Alarm. 4.45.

Groan.

So we're sharing a 4 bed mixed dorm, and hilariously enough, the South Korean couple in our room also wish to make the same sunrise spot at the Olgas, some 40 mins drive away.

This makes the morning quite easy actually. As when the alarm sounds it's light on, let's get on with it.

Still groan.

We jump in the car. Pitch black it is. Today we're starting extra early as yesterday's sunrise was a little disappointing. Was already too bright when we arrived, and there were throngs of people. Today we're going to make amends.

Some 50km later, we're the first onto the dune viewing platform. The FIRST! We duly take photos from the prime position (with decidedly UNprime cameras) and enjoy the dual view of both Ularu and the Olgas. It's simply wonderful (if not a bit cold!!)

As planned, we then drive onwards into the Olgas in order to walk the short 'easy' hike nicknamed the 'Valley of the Winds.' Despite being quite tricky underfoot - quite possibly the most challenging terrain we've encountered - we make it in good time. In all honesty however, the view was underwhelming (Ularu is better up close) but it was very windy! Extraordinarily so. Can see why it's called Valley of the Winds!

Fortunately, as we were so early we had the whole place to ourselves, batting just 3 other hikers, and of course THE FLIES. And we were especially smug for as the moment we started walking back, 3 large bus loads of people turned up. PHEW! We again felt content about our hiring a car.

Alice drives us back to Yulara where enjoy a breakfast panini / croissant from the Kulata Academy Cafe and have an unexpected deep discussion prompted by a story in the local NT paper. Cotton On (an Australian high street fashion retailer), had been criticised for selling a globe that had no Israel on it. Just Palestine. Is this discriminatory? Discuss!

Conscious now of time, we end our discussion to pack the last bits and bobs and check out.

We fill up with fuel... Paying around 1.70 per litre!! Our previous high was 1.30 odd! Considering all other foodstuffs had been a reasonable price (i.e. Beer... And beer is VERY heavy and expensive to haul), we feel rightly ripped off by Mr. Shell.

Anyway, we return Sir Mitsy back to Thrifty hire cars, some 301 km worse to the wear. A good effort considering we were simply visiting some large rock formations.

The airport portion of the day should have been straight forward. But it wasn't. No sir-ee.

Firstly, Brendan (not for the first time) was deemed suspicious by the security staff. We weren't particularly surprised... Since Cairns he's carted around all our BBQ utensils for us. Indeed, he's successfully carried these metal objects on 4 domestic flights. Top banana. But not today, oh boy.

First to fall foul was the metal perforation strip on our cling film dispenser. I kid you not. I admit, this one was quite sharp as perforation strips go. Indeed, I have frequently endured grazing myself whilst reaching into Brendan. But were they seriously suggesting we were going to take the plane hostage by grazing cabin crew to near bloody deaths by minor lacerations to their flailing, terrorised arms?

Anyway, we took this one in good faith. Amusing if you will.

Brendan was scanned again. Another fail.



The second fail was more acceptable. Our cheap spatula had very sharp points to it. Fine.

Brendan scanned for the third time. Fail.

So this time, it was the BBQ cleaning utensil. Again, it had pointy metal edges to it. But this time the man who was instructed with discovering our offending objects was finding it harder to justify the X-ray security persons clear prejudice against BBQ utensils. He tried to lighten our mood. He failed. And the woman behind us in the queue joked they were going to use our stuff for a barbie later. We didn't laugh.

Brendan scanned for a fourth time. Another fail.

The chap searching our bags was now a little embarrassed. He has had already been through Brendan 3 times, so went over to the jobsworth X-ray woman to see what on earth could now be the problem.

It was our BBQ tongs. I kid you not.

Before he came back over to us, the man, you could make out from afar, was asking how on earth tongs could be classed as a weapon.

Duly enough, the woman intimated to him, and to us, that apparently... If you rip a pair of tongs apart, they become pointy metal sticks. This is just not acceptable as, liberated from their banal and meaningless existence as BBQ tongs, armed with a pair of pointy metal sticks, we would clearly now have the potential of causing a mid air flight incident. A frightful thought.

A fifth scan for Brendan. Passed.

...never liked carrying around that stuff anyway.

Alice on the other hand, was well into the frame of mind we call 'red mist'. And this was precisely the moment the man at the end of the security line asked if he could conduct a random explosives trace test on her bag. Brave move, young man.

Dazed by this carry on, we wait an hour or so before boarding our flight. Unfortunately, Alex manages to leave the iPad charging in the departure lounge, only realising this once we had boarded the plane. Thankfully, the Jetstar crew went back inside and rescued it for is. PHEW! This is only the second time Alex has tried to lose the iPad. Must try harder!

Arriving in Sydney, we travel by trains to Stacey and Jaypee's in Carlton. They've been kind enough to put us up for another 3 nights.

We then take up Stacey's offer of dinner by following her and her friend Sarah to Darling Harbour. Here, there is a Chinese New Year food festival, and we enjoy the foodies, wine and atmosphere.

She then drives us home and it's time for bed. Long day!

AF