and ledges. Our favourite are the couple of permanent water holes around its base. The stories that go with these formations interested the girls. However they probably left none the wiser after our humble effort at explaining the stories of the dreamtime, rainbow serpent and the other 40,000 years of history in Australia!? Kylz and I really only went to school to eat our lunch!

The next day saw us up and at 'em early as Charli had pestered us into taking her up to the camel rides. She had not let up about them after she came across a flyer advertising them. Getting there on time and seeing the girls were both still keen we lined them up a quick ride. We found out that these camels and the ones on Cable beach in Broome are owned by the one pair of brothers. The girl at the desk also suggested I get on with them as it easier to hold on to them. No charge extra. Bargain! After a quick lap and then a one on one talk and feeding of the camels there was no shutting Charli up about camels! It is a really well run show and their morning and arvo camel rides are booked solid! The camels look in top condition and the workers are very easy to talk to. This has really been a highlight for both Chelsea and Charli so far. Just ask them!

From the camels it was home for lunch then out to Kata Tjuta, aka; the Olgas, to complete our Ayres Rock adventure. The longest walk in the Olgas is the "Valley of the Winds" 7 km, and we were in two minds as to whether or not it would be too much for the girls. It was after lunch and they had a big morning with the camels so the odds were against them. We decided to tackle it in the same fashion as we had done back at Mount Warning. (Murwillumbah) We would just let the girls set the pace and see how far they wanted to go. The first kilometre is fairly rocky but easy going and after a reasonable decent at the start of the second kilometre, you can understand more and more how the walk and area is called the "Valley of the winds". You wind your way through the dry river bed and up over large stone outcrops, all the while the rest of the massive stone formations tower over the top of you. After making it 2.6km into the walk and reaching lookout number two, where the view is really the best, we decided that by the time the girls manage the reverse trek they will have had enough. Charli had set a cracking pace and as usual had not stopped yapping the whole time either! I am amazed at her ability but constantly remind her that she would save more energy if she gave her gob a rest! Chelsea, being that bit older handles it pretty well for her age, and many of the walkers commented on how well they were doing. So after the trek out, which took a bit of coaxing for the last little bit we had two very tired girls for the 40 kay drive back to Yulara.

We were heading for Kings Canyon the next day and were met with a freezing cold morning which saw frost on most things, including my thongs while I was outside doing my part of the packing up. Its cold mornings like that when I want to swap with Kylz and do the inside! With a pretty easy run through to Kings Creek station, our chosen camp only 32km from the canyon, our early start saw us there and set up ready for lunch and a beer. Kathleen Springs is a small water hole only about 15km from Kings Creek station and was recommended to us as a nice little spot for a look while staying there. We headed there after lunch and enjoyed the short flat walk past old station yards and into a lush little area at the foot of a gorge. The girls really struggled on this short walk and knowing that the "Rim Walk" at Kings Canyon would be our most ambitious effort yet with the girls left us really wondering. Arriving back at camp, and enjoying a cold ale, we met our closest neighbours, Mike and Robyn, travellers (also from North Queensland) who had spent many years in PNG. They then organised us into a game of Bocce or Kerr plunk as it is also known. While not being any kind of experts, Mikes rule that you have to have a drink in your hand to play ensured Kylz and I were in for sure! Both girls also joined in using alot smaller and softer balls though!

Our plan for Kings Canyon was to get there early so we had time to check out the "Rim Walk" and see whether we would be able to tackle it or not. We were prepared with plenty of water and food in case we did get a crack at it and as it turned out we should not have worried. The most confronting part of the walk is the first few hundred metres, which are virtually straight up, and once the girls saw this they were almost unstoppable!? To our surprise they were keen to tackle it, and did and awesome job in getting to the top of a cliff that has seen many people turn around at the bottom! The view from the top is amazing and the walk itself, once up top is relatively easy. Around the halfway point you reach the Garden of Eden. This oasis type area is nestled deep within the steep cliffs of the canyon and is home to palms and ferns that you do not expect to see in that area. After climbing up out of there we stopped for a rest and had our snacks, as the girls were keen on some food. You know what they say about half time being your enemy in a footy game, well it was the same with the girls on this walk. Although they kept on going and made it to the end in pretty good time and quite easily, it was a constant battle for Kylz and I to keep them moving. Once again they got lots of praise from our fellow walkers and after such a big effort, (7km!) they did really deserve it!

Kings Canyon is in real contrast to seeing Ayres rock and the hardest question we have been asked is the "which one is better?" or "is it worth seeing both?". I think the answer really is if you get the chance to see both or just one of them, don't miss it! They are like chalk and cheese really and both have good and bad points. (If you find the bad let me know, other than the price of beer!)

Another afternoon happy hour with our friends Mike and Robyn left us with a very positive impression of the Kings Canyon area, as well as a bit of a glow up!? We only had one overnight stop left to break our drive before we pulled into Alice Springs and got ourselves ready for a couple of weeks in the Red Centre and Australia's premier off-road desert race, The Finke.

P.S. We do enjoy writing this blog and hope all who are reading it are enjoying along with us, don't forget to leave us a bit of feedback or a comment, as it is good to hear from all you guys as well. Peace all!