The Rocky Road

We have traveled quite a long distance since our journey through the vineyards and seen some rather interesting sights.  Luckily, we are both fanatics of rocks and nature in general.  Although we appreciate the cities we prefer to be in and amongst the nature.  

After leaving Adelaide, we detoured off the Stuart Highway to pass through Flinders Ranges as recommended by our camp companions in the Grampians.   The Flinders Range are rugged and beautiful with gorges and rocky mountains.  We stayed at the National Park's Wilpena Pound overnight and were treated to a beautiful sunrise.  Wilpena is best seen from the air as it is a sunken eliptical valley that is about 80 square kilometers, but what to say.  We enjoyed it ground level anyway.

Death Rock - a place where local Aborigines placed their dying to spend their last hours.  Also the sight of a now defunct cattle station but it still has a nice watering hole.

Sunrise at Wilpena Pound.

The next days' journey took us past many deserted homesteads and a few ghost towns before passing by the huge inland salt lake bed of Lake Eyre which sits 12 meters below sea level.  We pushed on that day driving through Williams Creek, a town owned by one man, driving in the dark along a dusty dirt road to our destination hoping to avoid kangaroos who are more active at dusk.  We arrived to Coober Pedy around 7pm, checked into the Underground Motel and settled in our underground room.

Lake Eyre, the world's sixth largest lake - it is mostly dry.  

Coober Pedy produces about 70% of the world's opals.  It is a mining town through and through.  The landscape in and around the town is dotted with mounds of dug up earth giving it a very lunar appearance.  The summers are hot here so you don't buy a house, but a dugout, which also used to be or still is a mine because they dig everywhere hoping to strike a vein.  The homes, hotels and churches are built into the earth keeping the inside a constant 24°c.  We spent the next morning taking care of a nail in the tire after having done a tour of a working mine.  After getting the run down, we both agreed that we weren't cut out for mining.  Then it was off to the Breakaways and the Painted Desert.

Coober Pedy's landscape.

Sunset over the water tower at Arckalinga Homestead.

We stayed at Arckalinga Homestead for the night renting one of their small cabins as the night air was rather chilly and we wanted a quick start in the morning.  The painted desert is best seen at sunrise or at sunset.  As are most things here.  We are in the Red Center where the earth is red, the rocks are red and in the morning and the evening, the sky is red.  It is stunningly beautiful.

The painted desert.

The painted desert didn't disappoint us either.  It was worth getting up before dawn to drive out to see it.  Quiet all around.  Only the two of us holding our coffee cups to keep our hands warm.  My best buddy and I have shared some really great moments.  I can't believe that I am so lucky to be with this man and to have such experiences together with him.  Sorry about the mush.  I guess sunrises and sunsets tend to do that to a person.

Then it was the long haul drive to one of our highlights.  Ayers Rock.  Or as it is now known - Uluru.  Well, no more needs to be said since I already wrote about that.  I am a little worried now that all rocks will somewhat pale in comparison. 

And before leaving the area, we made two final stops.  One at Kings Canyon - more beautiful rocks; and one to look at the Henbury meteorite craters.  Below is Kings Canyon.  The craters were not picture worthy.

And a blog wouldn't be complete without a nice photo of a kangaroo and an emu now would it.