Alice Springs.....Uluru......Coober Pedy

Arriving in Alice Springs we knew it was time once again to go deep into the cupboards and  find the Doona's...Not at all happy about that but we have decided to grin and bear it because there will be no getting away from the cold from here on,we are taking the southern run when we leave Uluru so I guess we will be heading right into the cold weather and lots more of it...   

Leaving Matranka the next stop was Tennant Creek where we stayed on a horse farm,very country, but really preferred that to the option of   staying in the township....Tennant Creek is a very sad town and it seems to be in a state of bad repair with lots of buildings and shops left empty and boarded up..... Only one Foodland store in the town where you can get supplies,  and Mick and I were witness to a full on brawl in the supermarket with a couple of females...Not a pretty site thats for sure but i could not help looking...Its not something you see in the city when you are out getting the grocerys,    2  females rolling around on the supermarket floor........
   
   We passed through Devils Marbles on the way to The  Alice and according to aboriginal lore,this is the site where the rainbow serpent laid her eggs...They are pretty big eggs so will post a photo  or two.                                                                                                                         .                                                   Situated  in the heart of Australias Out-back , the Red Centre has at its core the town of Alice Springs....   Alice  Springs is framed by the stunning Mac Donnald ranges and is one of Australia's  most   famous out-back towns....It is also the home to more indigenous art galleries per capita  than anywhere else in Australia... (The galleries seem to be on every corner)   We think Alice  its a pretty town with the ranges  all around it.....The Desert Pea flower is out too ...(very pretty)....Will need to get some photos of that  before we leave, as we missed the wild-flowers in W.A. as we were too early...   ......... Later much later....What we thought was the Desert Pea flower is not the Desert Pea but its still very pretty so i still will post the photos...
       
     What can i say about the wonderful Uluru.....Just love The Rock, I am sure i will bore you all with the photos but we both enjoyed our visit...The day was full on with us driving about 100kl's to Yalura and booking into the van park, next on the agenda was a quick drive to Uluru to catch the 10 am ranger talk...The ranger talk went till 11.30 am and then we started our 11kl walk around the base of the rock...Lunch was next and then a drive 45kl to The Olgars, then back to Uluru to watch the sun set over the rock...Quite amazing how the colours change...Up the next morning at dark to drive to The Rock once again to see sunrise..  Our first look at the rock was before the ranger arrived and at that stage it was closed for the climb....(too windy).....We both thought that we got out of that easy....Then   as we walked  with the ranger he went to a great amount of explanation about the traditional owners  not wanting people to climb the rock as its a sacred site,but....people can make up there own mind....He( the ranger) also stated that 41 people have died climbing the rock and the latest as early as April this year when he was working and he had to help with the body retrieval while the  mans wife watched from the car park....Now  Baggy and I  looked at each other and thought thank god its closed today....After our walk around the base the wind had dropped and by this time the climb was open...We sat and watched the climbers while we had lunch and before you get to the chained part of the climb you need to get down on all fours and crawl because its so steep....I kept hearing the words of the traditional owners and we decided it was all too much for us...(heart attack hill)  A good time was had by all while we were there. ...
   

   Leaving Ulura area we had a hugh amount of miles to cover to head south to Coober Pedy, we took a couple of stop overs before we arrived...Well i think i am still in a state of shock...I never knew about how  this town was set out,.. so it all came as a bit of a surprise...The Coober Pedy locals  (80%) of them  live underground ..Its quite amazing how  it all works so we did a couple of tours to check out the area...We were told that the fresh food only comes to town on a Thursday and we would see most of the town folk on that day as they come up out of there holes that day for supplies, other days they are happy to be in the homes  (dug outs) as the temperature is at a even 20 to 25 all year round....We went to a home that was dug out by 3 ladies,to a hotel, to a church,  to shops, to a opal mine.  I think its all very weird and i also think the towns folk are weird too... (hope i don't offend anyone by saying that)..Those who live above the ground are Greeks,Asians and Aboriginals, as  they do not like to live below the ground...Lots of cultures in Coober Pedy too but they are still weird.....Grubby lot, they don't throw anything away so the yards that are above the ground look like a tip...Old machinery,  mining gear  and scrap metal for miles...
I am going to put up a couple of photos that we are very proud of....It may not look much to all you guys but if you knew how many times we stopped car and caravan and i would sneak back to get that magic shot only  to have these beautiful wedge-tails  fly off on me...They are very shy..We have a bit of a standard joke and yell to each other EAGLE ! EAGLE!..  Now  i have some photos ...


Today after a few days on the road since Coober Pedy we were thrilled to see the rolling green hills of the Flinders Ranges of South Australia.......What a different site that was compared to when we were heading across..It was so dry back in  late  March   ..   Till next time      Love to all  The Baggy
                                                                           

The 3 Ways

The Devils Marbles  N.T.

Statues between Tennant Creek and Alice Springs

Wild-flowers at Alice

Alice Springs look-out

Truck Parade Alice Springs...(Baggy in his glory )

We have a burglar in the house...

The Wonderful Rock

Half way round the base walk

Sunset at Uluru

Sunrise at Uluru

Just love this photo

You don't see this every-day

The house that 3 ladies dug out

I think Baggy misses his job....

Underground Hotel...Coober Pedy

St Peters Church... Coober Pedy

This is Stuarts Desert Pea

Moon Plains...The movie Mad Max was made around here.

Someones home  ( Dug Out)

Space ship from movie Pitch Black...(made at Coober Pedy)

  

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