A short geography lesson. The terrain around Uluru and the Olgas is a flat plain, with the rock, or rocks, jutting out unexpectedly out of nowhere. Further north and east, around Alice Springs, there are mountainous ranges - specifically the MacDonnell Ranges. In fact, Alice Springs sits in the gap between the east and west MacDonnell Ranges. The ranges are a row of rocky hills / mountains which run horizontally from east to west in almost a straight line. The MacDonnells are the largest, but there are several other ranges that run both north and south of them. These were all formed millions of years ago when two tectonic plates came together, raising a line of rocky outcroppings as they intersected. This has softened and weathered over time into grassy hills, but several vertical rock faces can still be seen.

At the western end of the ranges is King's Canyon. This could be reached by a sealed road that headed north off the Lasseter Highway, about 100 kms east of Uluru. From there, there was an unsealed road that joined to the rest of the west MacDonnell Ranges, and through them to Alice. However being 4 wheel drive disabled, we would need to go back down south, east on the Lasseter Highway, then north again on the Stuart Highway to reach Alice.

It was a good 3-400 kms further, but that was our only option.

So, we left Yulara early the next day and headed for King's Canyon. As we were heading back directly east, we were actually quite glad of the thick cloud cover. After a while we turned left and started heading north, and the further north we went the clearer and sunnier it became. By the time we reached King's Canyon it was a glorious day with blue skies and a light breeze.

King's Canyon is a deep crack in the rocky mountain ranges formed by a river over millions of years, and forming a deep valley where softer rock had been undercut in sheer cliff faces. We did a walk called the Rim Walk which involved scrambling up 'steps' barely carved out on the rock faces, almost straight up for over 100 metres. Once at the top, the walk became slightly less challenging being almost level, but still involved clambering up and down over various rocky outcrops. The rock formations had a hint of the Bungle Bungles, but not nearly as large and regular. It was hard work, but the views were magnificent - lots more photos!

As we headed south again towards the Lasseter Highway, the clear blue skies gave way again to the blanket of grey clouds still sitting over Uluru. We stayed in a rest area that night, just 50 kms north of the highway, and were again engulfed in clouds and thunderstorms - but followed by the most glorious sunrise, and a rainbow to boot.

There were three or four other groups at the rest stop, mostly European backpackers. So we got the genny out for the first time and fired up the coffee machine, inviting them all to join us. It was a lovely morning with some great conversations.

We then followed the Lasseter Highway back to the Stuart Highway, then headed north towards Alice Springs. As we drove up we saw many low mountain ranges come up to greet us, then pass us by. There were all sorts of places with interesting names hiding away here, like Rainbow Valley and Finke River Gorge, but all could only be accessed by 4 wheel drive, so were off our agenda.

Eventually we approached the MacDonnell Ranges, and they were larger and more magnificent than all those before. As we entered Alice, there was a turn off to the east MacDonnells on Ross River Road. The name had bad implications, with thoughts of Ross River Virus, so we decided to do the west MacDonnells.

We had a night in Alice in a caravan park. It was now stinking hot, but we had a pool!

The next day we headed east on Larapinta Drive, with several stops at gaps, chasms, and gorges along the way. A gap is when two rocky outcroppings are naturally slightly separated, and often have a small water course running between them. Alice Springs itself is situated in a large gap. Chasms, gorges, and canyons however are formed by rivers, which carve out a passage through the rocks over millions of years.

We stopped at Simpson's Gap, then Handley Chasm, taking about a million pictures of the amazing views. Then a short stop at the ochre pits, where aboriginals collect and grind up the multi-coloured rocks for their paintings. We then went on to Ormiston Gorge, where we got to swim in the natural waterhole there. It was cool and refreshing, and wonderful on a hot afternoon.

The last stop before the sealed road finished was called Glen Helen Gorge, reached via Glen Helen Resort. This was actually an old tin shed in the middle of nowhere, where some other old sheds served as cabins and a dusty open space served as the caravan park. The gorge was a short walk away, but it was smelly and fetid. So glad we swam at Ormiston instead!

GeorgeY's bit

King's Canyon walk looked simple on the map. You start on the left, keep scaling steps up, reach the top edge, then get back on the other side. The first bit was as expected going up and up steps, then up and down and up and down. Each walk is sign posted with a colour coded arrow sign with a number, neat. Still, often you see no clear track or signs so I needed my indigenous tracking nature to select a path for Eva who claimed not having my mountain goat legs. Not sure if it is a good thing to say. Still, near the end I declared on numerous occasions that it will be all down-hill from here, to be found wrong again. They built a wooden bridge to cross from the northern side to the southern side of the Canyon and to save 1.2 meters on its span they placed it half way down the canyon so you go down, cross then, up again. Was the Marquis de Sad commissioned for the design?

The rest area was a great choice over Curtin Springs. It was closer, saving 100km of doubling up and had less insects, much less. We said hello to a Polish couple, a German couple and an Aussie family. Next morning we had coffee and Tim Tams together, then headed out.

Surveyed the whole area and our last stop was the Glen Helen Resort. Tony Abbott should have visited this place and posted pictures of the "Resort" in order to stop the boats. Some refugees might have sent Australia money and supplies to help.