Navigating these pages

In the following itinerary, there are several columns describing the day. Text within [brackets] in the heading line explains the purpose of the link to the corresponding item.

Day(Cruise)

shows the ordinal number of the day of travel, and in parentheses, the day of the cruise. Note that I number the starting day with 0-origin indexing, whereas travel companies use 1-origin indexing. I do this a) because I am a computer scientist, and b) the "first" day is usually not part of the trip.

Date [Photos]

Clicking on a link in this column will take you to the corresponding photo album page for the day.

Time

All times are local times, with offset from UTC (if known) in parentheses. The 24hr clock is used to avoid am/pms, and the ambiguity that afflicts most people when they refer to midday as 12am! Where a range is given, it shows the hours of travel for the day. This can give anomalous timings when travel across time zones is involved. Where a change of time zone is involved, offsets from UTC are given in parentheses. A single UTC offset indicates the local time for the day, and if multiple UTC offsets are given, these indicate the UTC zones travelled. Calendar dates are always local to the starting time zone, trip days are elapsed night times.

Activity [Blog]

What we did that day. This is usually a link to a later part of the page, describing in more detail what we did that day. Sometimes this is two parts: What they said, and What we did. This is to record what was planned, versus what actually happened.

Locations [Track]

Where we were that day. Where this is a link, it will take you to the track for the day. These are separate html pages. Not all days were tracked, and these days will have no link to open. Sometimes the voyages and walks are shown separately; others are combined.

Accomodation

Just to show we didn't sleep on the streets.

Notes

Bookings, Maps and various Travel Documents. For privacy reasons, these documents are not loaded to the public server.

Steps

as recorded by my FitBit for the day.

Within the diary entries, the date heading is a link to the photo page (as for the itinerary). The day of the week/ordinal number is a link back to the itinerary, and the day's title is a link to the track (as for the itinerary). Where images occur inline, right click the image to see it full scale.

These pages are under construction, and may have anomalous entries. In particular, photos are in the process of being added, and the photo directories may not be fully annotated.

Note that the pages may change over time as I edit in further travel details. Note also that when the document refers to 'John', the author is assumed, unless stated otherwise. Entries in red still require attention. Where an entry is preceded by a © symbol, it means that the entry has not been fully completed.

Items listed under Documents are not publically available. Access to private documents is restricted.

Itinerary

Trip Blog

09 Sep 2026, Wednesday (Day 0) Getting There,

What they said

On arrival, you will be transferred from Ayers Rock Airport to your hotel by AAT Kings. After collecting your luggage, follow the courtesy hotel transfer signs and proceed outside the terminal to board the waiting complimentary AAT Kings coach.

What we did

Woke up before the alarm, which is our usual want. Barb made a cup of tea, while I got dressed and tidied up a few things for the trip. I did try to tread the paper on my iPhone, but it refused to expand to a readable size, so I have that up. It made me decide that perhaps I did want to take the iPad with me after all, since that is at least a tractable size!

We were all ready by 0610, so I started to lug the floppy bags out to the driveway, where I discovered our driver to the airport was already in the driveway! So a quick collection of Barb and the remaining travel items, and we were able to make an early start with our driver Sajid.

He took us a very different route to the airport, explaining that the Monash freeway was closed, due to an accident, so we went via a complicated way that ended up on Riversdale Rd, before dropping down onto the Monash, and from there, the usual way to the airport.

It was our first time via Terminal 4, so we were feeling our way a bit, but soon found ourselves a Soul Origin cafe, where we could have coffee and a bite to eat (not having had time for breakfast). We had plenty of time, as we arrived at the terminal by 7, and the plane was not due to depart until 0850.

Departure was on time, and I am writing this in my iPhone 1 hour into the flight. The flight took 2 hours, 46 minutes and 36.59 seconds. Being in row 3, we were almost first off at Uluṟu, and were immediately treated to glimpses of the famous rock as we climbed into the waiting bus.

First stop was Sails in the Desert, so named because all the main buildings we covered with shade-cloth sails, which made for quite an eye-catching look. Since we near enough to first on the bus, we were also first off, so we got to reception first, which was a win, as there were lots of other people also getting off here, annd it turned out that registering seemed to take much longer than usual. Not that that mattered much anyway, as our room was not ready, so we had to sit and twiddle our thumbs for a bit.

But it was lunch time anyway, so we took up a table at the convenient cafe opposite the registration desk, where we could keep an eye on our waiting bags, and ordered lunch. Barb had a caesar salad and a glass of prosecco, I had a wagyu beef burger and a glass of chardonnay, both of which were a bit ordinary. My thoughts were that Grill'd did better burgers, and the chardonnay, which came from Tumbarumba, would have been better if it had come from the MIA.

This was all followed by much more twiddling of the thumbs, since nothing had happened to the bags in the meantime. In fact nothing happened even by 3pm, so Barb went and asked what was happening. Something happened alright, someone came and took away the bags, but that was all. Half an hour later, Barb asked again, and was told "Oops, sorry!" and we got our keys and a room number.

But not out of the woods. Find the room was a bit of a challenge, partly because not all rooms were mentioned on the first sign that we came to, and when we asked some staff member, they said that our room was in a different block of buildings, "over there", with a general wave of the arm. So finding "over there" was the next challenge. We think we found it, when there was a sign saying "rooms 341-362 ->", so Barb marched off in that general direction, leaving John to mind the backpack, which by this stage was getting a little heavy. Five minutes later came a call on the phone: "I've found it!"

The only thing that I could say in room 230's favour was that it was directly above room 130. Otherwise, following the signs gave very little help. But at least the keys worked, and we could settle ourselves into a room, slightly before 4pm.

One of the things that John wanted to settle was how his lack of laptop was going to work. As stated earlier, the first version of this blog was typed on his iPhone while on the plane, so he was keen to get that text transferred to Barb's laptop, and check that plan to share one laptop was going to work. Not so fast. The thing that he had not taken into consideration was the over-invasve role of passwords in computer lives. Normally, we get somewhat inoculated against this disease by the part played by many pieces of software that remember who you are, and prompt with remembered passwords almost seamlessly. Not so when you are using a different computer which does not remember old, or even recent, passwords. Aided and abetted by the fact that although one has gone to the trouble of setting up a password vault to help remember passwords, the up-to-date copy of that vault has not seen fit to automigrate itself to any new computer that one might use, or even a phone made by the same company that made one's original computer. "iCloud"? "iShit" more accurately.

Much swearing and cursing later, I did manage to dig myself out of the iShithole and get things working. But I resolved never again to leave home without my own trusty(?) laptop.

We had dinner in the Ilkari restaurant, a buffet that offered surprising good selections of vittles. John started with a selection of the various seafoods on offer: oysters natural, green-lipped mussels in a mild chili oil, delightfully cooked calamari strips, and steamed prawns. Barb skipped the oysters, don't know why. We both tried the kangaroo in bush tomato curry with biriyani rice, yum, anf followed that up with a great selection of desserts, lot of small portions of various things, like pannacotta, chocolate fountains, creme brullees, lime tarts, etc.. It was great beng able to try a bit of everything without feeling like one was overindulging, even if one was!

After dinner, early bed. It was a long day.

10 Sep 2026, Thursday (Day 1) Relaxing,

What they said

Let the journey begin! Join your APT Driver-Guide and fellow travellers for a Welcome Dinner this evening - an excellent opportunity to get to know one another and start your journey together. Please meet your Driver-Guide in the foyer of Sails in the Desert at 6:00pm.

What we did

Late breakfast this morning. Much the same buffet format as last night, with lots of small portions, and plenty of choices. We both had a custom made feta, warrigal greens and spinach omelette, well as the usual yogurt, orange juice and french pastries. Barb had a cappuccino, but I settled for the standard filter coffee as it was much the same as a long black, and I did not have to pay extra!

After breakfast, I caught up with this blog, while Barb went for a walk around Yulara (it is not very big!) She took lots of photos, especially of the big rock nearby. Afterwards I joined her at the resort lookout, a sort of wizard's eye at the end of one of the blocks of buildings. Quite a nice view, especially of the rich red soil aroud the place. Then a cup of coffee before a pre-high tea, which was a special Australian Native High Tea. Barb had to work hard to get us booked it, as the web page acted up, and she eventually had to go and ask the wait staff. As it happened, it was fully booked (probably why the web page didn't work), but a helpful waiter by the name of Kevin managed to find another table for us, so we did feel a little but special!

And very special the high tea was too! We had a choice of teas: Aussie Breakkie, Aussie Earl Grey, Minty Green, Red Centre, Desert Sunrise, and Kakadu Sunset. You can read more about these teas at Blak Brews. We settled for Red Centre (John) and Desert Sunrise (Barb). There is a pictorial history of the individual items of which we partook at the photo location above, and all of those items had some gastronomic connexion to the local land, and tasted terrific, but we both agreed that our favourites were the Lemon Myrtle Scones with Whipped Cream and Quandong Jam!

After high tea, we had time for a short relax and a walk over to the Imalung Lookout in the centre of Yulara, before the tour proper started with a meet everyone gathering in the reception foyer. Besides to 20+ tourists, we also met our tour guide, Kirsty Holmgren, a gregarious woman with a penchant for getting people organized. She struck a good initial impression, I have to say.

Then dinner with some of our new found friends at the Ikari Restaurant (as last night), and then retired to bed.

11 Sep 2026, Friday (Day 2) Uluru Sunrise ,

What they said

Begin your day early with an exploration of the base of Uluru before the crowds gather. The cooler morning air provides a pleasant setting, free from the scorching heat of the outback. Walk alongside your Driver-Guide, absorbing stories from the Dreamtime and unravelling the history of this ancient landmark. Following this, visit the Cultural Centre to delve into the traditions of the Anangu people, the rightful custodians of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

In the evening, partake in a special Signature Experience with a Sounds of Silence dinner under the stars. With Uluru visible in the distance, raise a glass of bubbly and indulge in a delectable bush tucker-inspired buffet, complemented by the enchanting sounds of a didgeridoo. As night descends, witness the surroundings of Uluru come alive with thousands of coloured lights extending into the distance. The renowned Field of Light invites you to wander and immerse yourself in its magical ambiance - a surefire highlight of your journey.

What we did

Well, the blurb says "Begin your day early with an exploration of the base of Uluru before the crowds gather", but that was bullshit. There were already huge crowds there before we even got there! So finding a possie from whence to take photos was the first challenge (apart from getting up at 5:00am for a 5:45 start on the bus). Barb and I went separate ways, since Kirsty told us that heading for the lookout platform was a bad option. I did in fact go to the lookout platform and found a spot that was not too bad, but it was difficult to get the whole rock in the photo. Barb went to Kirsty's recommended spot, and claimed that it was OK, but I have not seen her photos yet.

It was a little tedious waiting for the sunrise, timed for 06:46, especially as the lookout platform kept filling up with more people. I turned around at one stage to take a photo of the rising sun, and when I turned back, someone had jumped in the space that I had been leaving so that I could at least get some of the rock in my photo. He did get the message, and moved on before much longer, but not before I took a photo of his face - which annoyed the shit out of his wife, who kept claiming that it was illegal to take photos of people without their permission! To which I retorted that it was immoral to take someone's photo spot without their permission! I think they got the point at that stage.

I have to say that it a bit of an anticlimax, as the sun came up behind some clouds, and there was none of that dramatic reveal as the sunlight burst upon the rock. By 07:00, most people were sated with the spectacle and started dribbling away. Our bus was leaving at 07:10, so I soon followed them, and caught up with Barb as the tracks joined. Back on the bus, there was a general consensus that the whole thing was a bit of a fizzer. Oh well!

Back to the resort for breakfast, this time with Dominic and Sohia from Kidman Park, Adelaide. Swapped stories about life in Adelaide. Straight after breakfast, back on the bus for a trip to the base of Uluru. Our first walk was into the Mustijulu Water Hole, a permanent water source and hence very important to the Aborigines. Also quite beautiful.

The next walk, a bit further on around the base of the rock, was to another water hole at Kantju Gorge. Unfortunately, the path there was a quagmire of thick red mud, which stuck to our shoes and gradually built them into platform soles! In between picking our way through all this mud, we saw some cave art, and special men only and women only caves. Interestingly, one could take photos of the men caves (a few jokes about that name!), but not of the women caves - literally, secret women's business. There was one cave dubbed the "community centre", which was where whole families would gather, and do community cooking, hence the alternate name, the "kitchen cave".

Just as we reached the water hole however, my unsmartphone went flat, so "no photos" was indeed a blanket rule for me. It was also quite a pretty spot, so I hope that the photos that Barb took do come out OK.

Back on the bus, the next stop was the Cultural Centre, where we watched a movie of the political development of Uluru, from the early (and shameful) treatment of the Aboriginal Culture, through to the handover of the ownership of the rock back to the local Aboriginal tribe, the Anangas, in 1975 (Thanks, Gough Whitlam!)

Back on the bus, and back to Yulara and the Geckos restaurant/cafe, where we had lunch. John had gnocci (surprise, surprise), while Barb had a salad. Some beer was also consumed.

The afternoon was free, and Barb went to the indigenous garden walk - but only for four plants before the rain came, and the rest of the walk was called off. John had planned to go to the didgeridoo lessons, but we did not finish lunch in time.

The two of us met up in the bar for a drink, before preparing ourselves for the evening's entertainment - dinner, followed by some sort of light show. The bus was delayed leaving, but it was no matter, and we arrived at the venue (out in the desert) to be presented with champers and canapes, before sitting down to a meal out in the open air.

It was a full 3 course meal - first a very nice soup of carrot and ginger, followed by an immense buffet of multiple salads and meats of all kinds: chicken, beef, kangaroo, barramundi and lamb chops. All excellent, but at this stage of the night, a little challenging to eat because it had become quite dark, and it was difficult to see exactly what one was eating! There were some electronic candles, but that only illuminated where the plates were, not what was on them.

Midway through all this, we were treated to some very interesting didgeridoo playing, even to the point of the played coming up to our table and resting the business end of the 'doo on the table. It reminded me of the bagpipes - very much an outdoor instrument!

Then we had a talk on the night sky, and it was fortunate that by this time most of the clouds had rolled away, and there were stars that he could talk about. I found it quite interesting, because although much of it was stuff I already knew, I did learn to recognize the Scorpio constellation, about which I did know, but never quite learned to recognize.

Then it was time for the light show. Called the "Field of Light", it involved about 5000 glass bulbs, all connected together in bundles, and spread across several hectares of land, so that the effect was of a vast field of luminescent crops of some (perhaps alien) form. Very hard to take photos of, but that did not stop us trying.

By this stage, we all were getting quite cold, and so we headed for the welcoming warmth of the waiting busses. Once all were on board, we headed back to the resort, and started packing, ready for departure tomorrow.

12 Sep 2026, Saturday (Day 3) Kata Tjuta ,

What they said

Enjoy additional time today for an in-depth exploration of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Venture to Kata Tjuta, famously known as the Olgas, covering over 20 square kilometres with its 36 majestic domes. These towering formations, reaching up to 546 meters, create intricate valleys and steep-sided gorges. Kata Tjuta holds significant cultural importance for the Anangu people, and its name translates to "many heads".

This afternoon, leave the national park behind and journey onward to Kings Canyon.

What we did

Finished off a few outstanding items to pack, then breakfast in time for an 08:30 start on the bus, travelling to Kata Tjuta (Olgas) to do a pleasant little stroll called the Valley of the Wind walk. Kirsty draw maps in the sand/gravel to show how Australia got squeezed by tectonic plate shifts, first from both east and west, and then from north and south. First the Pendleton mountain range was squeezed down, then it was squeezed up to become Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Mt Conner, all interesting rock formations sticking out of the surrounding flat landscape, and all in a straight line.

The going was initially smooth, but soon changed to a steep slope of conglomerate rock, which required careful attention to where one put one's feet. Our walking poles proved invaluable in this territory, and allowed us to cover more distant than those in the party without. There were a few benches along the way, which allowed John to catch his breath a little. Barb just kept shooting along.

The walk was along a huge canyon, one side of which was in direct sun, the other a big sandstone cliff of a beautiful rich red, but unfortunately on the shady side. Nevertheless we took lots of pictures! The canyon eventually squeezed together (just like the Australian land mass) into a narrow gorge where the track petered out and we were told "No entry beyond this point". Not that we were motivated to go further, as we had passed Kirsty on the way up, and she had told us that we needed to be heading back.

A few photos, and we set off on the return journey. Given the injunction from Kirsty, we put the poles to work, and zoomed along, overtaking several others of our party on the way. Imagine then our surprise when we got back to the bus to find that we were the first back!

Once all the others were back - some rather later than others - we set off on the next leg to King's Canyon, but not before another pee stop, which fortunately, were lots and near between! Our route took us back to Yulara, then on to King's Canyon. We had a lunch stop at Curtin Springs, where John had a very welcome beer, and enjoyed some home made sausage rolls with chips and salad. It was a brief stop, and we were on our way again by 13:10.

Just before our next comfort stop at the King's Creek Station, we came across a bunch of camels grazing by the side of the road. Kirsty stopped the bus, and we all grabbed thousands of photos of the herd (is that the right collective noun?) of about 15 camels.

Not long after that, we came across a galloping (?) of horses, so more stopping and photographing. Then a short way further, more camels and horses at the King's Creek Station, and the necessary pee stop. Another half hour's driving and we were at the King's Canyon Resort. Time to unpack and settle in before John headed off to the bar. There was some confusion over just what bar we were supposed to meet at, so half the group went one way, and the other half to another bar known dimunuitively as the "little bar". No matter, we had a table full of friends: Rod and Cathy, Mary-Jane and Graeme, Dominic and Sophia, and Kathy and Graeme. (That cant be right, I have muddled up the names somewhere).

Dinner was sort-of OK, but we did end up eating tomorrow night's dinner, with the promise that tonight's would come tomorrow. Given the confusion that surrounded the placing of our orders, I was not surprised, but it did leave some people guessing (Barb included) over exactly what it was that they had ordered.

Barb and I had a bath after dinner, because of the unique bathroom that looked out through a picture window on the local rocks. It was a bit dark, of course, but it did give a bit of a feeling of bathing under the starts. Then bed.

13 Sep 2026, Sunday (Day 4) Kings Kanyon ,

What they said

Explore the heart of Watarrka National Park today, where pristine bushland and captivating red rock canyons offer an extraordinary experience. The Luritja people have called Watarrka National Park home for over 20,000 years. Venture on the Kings Canyon Rim Walk, a challenging hike that takes you around the rim of the canyon's remarkable sandstone walls. Upon reaching the lookout, be captivated by the stunning views of the canyon itself. About halfway along the walk, discover the Garden of Eden, showcasing a waterhole surrounded by riverine vegetation.

This evening, visit the Light Towers by acclaimed British artist, Bruce Munro. Be taken on a captivating and immersive journey. The towers consist of 69 two-metre towers that change colour in response to music emanating from within them.

What we did

Barb was off to an early start this morning, as she was determined to do the King's Canyon Rim Walk. John, suffering as he was from a sore hip after yesterday's exertions, chose to stay behind and catch up on his blog, which he did after joining in breakfast with several other non-walkers.

Barb did display her stubborn streak with Kirsty, who was concerned that Barb would find the going too tough. But Barb commented that when she finished the climb up to the top of the canyon rim (known as Heart Attack Hill!), her heart rate was 130, while Kirsty's was 160! I think she took the opportunity to feel thoroughly vindicated in her decision.

Barb was back at 12:15, feeling very pleased with herself, and headed straight to the shower. She said that the walk itself was excellent, the highlight of which was pausing to sit and admire the so-called Garden of Eden. I look forward to seeing all the photos!

We had pizza for lunch, then set off in the bus for King's Canyon. This was a walk along the base of the canyon, and the track was fairly flat, so no Heart Attack hills this afternoon. It was impressive walking through the very sheer cliffs on either side, including one almost perfectly planar slab with very interesting sedimentation layers. (See the Sheer Cliff)

The place was very busy with other bus loads of people coming and going, including very excited groups of high school age boys and girls, talking at the top of their voices about just about anything but the beautiful scenery through which they were passing! Ah, the enthusiasm of youth!

On return to the resort, we all assembled at the "little bar" this time, for a drink and a chat about the day's sights, for wandering further down the hill to the "Light Towers", another Bruce Munro installation, a bit like the Field of Lights at Uluru, but somewhat more compact. I thought this one showed a little more imagination than Field of Lights, as each tower had more complexity than the light sources at the other installation. Rather a case of swapping quantity for quality?

Back to the resort restaurant for dinner, which was rather disappointing. We had had a choice of main dish from 3 offerings, and I think most people chose the steak option. But the steaks were generally underdone, and unless you liked rare meat, were not to everyone's satisfaction. Even Barb and I, who do generally ask for blue rare, found the meat not particularly tender, which does distract from the enjoyment otherwise offered by eating close to nature!

14 Sep 2026, Monday (Day 5) Gosses Bluff ,

What they said

Departing Kings Canyon, travel along the scenic Mereenie Loop Road, pausing for photo opportunities before continuing to the remarkable Gosses Bluff Crater, where lunch is enjoyed. Arrive in Alice Springs later this afternoon and take a guided tour of this iconic outback town.

What we did

TBC Ormiston Gorge

15 Sep 2026, Tuesday (Day 6) Gaps, Chasms and Gorges ,

What they said

Today, venture to Tjoritja, also known as the West MacDonnell Ranges. Explore Simpsons Gap, a revered scenic area holding spiritual significance for the Arrernte people, with legends of Dreamtime stories echoing through its towering cliffs. This location features a permanent watering hole, offering excellent opportunities for wildlife observation, particularly the Black-Footed Rock-Wallabies.

Continue your journey to Angkerle, where a creek adorned with spring-fed pools attracts a diverse array of unique birdlife. Named Standley Chasm in European terms, it pays homage to Ida Standley, the first school teacher in Alice Springs in 1914. Subsequently, visit Ormiston Gorge to unwind amid the unique flora.

The remaining afternoon is yours to savour at your own pace.

Finish your evening with a special outback Bush BBQ, marking your final night in the outback. Delight in your meal while being entertained with boomerang demonstrations, cattlemen stories, and musical performances.

What we did

bus at 08:30 John Flynn grave Simpsons Gap Standley Chasm (Angkerle) and cafe back to Alice and Anzac Hill Yubu Napa gallery buying Kirsty's 6 bottles of Yellow Glen 17:15 on bus to quarry for evening's entertainment: bush yarns, damper cooking, Ozzie songs, bush band, yummy dinner, plenty grog, then blackout. bus back, farewelled Kirsty, bed.

16 Sep 2026, Wednesday (Day 7) Desert Park ,

What they said

Farewell your fellow travellers in Alice Springs this morning after breakfast.

Your tour concludes at the Crowne Plaza, Alice Springs at 8:00am. You have purchased additional accommodation in Alice Springs.

What we did

To breakfast at the Tali Restaurant, where we joined Dominic and Sophia, and chatted about how synergetic the tour group had been, and how much Kirsty had contributed to that synergy. It was interesting to see how everybody had related to everyone else, and my own experience was that I did actully get to the stage of being able to remember everyone's names, even those without name badges (which, by the end, was almost everyone anyway. I was one of the few wearing a badge, but that did not count, obviously, because I was not likely to forget my own name, was I?) But it was clear that everyone had enjoyed themselves.

There were six of us staying on an extra day, and we had a maxi-taxi booked for 08:30. By the time we had finished breakfast, and saying goodbye to all those departing today, there was barely time to scratch ourselves before jumping in the taxi to go out to the Desert Park.

Desert Park is a blend of botanic gardens, nature reserve, national park, and wild life sanctuary. To quote from their own blurb, "Opening in 1997, the park covers 1,300 hectares of land seven kilometres west of the Alice Springs town centre. With a core area of 54 hectares the park presents and interprets the Australian desert environment and, its inhabitants while contributing to the conservation of Australia's desert flora and fauna." It is quite fascinating to wander the labyrinth of paths, and take in the mix of local plants, landscape, and animals, interspersed with various guide-led tours and talks about the same.

We had elected to head first (for a 09:15 start) for the nocturnal animal house, but were stopped on the way by an indigenous bloke walking one of the dingos. He was quite chatty, and stopped to talk about the dog, who was getting on in years (aren't we all?) but seemed unjaded by the changes in the world around him. He sniffed us all, and decided that we were no threat, so he spent the rest of the time gazing at the surrounding bush, while the bloke finished his chat with us. It was a special moment, I have to say, and brought back memories of our kelpie-heeler cross, who did look very much like a dingo (but did bark).

The nocturnal house is supposedly the largest in Australia/Southern Hemisphere/World, and unlike many other nocturnal houses I have been in, had lots of animals running around and on display. Taking photographs of all this activity was still a little limited, as the supplied level of photons was not at all conducive to getting non-blurry, sharp and properly exposed photos. But we had fun trying!

We had elected to get to the bird display at 10:30, which meant that we had to keep a close eye on the time if we were to make the opening time for that at 10:15. But this was not a problem, as it transpired that our nocturnal house guide was doing the woodlands walk and talk before getting to the bird display amphitheatre, where she was to open the gates. So we elected to walk along with her, listening to the walk and talk, secure in the knowledge that we could not be late for the opening of the amphitheatre gates!

Those of you who have been to these bird displays (and I have been to at least six) will know that they are fiendish things at which to take photos. Either you have people in front who cannot get their fat heads out of the way, or the birds fly too fast or land in impossible spots for photographic purposes, or the camera insists that it wants to do close-ups when you want wide-angle, or vice versa. But I persisted, and ended up with birds out-of-shot with only a wing tip in the frame; or the camera taking movies when I wanted a still, or vce versa; or the bird turned around when I clicked the shutter, so all I got was a bird-bum.

We were treated to displays of bird behaviour encompassing willie wagtails doing their cheeky thing, then a black-breasted buzzard displaying how to crack an emu egg by throwing rocks at it, then the quietness of a barn owl flying around, and picking up the sounds offood being dropped on the other side of the auditorium. The barn owls are beautiful birds, both in stationary and flying modes, and I did manage to get some photos of this one in mid-flight.

Next on the scene was a curlew, known for their very racous calls, and often mistaken for people screaming. It strutted around the amphitheatre like it owned the place, and got appropriate adulation in the form of lots of food being thrown at it, which it proudly stalked over and gobbled up.

Then a Major Mitchell cockatoo with her pink crest and beautiful plumage appeared. Apparently these birds are now called "pink cockatoos", presumably because it has been discovered that Major Mitchell was a naughty boy, and did not deserved such a beautiful bird named after him.

All too soon the display was over, and we decided it was coffee time. So we all (6 of us) trooped over to the cafe and satisfied our caffeine cravings. After an hour or so of chat, the other four left to do other things, while Barb and John stayed on in the cafe to have lunch, Barb a healthy BLAT bun, John a not-so-healthy pair of pancakes with bananas (to make it a bit healthier), and chocolate sauce and cream (to restore the unhealthiness).

Then Barb and John wandered around the park, looking particularly in the bird aviaries, where we found the other four strolling within. Some of the birds were beautiful (red cap robins, for example, and a pair of black red-tailed cockatoos), but they were all quite camera shy.

Our last port of call was the dingo display, where one of the guides (Ann) told us all about dingoes. There was not much that we didn't know all ready, but it was good to hear the missing parts of the story that we all otherwise knew.

After dingoes, we decided it was time to go, and headed off to the gift shop. Upon calling for a taxi, we found it would take 3/4 of an hour to get here, so we took the opportunity to browse the gifties. We each bought ourselves a new T-shirt, which saved having to do any rinsing out of dirty T-shirts. Thinking not just ourselves, we also bought a cute little enamel cup for Tabitha, who likes drinking the top quarter of any soft drink that she opens. In principle, it will mean that the rest of the drink will not be wasted.

The taxi turned up early, and was waiting for us as we walked out of the gift shop 10 minutes before the appointed hour. The driver was not fussed, and said that he had only just arrived. He turned out to be quite a chatty driver, and told us a bit of his life story. He was one of those people who travel around Australia in their car and van, and he said that when he got to Alice Springs, he liked it so much here that he elected to stay. That, he said, was 8 years ago!

We arranged to meet at 17:30 for the six of us to walk to the Golf Clubhouse for dinner. The route involved crossing the golf links, and we did spend an anxious few minutes crossing the danger zone, listening out for shouts of "fore" (of which there was one that we heard), and dodging the scores of golf balls lying on the ground. Rick, who knows these things, said that they were practice balls, and hardly worth collecting, so they tend to get left where they lie.

Time for a drink or two before thinking about eating, but it turned out that that was a bad move, as when Graeme and Rick joined the queue, it was about a dozen people long. And when they got to the penultimate place, it turned out that the person in front was ordering for a full table of about 20! So they were told that there would be a 45 minute wait. This was about 19:15, so it was 20:00 before we settled down to eat. We had all ordered pizzas, and each one was a 12" one, so we realized all too late that we would be overwhelmed by the food! But we did alright, and of the 6 pizzas ordered, there were only 1 and a half left over!

Time to wend our way back, but there was good news and bad news. The good news was that it was dark, and all the golfers had left, so no dodging errant golf balls in the air (but there were still plenty on the ground), and the bad news was that we nearly lost our way in the back blocks of Desert Springs. But Graeme pulled out his smartphone, and navigated a way back to the hotel, where we all, with no extra urging, wandered off to bed.

17 Sep 2026, Thursday (Day 8) Halfway Home ,

What they said

You will be transferred from your hotel to Alice Springs Airport by a representative from Alice Silver Passenger Services. To reconfirm your pick up time, please call Alice Silver Passenger Services on 0477 245 941 the day prior your flight.

What we did

breakfast with Janet, Rick, Kathy and Graeme bus at 09:20, 10 mins early. At airport, discovered we were on standby, something to do with "full flight". 1:52:54.02 flying time At ADL, short stroll across to Atura Hotel, settled in. Rang Jan, she and Anne arrived soon after, and we went to the Grand at Glenelg for a drink. Then to Community Garden at Marino, then Somerton Park to see Anne and Jan's new house. Talked non-stop. dinner at 6, talked more until 9, then J and A drove us back to Atura and bed.

18 Sep 2026, Friday (Day 9) Happy Hursts Home Happening,

What they said

(No itinerary)

What we did

breakfast in hotel, John had salmon bagel, Barb had ? wandered over to airport around 9, bought another coffee boarding at 10:15, depart bit after 10:30 1:16:39.84 flying time limo waiting at MEL, uneventful trip back to Fran download photos, not much else

References

None. What do you think this is, a PhD dissertation?

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