Oscar was hoping to find a McDonalds when we reached the Macdonnell Ranges. He was sadly disappointed! As you can tell, I am finding it hard to fit in time for journal writing. The only chance I get is first thing in the morning before the boys get up but lately the boys have been waking up before me. Oscar’s not very happy with the birds that are so noisy so early in the morning, and neither am I! But there is just so much to do out here. We live in the most spectacularly diverse and stunning country. There are so many spots to explore and experience. Everywhere we go we find people who rave about other places. Places we had not originally planned to visit but then become part of our itinerary. Just as well we don’t have a plan otherwise we’d miss the best bits.
After 5 wonderful nights at Palm Valley we finally pulled ourselves away and headed towards Orminston Gorge, stopping for lunch at Gosse Bluff, a spectacularly huge meteor crater site, which fascinated the boys no end. Ormiston is a really jam packed, ugly, tiny campground but a least it has hot showers and free gas BBQs.
Yesterday we walked into the gorge via the Ghost Gum lookout and the boys had a splash around in the waterhole, annoying the magnificent heron and coumarone who were fishing in it.
After that we drove back to Redbank Gorge and went for a half hour walk, some of which involved climbing over big rocks in the river bed which the boys love doing, to end up at the truly spectacular gorge. It was just awe inspiring. Probably because you couldn’t see it as you approached so it just surprised us with its beauty all of a sudden. The water was freezing but the boys took off their boots and in they went for a splash around to cool off, while Sean and I sat awestruck on the sandy beach and rocky bank. We were the only ones there for about an hour I’d say and just as we were commenting on that fact, a couple of girls appear
ed over the boulders. 2 Victorian’s, of course, escaping the winter. The centre is full of Victorian number plates. Almost everyone we meet is from someplace in Victoria. Anyway, the girls were great to talk to and we ended up chatting till 6pm! They had been working out at Saint Teresa, an aboriginal community, for a couple of weeks and they shared some amazing stories about their time there and up in Arnhem Land. Really positive stories about aboriginal culture and people which was nice. They told us in intricate detail how to cook Roo tails on the campfire and urged us to try it as it was a delicacy! Much to the boys disgust!!! I am definitely keen to try it out though.
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