An Alphabetical Stroll Through Bali and Australia-Z is for: Zig-zagging Through the Daintree Rainforest (3/22)

[zanzibar138]

He was speeding super fast down the highway and sadly, at some point about halfway, he hit some animal.

Oh, not a good start Unfortunately it's very common in Tassie, but sounds like it probably could have been avoided on this occasion.

My only consolation and sweet satisfaction was that once again we both skated past the gate agents without being made to pay for or check our carry-on bags.

Well at least you got that.

To be fair, I do love me an Aussie meat pie and these were decent. (I’m now an official meat pie expert and connoisseur.)

They actually did look like decent meat pies too.

I had been warned about the rough nature of Alice Springs by other visitors and I will talk more about this in another chapter.

Unfortunately it really has a reputation now. Mum and Dad went last year on a caravan tour of Australia and came back with stories about the camping compounds being surrounded by razor wire.

About 2 hours into the flight, I started to be thoroughly intrigued with what I was seeing below.

Great aerial shots!

They call it “naked traveling” now

Haha did not know that.

These small fly-sized aggressors would be a constant threat for the following 4 days – there was no escape. However, we were prepared for their onslaught and armed with counter measures that we’d deploy soon…

Ugh, the flies

We’d been warned by the staff to ONLY park the car in their guarded lot or in front of the police station. This made me incredibly nervous about having a rental.

Yes, I hadn't thought about that from the perspective of having a rental!

In all however, we only spent about 2 ½ hours there, not for a lack of things to see and do, but because Alice Springs can dish up a hearty helping of inferno-hot weather.

It's a super dry heat. Like you're literally being cooked in an oven. We get a taste of it sometimes in Perth, like the other day when it was 111°.

So, if weird (to most N. Americans) birds intrigue you even a little here is a montage of Aussie birds:

Most of those birds are weird even to me lol! Any type of wren are super cute, but I also like the finches.

This next guy turned out to be a bona fide bootyhole. We really needed a drink of water but turns out this is a private perch for his majesty.

What a jerk. We had a similar experience at Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria once.

The museum has several talks and shows throughout the day, and we decided to sit in on a short lecture on Aboriginal foods and methods of cooking.

We learned about bush tucker in primary school. Basically the only thing children of that age take notice of is witchetty grubs.

Anara and I were making our way along one of the trails, trying not to spontaneously combust in the scorching heat, when I spied a very long lizard basking on a dead piece of wood straight ahead of us.

Ooh he's a beauty!

The animals in the indoor exhibits were very foreign to me and it was fun seeing so many new-to-me critters.

Now those ones look pretty normal to me lol!

My snickering turned instantly to terror-filled shrieking when they suddenly changed course and literally headed STRAIGHT FOR ME!!! Like right. at. me. I froze while they, unaware of my very existence probably, raced right between my legs. I $h!t you not; they zoomed right through and past me leaving Anara practically wetting herself laughing. It took me a solid minute or so to realize I was not going to have my face eaten off by two fighting, meter-long lizards in the outback of Australia and I’d live another day to be tormented by the black flies that very well might have driven me to death by insanity. I was wrong, Australian Outback lizards are ferocious monsters whose very existence is to instill nightmares in human prey.

I actually think that would startle anyone - I'd certainly be a bit taken aback!

So, we did what any common tourists would do; we headed straight for McDonalds.

I didn't realise they had Maccas in the Alice, but I suppose I should have realised. Good thing for you guys though!

The town was utterly deserted. Like completely. There was not one soul in sight for as far as the eye could see at 9:00.

That's pretty normal outside of major cities in Australia

 

[Steppesister]

The quilt is beautiful.

There was so much fine detail on it. It was really a work of art!

I like the bird pictures. The birds are much more colorful than most of the birds around here.

They seemed to be so much more bright and flamboyant than most birds around here. At least in my neck of the woods. Our most brilliant birds are the cardinal, the blue jay, I guess that's about it. LOL!

The thorny devil is very scary looking.

It really is! I would NOT want to run into one as a close encounter. EEK!

Wow! I would have had nightmares after this incident.

It was just to fast and so random. I mean the odds of them being able to go RIGHT between my legs! Crazy!

I've heard that flies CAN drive a person insane.

Of this is now have no doubt! They were awful the entire time in the area!

Gorgeous pictures!!

Thanks!!

 

[Steppesister]

Shuts down laptop... walks away...


Oh, fine. I'll read along anyway.

Awww, you're sticking around!

Too early! Inhuman!
Betting Anara was not a fan.

No, definitely not!

Assuming since you didn't have an accident that it was something fairly small.

I'm sure it was, but still made a thud. Made me very sad and I really hoped it wasn't a quoll or Devil.

Really? When the flight is at 5:10? That seems very late.

I thought so too, the airport is super tiny so

I'm with security on this one. For all I know, you might've trimmed a cuticle on an unsuspecting victim.

Yes, a very

I can tell that you've gotten over this. Completely.

Oh totally. <shoots a stink eye Westward>

I did a double take at that... And then Googled the flight time...

I forget just how big Australia is.

It's HUGE!!! There is no way to drive from major city to city on even a 2-week trip.

That is cool! I have no idea what those canister looking things could be. And the emergency escape is quite the thing!

Yeah, a design I've not seen before. So odd!

I believe you. For future meat pie tests, I will come to you.

<Meat Pie Snob> :

Get his number?

Heh, uh, no.

I'd heard about that. But seeing it for yourself must've been something else.

It honestly was like being on a different planet. I"ve seen red landscapes before, like in Eastern Oregon, but not to this extent.

So... I had to do some research. I was sure you were wrong and had actually posted Sydney, not Alice Springs. I saw that A380 and thought "There's no way that can land there."

And I was almost right. You can land an A380 (and a B747) at Alice Springs. You just can't take off from there... if you're fully loaded. Must be quite the sight to see, especially on a hot day. Actually... I'm betting they simply don't take off in the heat of a summer day. (Morning or evening)

I actually did do some research on this airport before I posted this chapter as well and found the same information. BIG planes come and go from here, but as suspected none go out full. Products come in but not much goes out. And yes, I'd also thought about the hot climate and the additional reason for needing a super long runway. I'd imagine they gotta get out before sunup or late at night. The airport is a ways out of town which makes noise abatement measures a bit of a moot point and yeah.... that'd be quite something to see! Big planes at a bitty field!

Interesting that they accommodate wide-bodies, but only have mobile stairs.

I did wonder how they unload the incoming cargo. Maybe raisable conveyors? No idea.

You're trend setters!

That's US!!! LOL!

I don't know much about quilting, but that looks pretty impressive.

The detailing was quite something. The patience required must've been quite something.

I first read this and thought you meant by people. I thought "Wow! She wasn't kidding about Alice Springs being rough!"

Hah!!! But... I did forget to mention:

While we were at the Maccas (as Zanzibar called it) they had to ask several loitering Aboriginals to leave as they were becoming a bit squirely. Kinda arguing with staff, looking in the trashcans, etc... It's such an odd place!

Holy crap...

Yeah...

So what did the temp get up to? Did you find out?

I didn't. But when we got out to the Uluru area I did take a photo of the temp on the car dash. It was like 103 at 10:00 AM.

I won't quote every picture, but I looked at them all. I think my fave was the Dusky Grasswren followed by the bustard.

The bustard was like something I'd never seen before. Such strange features.

Whoa! Looks like he'd poke your eye out without a second thought.

Yeah, after a 2nd hiss and ZERO signs of moving off the fountain we moved on... cautiously.

Interesting. At least sounds it, to me.

It was! We both learned a lot during this short presentation.

What the heck is going on here?!?!?!?

It's a picture of a baby in a bed made from bark and lined with some sort of grass, but the lady put a rock on top of the photo which makes it look hilarious. Just a funny optical illusion here.

This just screams aussie to me. "Whacked into a pressure cooker"???

I'm no Aussie-dialect expert, but it does kind of approximate my perception of something that'd come from there.

Or your perspiration was turning into steam.

I'm thinking it was!

Ah! So Mickie Dee's was just a stopgap until you could get some real food.

Yep, a perfect something to just tide us over until a bigger meal later that night.

That's... eerie.

It really was. And maybe the reputation of it being a crime-ridden/rough place made it even more creepy. Like... the calm before the storm.

 

[Steppesister]

Oh, not a good start Unfortunately it's very common in Tassie, but sounds like it probably could have been avoided on this occasion.

I was so, so, soooo careful to go slow and NOT hit anything. I'm sure locals can't do that- they've gotta get to places, but this guy was clearly speeding WAY too fast and it totally could have been avoided for sure. Was hoping it wasn't the endangered Devil.

Well at least you got that.

In all I only pain once.

They actually did look like decent meat pies too.

I ate them both.

Unfortunately it really has a reputation now. Mum and Dad went last year on a caravan tour of Australia and came back with stories about the camping compounds being surrounded by razor wire.

So sad.

I didn't write about the folks getting escorted out of Maccas. They were generally loitering, looking into the trashcans, and being loud. And there were other instances too that I'll write about in another chapter.

Great aerial shots!

Thanks! It was so fun to see it change as we went west.

Ugh, the flies

They were SO HORRIBLE!!!!

Yes, I hadn't thought about that from the perspective of having a rental!

EEK! I did worry about it quite a lot.

It's a super dry heat. Like you're literally being cooked in an oven. We get a taste of it sometimes in Perth, like the other day when it was 111°.

Yes! It's much like the climate in Tucson where I have spent my winters the last few years. Come May, it's uninhabitable, at least in an RV with limited insulation and AC. Dry. And so hot it literally hurts your nose when you breathe in.

Most of those birds are weird even to me lol! Any type of wren are super cute, but I also like the finches.

They are so colorful and have such odd shapes some of them. LOVE IT!

What a jerk. We had a similar experience at Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria once.

It's so weird that they'd even let that happen. I guess I'd have had the fountain moved to outside of the enclosure myself.

We learned about bush tucker in primary school. Basically the only thing children of that age take notice of is witchetty grubs.

We learned a LOT more at the visitors centers in Yulara. Absolutely fascinating! Witchetty grubs came up a lot in the film.

Now those ones look pretty normal to me lol!

HAHA! I do wonder what critters in OUR area would look weird to YOU? I have heard squirrels are strange to Aussies? Yes?

I actually think that would startle anyone - I'd certainly be a bit taken aback!

I was so shocked! I mean how could they, without even realizing it, aim for and actually GO right between my legs. Crazy!

I didn't realise they had Maccas in the Alice, but I suppose I should have realised. Good thing for you guys though!

It hit the spot for what we needed at the time. Seems like when we travel together we end up at one about every 7-10 days.

That's pretty normal outside of major cities in Australia

Yeah, I honestly didn't know if it was because it was A.S. or more a widespread cultural thing. We did see that on Tassie too with things closing up early. Hmm, now that I think of it, KI too. That winery closed at like 5:00!!! Say WHAT? Most of ours around here close later because they serve dinner.

 

[pkondz]

I'm sure it was, but still made a thud. Made me very sad and I really hoped it wasn't a quoll or Devil.

I guess they treat the smaller critters like we treat squirrels. I mean... you don't want to hit a squirrel, but if it's unavoidable and you do...

Yes, a very

You spelled "aviary" wrong.

Oh totally. <shoots a stink eye Westward>

<Meat Pie Snob> :

Heh, uh, no.

Opportunity lost. No private tour for you!

I did wonder how they unload the incoming cargo. Maybe raisable conveyors? No idea.

If things are on pallets... forklift?

While we were at the Maccas (as Zanzibar called it)

they had to ask several loitering Aboriginals to leave as they were becoming a bit squirely. Kinda arguing with staff, looking in the trashcans, etc... It's such an odd place!

Really! Huh!

It was like 103 at 10:00 AM.

The bustard was like something I'd never seen before. Such strange features.

It's like a child's drawing of what a bird looks like.

It's a picture of a baby in a bed made from bark and lined with some sort of grass, but the lady put a rock on top of the photo which makes it look hilarious. Just a funny optical illusion here.

I could see the rock was just a paperweight, but... I was like "Is that its... coffin?? Or... no... she wouldn't post that, would she? Maybe it's a bath."

It really was. And maybe the reputation of it being a crime-ridden/rough place made it even more creepy. Like... the calm before the storm.

I had that same thought.

 

[zanzibar138]

I didn't write about the folks getting escorted out of Maccas. They were generally loitering, looking into the trashcans, and being loud. And there were other instances too that I'll write about in another chapter.

It's much like the climate in Tucson where I have spent my winters the last few years. Come May, it's uninhabitable, at least in an RV with limited insulation and AC. Dry. And so hot it literally hurts your nose when you breathe in.

Ooh I've always wanted to get to Tucson! Love the Saguaro cacti!

Yes, the heat hurting your nose!

I guess I'd have had the fountain moved to outside of the enclosure myself.

But why would one use such common sense?

I do wonder what critters in OUR area would look weird to YOU? I have heard squirrels are strange to Aussies? Yes?

Haha I am like Dug when it comes to squirrels. I'll be mid-sentence and suddenly be all 'OMG there's a SQUIRREL!!!', and stop what I'm doing to take a million photos. Seeing squirrels might be my favourite thing about visiting the US

I was so shocked! I mean how could they, without even realizing it, aim for and actually GO right between my legs. Crazy!

Yeah, I've never heard of that happening before lol!

It hit the spot for what we needed at the time. Seems like when we travel together we end up at one about every 7-10 days.

Absolutely nothing wrong with the occasional cheeky Macca's run when travelling. Sometimes it's nice to not have to think too hard about what to eat and just have something familiar.

Yeah, I honestly didn't know if it was because it was A.S. or more a widespread cultural thing. We did see that on Tassie too with things closing up early. Hmm, now that I think of it, KI too. That winery closed at like 5:00!!! Say WHAT? Most of ours around here close later because they serve dinner.

Most of our wineries just do lunch, but there are a few in the major areas that also do dinner. A lot also just do functions in the evenings.

In Perth, it was only a few years ago that our grocery stores were allowed to open from 11am-5pm on Sundays and stay open until 9pm weeknights other than Thursdays (which has always been late night trading). Other stores (clothing etc) open on Sundays now, but most still close at 5pm every night other than Thursdays. The local independent grocery stores have a little more freedom, but there's really not much open after 9pm other than fast food, 7 Elevens and some petrol stations. Most restaurants are pretty much done by 9pm too.

 

[Steppesister]

P is for: Pressing On Further Into the Outback Proper!​

The hostel ended up being quite nice as hostels go. Getting a bit ahead of myself in order to compare, the one in Alice Springs had a definite "adventure traveler" vibe whereas the one in Cairns was geared towards the “I’m in my 20s and I need to drink til I puke” vibe. The folks at this hostel were a lot quieter and almost all of them were in bed early because, like us, they were up early to get to Uluru or catching flights out of the area.

Given that the girls in our room were a bit older and also had early morning agendas, we got to sleep at a decent hour and weren’t interrupted by late night entries. It didn’t hurt that I also took an Ambien and slept well. That didn’t stop me from having to go out to the bathroom, but it wasn’t me that did that first, so when I did, I didn’t feel quite so badly about any noise. We were up at 7:00, showered, and in the kitchen by 7:45. As I mentioned in the previous chapter, putting a free sign on any food you’ve got leftover and want to give away is very common. In fact, a couple of the hostels had pre-printed labels both for labeling your OWN food with your room number and departure date and give-away stuff with the date so it gets cleared out in a timely manner by the hostel staff.

​

Neither of us was hungry that early, but we did find enough stuff in the fridge to make some tuna sandwiches with some fresh broccoli and dip. I did make some coffee to sip before we headed out and we tried to call home to let everyone know we were having a nice time, but no one answered.

While Anara finished getting ready, I walked to the police station to get our car, and we were on the road by 8:15 or so for our 5+-hour drive through the middle of the true Outback. (At least that’s what Google says. This is compared to “The Bush” which are the lusher areas along the coasts. Am I right @Zanzibar ?) Between Alice and Yulara there is a whole lotta nuthin’! However, in between the “nuthin’s” there are a few points of interest. Let’s adventure, shall we?

**Edited to add: It may very well seem to most there is "nothing" in the desert, if you really dig deeper, there is much beauty there and things are very much alive. There is a lot more diversity in flora and fauna than easily meets the eye. The same is true for the Desert SW in Arizona- a place I've become passionately in love with over the seasons I've lived there the past few years.

Random scenery between Alice Springs and Stuart's:

​

Our first stop was in the small hamlet, well only a little rest stop actually, of Stuart’s Well Roadhouse. We bought some chips and a drink and took interest in the local avian residents after using the restroom. If one is inclined, this a fairly nice place to camp with some great amenities like swimming pools, a restaurant, bar, hiking trails, etc…

​

Authentic culture:

​

We didn’t linger longer than we needed to stretch our legs for a bit then moved on. One thing that struck us was how little roadkill there was compared to the other 2 areas of Australia we'd visited. There was virtually none except for a particularly disturbing one a bit later in the day...

The next stop was in Ghan, another small roadside stop for travelers with a bit more of a touristy feel to it. There is a motel here as well, but also a much larger gift shop with lots of sundries that a traveler might need including the most important item one could possibly have in this neck of the Outback- the Fly Hat. I bought and brought my own after heeding the warnings of fellow travelers who’d gone before us; Anara did not and guess what she ponied up a precious price for? (I did try to talk her into getting one before she left.)

Random scenery between Stuart's and Ghan:



​

There were quite a few people who’d stopped here as well who were on tour groups in buses. All of us could not help ourselves but be fascinated by the road trains. They so perfectly represent all that I'd pictured of something unique to the Australian Outback- behemoth trucks, MUCH larger and longer than anything we normally see here in the US, transporting goods to places where everything has to be brought in. I found it a bit comical to find myself joining the crowd taking photos of the couple that were parked in front of the Erldunda Desert Road Park. It was equally silly to take photos of the grasshopper and bird in the bathroom, but here we are- taking all the “new” in.

(Yellow-throated miner bird)
​

At Ghan we turned due west and knew there’d be no more “civilization” before Yulara, the “base camp” for all things Uluru and Kata Tjuta. There was semi-civilization though. We came across a picnic area and free campground that was perfect for spreading out our lunch. Well, it would have been perfect, but the flies had other ideas. Clearly, this was THEIR territory, and humans could either co-exist with them all over their faces and food or just… not be there. We chose to not co-exist whilst trying to eat and retreated to the car for our repast. We had to keep it running though because it was approximately one billion degrees outside and one trillion degrees inside without the AC on. I exaggerate, but not much.

​

We also took an interest in the odd phenomenon of the burned out cars randomly spaced along the journey. I was intrigued at this and did a little research. It's just far too expensive to tow a car out if it breaks down and the heat and otherwise harsh climate makes breakdowns more likely. Fuel is sold at extortionist prices and the distance between pumps is a very, very long way. Sometimes dangerously so. It's just easier at times to abandon the vehicles altogether and I actually found some articles saying that many Outbackers want the cars to just stay rather than foot the bill forgetting them removed. I also asked about this at our next Airbnb when we got back to Alice and that hostess told me that the Aboriginal kids set them on fire for fun. I really have no way to know for sure, but that also seems plausible. Some are pilfered for parts and others have even turned into art canvases for legit art projects. Anyway, just some thoughts on local phenomenon we thought was odd, but understandable.

(We saw no less than a dozen of these carcasses.) ​

Our next point of interest was here. We were sooooo excited to finally get our first glimpse of Uluru, formerly known as Ayers Rock. Except it was not. This was the ultimate fake out which fooled us all the way into Yulara. This was not indeed Uluru, but Mt. Conner- one of three sacred monoliths near the town of Yulara. A couple of tour buses were also parked there for folks to take photos. These formations truly are quite impressive and neat to see off in the distance. Their silhouettes create landmarks that are hard to miss making it easy to understand how First Peoples would use them for worship, shelter, and sanctuary.

(I played around with different foregrounds just for fun.)

Random scenery between Mt. Connor Viewpoint and Yulara:




(They don't get old)​

Finally, right about 2:00 (with stops it took a bit over 6 hours) we pulled into the hostel we’d be at for the next 2 nights in Yulara- base camp for all things Uluru and Kate Tjuta. While there are several luxury hotels for hundreds of dollars a night there, we went with the budget option and stayed at the Pioneer Outback Lodge for $23/night pp for bunks in a 20-bed all female dorm. What we saved would pay for the gas for the rental. Yes, it cost me over $100 to fill the tank both times I did. We got top bunks again which was fine and got our stuff stashed and locked away in the provided cupboards. Anara had researched staying in hostels quite a bit more than I had and came prepared with small locks for us to use.

You can find more info here:

https://www.ayersrockresort.com.au/accommodation/outback-lodge

I was antsy to explore and had looked at several hikes that I wanted to do in the National Park. I started with a super-duper short on the Pioneer Overlook Trail right there at the Outback Lodge/Hostel. It was just a super short walk up a little hill for views of Uluru and Kata Tjuta, the other, lesser famous rock, but IMHO even more impressive and scenic.

From my short walk before my bigger walks:

(So many varieties of Eucalyptus!)

​

Anara didn’t want to really do that; admittedly, it was quite hot and we’d had a packed schedule for days and days. But I knew that the chances of me ever seeing this part of the world again are about 0% so off I went to see what I could….

 

[Steppesister]

You spelled "aviary" wrong.

Opportunity lost. No private tour for you!

He was working....

If things are on pallets... forklift?

I think it shall always be a mystery. But that's a pretty good guess I think.

It's like a child's drawing of what a bird looks like.

I ran across an Insty the other day of a series of "If a child drew..." things. Cars, birds, people.... Hilarious!

I could see the rock was just a paperweight, but... I was like "Is that its... coffin?? Or... no... she wouldn't post that, would she? Maybe it's a bath."

Nope, just a baby in a bed. Awwww....

 

[Steppesister]

Ooh I've always wanted to get to Tucson! Love the Saguaro cacti!

Yes, the heat hurting your nose!

This is my backyard where I live when I'm in Tucson. I adore my "other home".

But why would one use such common sense?

That's becoming more and more UNcommon.

Haha I am like Dug when it comes to squirrels. I'll be mid-sentence and suddenly be all 'OMG there's a SQUIRREL!!!', and stop what I'm doing to take a million photos. Seeing squirrels might be my favourite thing about visiting the US

LOL!! We almost always have a dead squirrel or rabbit in our neighborhood that's been run over. That's hilarious it's be those.

Yeah, I've never heard of that happening before lol!

Definitely a defining moment of the trip!

Absolutely nothing wrong with the occasional cheeky Macca's run when travelling. Sometimes it's nice to not have to think too hard about what to eat and just have something familiar.

We had to go again in the airport on the way home. It's easy and predictable.

Most of our wineries just do lunch, but there are a few in the major areas that also do dinner. A lot also just do functions in the evenings.

In Perth, it was only a few years ago that our grocery stores were allowed to open from 11am-5pm on Sundays and stay open until 9pm weeknights other than Thursdays (which has always been late night trading). Other stores (clothing etc) open on Sundays now, but most still close at 5pm every night other than Thursdays. The local independent grocery stores have a little more freedom, but there's really not much open after 9pm other than fast food, 7 Elevens and some petrol stations. Most restaurants are pretty much done by 9pm too.

Definitely a difference in culture there!! Maybe just not enough foot traffic to justify the extra hours.

 

[Paulaparm]

Absolutely stunning!!
Your backyard looks amazing too!!

 

[Steppesister]

Absolutely stunning!!
Your backyard looks amazing too!!

Thanks! It's a very unique, interesting place!

Sadly, I won't be in Tucson for a while as I settle down in Bowling Green to work and get some experience under my belt. I may have to tow my rig here so I can continue to work on it. Lots of things are up in the air as I seek out the best employment for me.

 

[zanzibar138]

Getting a bit ahead of myself in order to compare, the one in Alice Springs had a definite "adventure traveler" vibe whereas the one in Cairns was geared towards the “I’m in my 20s and I need to drink til I puke” vibe.

I agree, they would have very different demographics. Like you said earlier in your TR, people who make the effort to go to central Australia REALLY want to be there for reasons other than lying on a beach and drinking.

In fact, a couple of the hostels had pre-printed labels both for labeling your OWN food with your room number and departure date and give-away stuff with the date so it gets cleared out in a timely manner by the hostel staff.

Great idea! Looks like a great kitchen area.

At least that’s what Google says. This is compared to “The Bush” which are the lusher areas along the coasts. Am I right @Zanzibar

Yeah that sounds about right. The 'Outback' is pretty much anywhere remote and desert-y. The 'Bush' is pretty much everywhere else that's not in a city

It may very well seem to most there is "nothing" in the desert, if you really dig deeper, there is much beauty there and things are very much alive. There is a lot more diversity in flora and fauna than easily meets the eye. The same is true for the Desert SW in Arizona- a place I've become passionately in love with over the seasons I've lived there the past few years.

I find the US desert much more interesting than the Australian desert. Driving through Arizona and Nevada was just incredible - I actually quite seriously thought about moving there or at least going back for an extended stay of a few months at some point. I'm extremely jealous of your Tucson backyard.

We bought some chips and a drink and took interest in the local avian residents after using the restroom.

Wow great photos of the emu! They must be pretty used to people to let you get that close.

Authentic culture:

​

The next stop was in Ghan, another small roadside stop for travelers with a bit more of a touristy feel to it.

There is a tourist train that runs from Adelaide to Darwin called the 'Ghan'. I always wondered why it was called that, but I wonder if it has something to do with this town If it stops there, that would explain why there was a bit more to it.

All of us could not help ourselves but be fascinated by the road trains.

Do you not have road trains in the US? They're a very normal part of driving in Australia. I have 2 cousins who drive them for a living lol!

It's just far too expensive to tow a car out if it breaks down and the heat and otherwise harsh climate makes breakdowns more likely. Fuel is sold at extortionist prices and the distance between pumps is a very, very long way. Sometimes dangerously so.

Australians (sensible ones at least) know how dangerous it is to be driving in the outback and take lots of precautions. The stretch between Alice and Uluru is probably relatively well-travelled, but outside of those 'main' drives, you're pretty much on your own if you break down.

I also asked about this at our next Airbnb when we got back to Alice and that hostess told me that the Aboriginal kids set them on fire for fun.

Unfortunately that's kind of a thing Australia-wide. Never understood it myself but some people do weird things for fun, especially kids in the country with nothing better to do. Don't you get this in the US?

We were sooooo excited to finally get our first glimpse of Uluru, formerly known as Ayers Rock. Except it was not.

Haha tricked you!

Finally, right about 2:00 (with stops it took a bit over 6 hours) we pulled into the hostel we’d be at for the next 2 nights in Yulara- base camp for all things Uluru and Kate Tjuta.

Why did you choose to fly into Alice Springs and not straight to Uluru?

I started with a super-duper short on the Pioneer Overlook Trail right there at the Outback Lodge/Hostel. It was just a super short walk up a little hill for views of Uluru and Kata Tjuta, the other, lesser famous rock, but IMHO even more impressive and scenic.

Kata Tjuta looks super interesting to explore. Honestly, I'd be much more interested in spending time there over Uluru.

Definitely a difference in culture there!! Maybe just not enough foot traffic to justify the extra hours.

Most places in Australia are pretty sparsely populated compared to other countries. Perth is the only major city on the entire west half of Australia (Adelaide is the closest and still more than 1,600 miles away), and only has a population of just over 2 million. The entire 1 million (+) square mile state of Western Australia has a population of less than 3 million. There are a lot more people over east, but still mostly concentrated in 3 or 4 major cities.

 

[Wood Nymph]

The hostel ended up being quite nice as hostels go.

One of my sisters has stayed at hostels many times. She is the "world traveler" who has lived in Singapore and Tokyo and traveled a lot. You are right that there is a younger crowd that uses them.

There is a motel here as well, but also a much larger gift shop with lots of sundries that a traveler might need including the most important item one could possibly have in this neck of the Outback- the Fly Hat. I bought and brought my own after heeding the warnings of fellow travelers who’d gone before us; Anara did not and guess what she ponied up a precious price for? (I did try to talk her into getting one before she left.)

Mom was right, as usual.

They so perfectly represent all that I'd pictured of something unique to the Australian Outback- behemoth trucks, MUCH larger and longer than anything we normally see here in the US, transporting goods to places where everything has to be brought in.

The road trains make sense in a desolate area like the outback. I have seen trucks like the FedEx ones with two trailers, but they are the shorter trailers.

I was antsy to explore and had looked at several hikes that I wanted to do in the National Park. I started with a super-duper short on the Pioneer Overlook Trail right there at the Outback Lodge/Hostel. It was just a super short walk up a little hill for views of Uluru and Kata Tjuta, the other, lesser famous rock, but IMHO even more impressive and scenic.

I can see why there would be abandoned cars out there. It is such a cruel environment. With the heat, the flies, and the lack of shade and water, a person could get in real trouble in the outback.

 

[pkondz]

the one in Alice Springs had a definite "adventure traveler" vibe whereas the one in Cairns was geared towards the “I’m in my 20s and I need to drink til I puke” vibe.

Well described

almost all of them were in bed early because, like us, they were up early to get to Uluru or catching flights out of the area.

Makes for a nice, quiet night.

In fact, a couple of the hostels had pre-printed labels both for labeling your OWN food with your room number and departure date and give-away stuff with the date so it gets cleared out in a timely manner by the hostel staff.

Huh. Interesting.
And those photos??? That's a hostel? I pictured something much more... plain.

Love the smile on her face.

I did make some coffee to sip before we headed out and we tried to call home to let everyone know we were having a nice time, but no one answered.

"Who's calling?"
"It's Steppesister... calling from Oz. Must be nice! Don't answer it!"

Let’s adventure, shall we?

Lot more plant life than I thought there would be.

Stuart’s Well Roadhouse.

I'm not going to Google, but... I wonder if it started as just that. A well. A place you could stop and get water.

If one is inclined, this a fairly nice place to camp with some great amenities like swimming pools, a restaurant, bar, hiking trails, etc…

Really! Whoa. Not at all as I envisioned.

Terrific shot!

Authentic culture:

​

I've seen that.

There was virtually none except for a particularly disturbing one a bit later in the day...

uh, oh...

Anara did not and guess what she ponied up a precious price for? (I did try to talk her into getting one before she left.)

You did try to tell her. Don't listen and pay the price.

No crops, but... sure looks like a scarecrow.

All of us could not help ourselves but be fascinated by the road trains.

I would be too. I've heard of those.

It was equally silly to take photos of the grasshopper and bird in the bathroom, but here we are

We came across a picnic area and free campground that was perfect for spreading out our lunch. Well, it would have been perfect, but the flies had other ideas.

I read the first sentence and immediately thought of the second sentence before reading it.

We had to keep it running though because it was approximately one billion degrees outside and one trillion degrees inside without the AC on. I exaggerate, but not much.

I believe you!

This must've been just before the hordes descended upon you.

It's just far too expensive to tow a car out if it breaks down and the heat and otherwise harsh climate makes breakdowns more likely.

Wow. Cars are not cheap... so how much would it cost to tow one???

the Aboriginal kids set them on fire for fun.

Not surprised by this.

This was not indeed Uluru, but Mt. Conner- one of three sacred monoliths near the town of Yulara.

Ah. But... I didn't think it looked like Uluru, even from a distance.

Their silhouettes create landmarks that are hard to miss making it easy to understand how First Peoples would use them for worship, shelter, and sanctuary.

Can totally see that.

So cool. Love this shot.

Yes, it cost me over $100 to fill the tank both times I did.

Anara had researched staying in hostels quite a bit more than I had and came prepared with small locks for us to use.

Ah ha! So lessons to be learned on either side.
The student has become the master.

Look at the colour! Wow!

Anara didn’t want to really do that; admittedly, it was quite hot and we’d had a packed schedule for days and days. But I knew that the chances of me ever seeing this part of the world again are about 0% so off I went to see what I could….

I'm with you.
She's young... she could come back.

Nope, just a baby in a bed. Awwww....

Ah.

And very nice photos of your backyard.

 

[missjackiemcg]

I fell woefully behind, but am all caught up again!!! I didn't take the time to quote anything, but am enamored as always with your gorgeous pictures. I wish I could've seen my own face (and yours!) when I read about the lizards racing at you--that came as a total shock! Glad you survived unscathed. I am also impressed once again at your adventurous spirit and all of the ground you've covered while staying in all sorts of hostels, etc. along the way. I'm such a nervous traveler already, my anxiety would be through the roof. But I LOVE that you're out there experiencing so many amazing things I know I just will never get the chance to. Thanks for taking us along!

 

[Steppesister]

I agree, they would have very different demographics. Like you said earlier in your TR, people who make the effort to go to central Australia REALLY want to be there for reasons other than lying on a beach and drinking.

So true. It's not the most hospitable climate for sight-seeing or just lazing around. I'd think that those who go there are a bit more dedicated to seeing the landmarks and learning about the local culture.

Great idea! Looks like a great kitchen area.

It was really very clean and organized and that living room area with couches and books would be really nice for a rest day in between travel days.

Yeah that sounds about right. The 'Outback' is pretty much anywhere remote and desert-y. The 'Bush' is pretty much everywhere else that's not in a city

That makes sense! Both I'd think can be challenging in their own ways.

I find the US desert much more interesting than the Australian desert. Driving through Arizona and Nevada was just incredible - I actually quite seriously thought about moving there or at least going back for an extended stay of a few months at some point. I'm extremely jealous of your Tucson backyard.

It's very beautiful there for sure. The plants are so absolutely unique with the biomes being quite small in area. The saguaro ONLY grow right there around Tucson and nowhere else in the world. The Organ Pipe ONLY grows in a small area just south of Tucson and the Joshua Tree only in the Mojave Desert of Cali. The Springtime in and around Arizona and Nevada is outrageously beautiful with the cactus and wildflowers blooming.

Wow great photos of the emu! They must be pretty used to people to let you get that close.

I think they are for sure. They were behind a fence but didn't even care about us in the least.

There is a tourist train that runs from Adelaide to Darwin called the 'Ghan'. I always wondered why it was called that, but I wonder if it has something to do with this town If it stops there, that would explain why there was a bit more to it.

I actually did do a little bit of research on Ghan when I was planning this trip. You can take camel rides there (we've done that numerous times when we lived in Kaz and when we visited Dubai) so didn't feel the need, but the history I found is fascinating!! Maybe someday I'll go back and take the train.

This is a GREAT article!

Do you not have road trains in the US? They're a very normal part of driving in Australia. I have 2 cousins who drive them for a living lol!

Only handful of states allow triples and in those not everywhere. Our roads generally are not built to withstand the weight. From what I saw, the trailers on the Aussie trains were longer, and bulkier than anything you'd see here making them far longer and heavier overall than what a triple would be here. So the short answer is, no, they are definitely NOT generally seen here. Quite a novelty if you do.

Australians (sensible ones at least) know how dangerous it is to be driving in the outback and take lots of precautions. The stretch between Alice and Uluru is probably relatively well-travelled, but outside of those 'main' drives, you're pretty much on your own if you break down.

That's terrifying! The weather alone makes it dangerous, but the lack of cell service too. We noticed that in the long, uninhabited stretches there were emergency cell towers to use.

Unfortunately that's kind of a thing Australia-wide. Never understood it myself but some people do weird things for fun, especially kids in the country with nothing better to do. Don't you get this in the US?

Yes, kids do really stupid things here too. I think in the more rural areas the most popular vandalism tomfoolery is baseball batting mailboxes or shooting at road signs. Drag racing is big in the towns and the police are having a really hard time controlling it. Lately, as things get more and more out-of-control and lawless there have even been police hurt or killed as the "kids" (mostly adults really) are getting downright violent.

Why did you choose to fly into Alice Springs and not straight to Uluru?

There were a few reasons actually. I wanted to see Alice Springs and the area along the MacDonnell Range. I'd heard about the waterholes and wanted to check those out. The Desert Park also got very high reviews as well.

But the bigger reason was that it was quite a bit more expensive to fly in or out of there than into Alice Springs. I suppose we could have flown into Yulara, gotten a bus back to Alice and flown OUT of there, but even that seemed like a bit more logistical planning than I had energy for. Haha!

Kata Tjuta looks super interesting to explore. Honestly, I'd be much more interested in spending time there over Uluru.

I enjoyed it more tbh. I learned a lot while hiking there as you'll see and it's just a larger area of formations even with a few canyons.

Most places in Australia are pretty sparsely populated compared to other countries. Perth is the only major city on the entire west half of Australia (Adelaide is the closest and still more than 1,600 miles away), and only has a population of just over 2 million. The entire 1 million (+) square mile state of Western Australia has a population of less than 3 million. There are a lot more people over east, but still mostly concentrated in 3 or 4 major cities.

That's just so wild! There are definitely less heavily populated places here in the US like Texas, the Dakotas, Wyoming, and Montana, but yowza, Aus. is really just empty for the most part.

 

[Steppesister]

One of my sisters has stayed at hostels many times. She is the "world traveler" who has lived in Singapore and Tokyo and traveled a lot. You are right that there is a younger crowd that uses them.

I think "older" folks like me either: 1) Like hostels for their budget friendly prices and we are smart enough to know that if we save money on some things now and then it allows us to actually GET to more places more often, or 2) Only stay at them irregularly because we don't particularly love having to climb up onto top bunks or lose sleep over folks coming and going at all hours of the night, or like a bit more privacy or 3) have a bit more money to NOT have to stay in them all the time.

It was the right thing for this trip since Anara was with me and we needed to save money on her account. When we did stay at nicer places either I paid for the night outright or we just didn't stay at $$$ places often.

Mom was right, as usual.

LOL!!! Usually. But she is pretty travel savvy as well; I hadn't thought of locks for the hostels.

The road trains make sense in a desolate area like the outback. I have seen trucks like the FedEx ones with two trailers, but they are the shorter trailers.

They sure do make a lot of sense. They get a lotta goods. And yes, they are much longer than what we normally see here. The trailers seemed/looked longer than our trailers and sturdier/heavier too. Quite a novelty to us.

I can see why there would be abandoned cars out there. It is such a cruel environment. With the heat, the flies, and the lack of shade and water, a person could get in real trouble in the outback.

Yes, I definitely could see that. Personally, I wouldn't be comfortable being out there on any road other than the one we were on as it's fairly well-traveled. On the other roads I can imagine that you MIGHT see another car maybe once a day. Maybe.

 

[Steppesister]

Makes for a nice, quiet night.

We got a really good night's sleep here. Nice way to start off our road trip.

Huh. Interesting.
And those photos??? That's a hostel? I pictured something much more... plain.

It was really clean and well organized. I too was surprised. The bunk house rooms were very, very plain. Beds with your bedding to make your bed when you got there and that's about it. NOTHING else. Nothing in the bathroom either. THe common areas were really nice though!

Love the smile on her face.

She's a real sweetie with a great smile.

"Who's calling?"
"It's Steppesister... calling from Oz. Must be nice! Don't answer it!"

Haha, you may very well be right. Or it was past their bedtime. I was usually messed up on my times there in relation to the US.

Lot more plant life than I thought there would be.

Me too. The grass is called "Spinifex" and we learned a lot about it on our visit there. One of the birds I showed you is actually named the Spinifex pigeon where it likes to camouflage. And yes, in general, it's got more growth than I anticipated as well.

I'm not going to Google, but... I wonder if it started as just that. A well. A place you could stop and get water.

I'm guessing very likely so.

Really! Whoa. Not at all as I envisioned.

It wasn't fancy by any means, but comfortable and enough amenities to make a nice stop for a night or two.

Terrific shot!

Thanks!!! I think so too.

You did try to tell her. Don't listen and pay the price.

That sums it up.

No crops, but... sure looks like a scarecrow.

It kinda does! I think though it was the last remnants of a gate in a fence.

I read the first sentence and immediately thought of the second sentence before reading it.

You is smart! There truly is no escaping them. Like a Biblical plague.

This must've been just before the hordes descended upon you.

Yes, I was so excited for a real picnic. And I thought... surely the flies are more limited to places with people or animals.

Nope.

They are EVERYWHERE.

ALL. THE. TIME!

Wow. Cars are not cheap... so how much would it cost to tow one???

That's a good question. I'm just going off of what Google was telling me. Maybe the ones abandoned were on their last leg anyway?

Ah. But... I didn't think it looked like Uluru, even from a distance.

No, but then again, I thought well maybe it has a different profile or look to it from the direction/angle we were seeing it or approaching it. I didn't know tbh that this one even existed until a few hours after I saw this!

Ah ha! So lessons to be learned on either side.
The student has become the master.

She is a very savvy traveler in most respects. But she can be a little like me in saving money where she can. I really think she didn't believe me and was willing to put up with "a few flies". Little did she know....

Look at the colour! Wow!

The colors were absolutely fabulous!! Really, really nice; I loved the combination of the orange and blue sky. There is really very little added saturation at all to my shots; I only boosted the contrast a little or lightened the shadows a bit.

 

[Steppesister]

I fell woefully behind, but am all caught up again!!! I didn't take the time to quote anything, but am enamored as always with your gorgeous pictures. I wish I could've seen my own face (and yours!) when I read about the lizards racing at you--that came as a total shock! Glad you survived unscathed. I am also impressed once again at your adventurous spirit and all of the ground you've covered while staying in all sorts of hostels, etc. along the way. I'm such a nervous traveler already, my anxiety would be through the roof. But I LOVE that you're out there experiencing so many amazing things I know I just will never get the chance to. Thanks for taking us along!

It's such a fascinating area to visit. So very different than any other landscape I've seen before. I'm glad we made the effort to see it and learn about its history and culture! I'll keep sharing the adventures.

 

[pkondz]

Beds with your bedding to make your bed when you got there and that's about it.

"your bedding"
As in your bedding for the night that was provided by the hostel? Or what you brought with you?

She's a real sweetie with a great smile.

Haha, you may very well be right. Or it was past their bedtime. I was usually messed up on my times there in relation to the US.

There's this thing... Now bear with me, this might surprise you... there's this thing you can use.
Here's the link: www.google.com

The grass is called "Spinifex"

I've heard of that.

You is smart! There truly is no escaping them. Like a Biblical plague.

Yuck!

Yes, I was so excited for a real picnic. And I thought... surely the flies are more limited to places with people or animals.

Nope.

They are EVERYWHERE.

ALL. THE. TIME!

So...
What you're saying... and correct me if I'm wrong... there are flies.

No, but then again, I thought well maybe it has a different profile or look to it from the direction/angle we were seeing it or approaching it. I didn't know tbh that this one even existed until a few hours after I saw this!

I can see that.