Gorgeous Gorges and

Gaping Gaps

Hi gang! - ozEkoala reporting in again for the next leg of our trip.  How have you been getting on with the locals in Alice?  Not going on pub crawls and getting into any brawls, I hope!

I'm not falling for the same trap I did last time, and letting you draw me into lengthy discussions about Alice Springs.   I am itching to get to Ayers Rock again and every time I look at the photos I have to show you the itch gets worse!

Now, who's going to climb it with me?   I have to warn you, it's not something for the faint-hearted.  For some seasoned rock climbers it is a casual stroll on a slight incline, but for the average Joe-blow like you and me it is hard yakka.

And I'm not kidding.  It's a good thing we're fit and able-bodied in our imaginations, that's all I can say!

Before we get to that though, I am honour-bound to tell you about some other places on the way there... unless...hmmm ... I've just had a sneaky, but brilliant idea!  Instead of going to the gorgeous gorges, gaps and chasms on the way there, and prolonging the agony, why not shoot straight out to the Rock now!  

OOps... the only problem with that idea is that Ayers Rock is about 440 km... in your lingo, that's 270 miles. Now I can hear Nic saying "That's nothing!" and the way she drives, she's right, so lets get going.  It'll take us about 4 hours. The road is well sealed all the way.  It's a pity to miss all those great places on the way, but we can drop in on the return trip... that is if anyone is still left with me by then.  It is quite possible that once the drawcard of climbing Ayers Rock is used up some of you might lose interest and leave me to it on my own.  But it's a risk I am willing to take.  The Rock is calling...

I've been saving up a little surprise for you, and now it's time to let you know about it...

This is where we diverge from my true story good and proper, 'cause it's so much more fun than the way it really happened!  

Are you ready?

Well hang onto your hats because we're about to take off in a plane and see Ayers Rock from the air!!!  Forget driving for 4 hours, guys, and lets do it in style.  Twenty minutes as the crow flies!

That's what I was organising when I had to leave you suddenly in Alice Springs the other day...

The pieces are coming together now,  and those gaping gaps in the story are starting to make a bit of sense. That's why we had to cut out the stuff on the way here and get moving, so I'm glad none of you made it hard for me by demanding I stick to strict chronological order here.  I know this pilot bloke, you see, and he's taking us up in his little plane for a bird's eye view!  All for free!  You don't have that happen every day, do ya!? Grant's Dad, John, is the pilot, and he's taken some time off from the farm down there at Sanderston in South Australia... "Sanderston?   Where's that?" you say?  Exactly.  That's why Grant's Mum put together a local history last year and named her book just that.  It is a typical farming district where the only distinguishing feature is an old post office that is no longer used, and only the true locals really know that the place exists as a town at all.   We've escaped there for the last two years during the September school holidays to give the girls a taste of rough camping and for some blissful peace... except that last time we were disturbed by some fellow city-ites who decided to bring their trail bikes with them to keep the kids amused... but that's another story...

By the way, I hope no-one is prone to air sickness, or scared of heights or has a fear of flying... hmmm ... I really didn't give it much thought, to tell you the truth... too excited.  Oh well, just use your imaginations and pretend you're not if you are. Hey, what about it?  I'm game if you are...    Here we go.......