Road to Alberta

Thursday, July 7th, 2011.

We drove into the Bow River Provincial Park for the night. There were a number of sites available but we were far above the river. Our view was rolling hills, pine trees and wild flowers. We were near a paved trail but there were too many bugs. It just did not seem like an evening for exploring.

We made hamburgers for dinner then sat around the table talking. Dan and Leroy traded memories of their childhood. Dan would remember some things and Leroy remembered others. They filled in missing pieces of each other’s story. A pleasant, quiet evening – until the wind came up.

The wind grew stronger through the night. It was keening and buffeting the trailer all night long. Dan was wakeful. It reminded us of nights on our sailboat, listening to the wind and feeling the anchor rode to be sure all was well. There is no anchor to worry about in a trailer but there were the trees. Dan was concerned about the stability of the trees on the windward side. Would they come down on us? In the morning we saw the tree to our leeward side was the one to worry about. It had a crack running right up the trunk and it was flexing with each gust of wind – open, close, open. It could pinch your fingers if you got them in the way!

The wind was still blowing as we pulled out. Most of our trip it would be behind us and help with fuel mileage. We stopped by the Ghost Reservoir to watch the strength of the wind whipping the sand into a dust cloud. The waves were breaking on the spillway of the dam. The small sailboats were being tossed like toys in the bay. Dan went to walk on the dock but gave up after about four meters as it corkscrewed crazily under his feet.

We wanted to avoid Calgary and the start of the Calgary Stampede. With the Royals attending it will be far too busy in the vicinity to be towing a trailer through town! Instead, we avoided the Queen Elizabeth II Highway north from Calgary and too a secondary road from Cochrane to Sundre. It was slower but there was much to see in the countryside. There were rolling hills with the mountains to the west of us.

We came to a stop in Sundre waiting at a road construction site. Off to our right a deer came bursting out onto the road. She was confused and frightened by the waiting cars, wheel around abruptly and ran off the way she had come. Then suddenly she came out of the trees again, this time dashing across the road right in front of the truck ahead. She made it safely to the other side and disappeared in the trees.

We turned north again to Caroline then east to Dickson. We were looking for a campground called the “Dickson Leisure Grounds”. We followed the signs to Dickson but did not see any to an RV park. We did find a picturesque little general store – The Dickson Store Museum. It looked like a great place to investigate and to get information.

A retired school teacher dressed in period costume showed us around the store. It was set to look like it would have been in the 1940’s and 50’s. There were 17 families that settled here originally so it was never a big community but the store supplied all their needs – food, fabric and hardware. Many of the items on the shelves were familiar to us. Upstairs were the living quarters. They had rescued the old coal and wood heater that had been thrown into the bush and left to rust. They had put a lot of work into restoring it and it sits in the living room again looking like new. It was a wonderful example of time gone by and we were lucky to have found it.

They did know the RV Park we were looking for and even had a small local map that would show us the way. We were on the right road and continued down to where it ran right along the top of the dam to the other side of the Red Deer River and Gleniffer Lake. From the top of the dam we had a spectacular view of the river valley below us on one side and the lake on the other. Unfortunately, there was nowhere to stop on the narrow road while pulling a trailer so I could not get the pictures I wanted.

While we were having heavy winds the previous night, this area had two tornadoes touch down. We could see grain bins blown over and broken, trees down and limbs with fresh breaks. Finally we found the Park. I walked in to see if they had space. They are no longer open to the public. It is only for people who have purchased the RV lots. There were two other parks in the vicinity that have closed to the public as well. The nearest park that would take overnighters had been hit by the storm and was unlikely to be open for guests.

Finally we reached the Westerners RV Park just off Queen Elizabeth II Highway south of Red Deer. They had no space available in the main park but we could stay the night in the overflow parking. Literally a city parking lot supplied with electricity. If you did not show proof of your overnight permit in the window, you would pay a city parking fine! There were clean washrooms and showers but no other amenities. With the heavy winds still blowing, we were actually glad to settle down for the night with no overhanging trees. We had spent all day to reach a town two hours from where we started.

In the morning Dan found we had a flat tire on the trailer. His next order of business was to have our spare put on and to purchase a new spare for the future. While he and Leroy took care of that, Reza and I got permission to do laundry in the RV Park. No point in wasting a rest stop! I have spent time sitting around a tire shop before. We met up and went for lunch in a Chinese Restaurant in Red Deer then picked up a few groceries.

We were on the road again in the afternoon and wandered the back roads south of Edmonton heading east to Vermillion. It was a pleasant drive in relatively good weather. I took a turn driving and got us safely to our destination. We have stayed in Vermillion twice before and it is a lovely RV Park with an information station, a library, a pool and a mini-golf area. The nicest part is there is space and trees between each site. They have been angled so you are not looking into your neighbour’s windows giving at least an illusion of privacy. We decided to stay two nights and have a break from traveling.

Instead we decided to play tourist for a day and drove north to Elk Point. From there we turned east to Fort George and Buckingham House. Fort George was the old Northwest Trading Company’s fort and Buckingham House was their competition run by the Hudson’s Bay Company. There is little left of either fort except the outlines revealed by archaeologists. But the interpretive center and the tour with our guide were very interesting. We saw buffalo hides, a tepee made of tanned hide with sinew stitching. We tested our ability to create a spark with a flint and steel. We learned how traders might try a bait and switch on the Indian and how the Indian might have a trick or two in return, each trying to get the best deal possible when trading goods for furs.

We only walked out to the Fort George site as the rainy weather made the mosquito population overwhelming. Buckingham House will have to wait for another time!

We enjoyed our break and were ready to carry on the next day. Leroy and Reza left us to visit friends south of Edmonton. We were now headed on to Saskatchewan. By late afternoon we arrived at the farm once more. No one was home but we pulled into our usual spot in the home yard overlooking the endless field of grain. I tidied up our little home and started supper so it would be ready when our host and hostess returned. Dan got out the riding mower and set to getting the lawn under control. It was good to be back!

Brandi

As we drove through the spectacular Rockies today, I got a text message that our Brandi was not doing well. Her balance is gone and she is no longer eating. As the day progressed Danielle and I exchanged messages. Danielle and Anand would take her to the vet at 2:00 PM PDT.

As we drove into Bow River Provincial Park in Alberta, Brandi breathed her last. It was time for her to go. She has been part of our lives a long time and we will miss her deeply.

Road to the Rockies

Sunday, July 3rd, 2011.

We arrived in Revelstoke on Sunday afternoon. The weather was warm and sunny for a change! We pulled into the KOA 2 km. on the east side of the town. There was no problem registering. The weekend crowd had pulled out and more than half the park was empty.

This is the spot I planned to check out for our Family Reunion 2014. There are RV spots, tent spots, “Kamping Kabins” and 2 bedroom deluxe chalets. It would suit any age group and inclination. There is a swimming pool¸ pancake breakfast, teriyaki chicken dinner and ice cream social in the evening. Lots to keep the families busy on the property and even more options in the surrounding area.

Monday morning Dan and I set out to explore the town of Revelstoke. We found our way to the public parking by the Info center and went in to get an overview of the area. The young woman we spoke to was very helpful. We gathered brochures, maps and suggestions then walked about.

I like this town. It is small and well kept. There are a variety of restaurants, interesting shops and two museums. We spent time in the city Museum but did not get to the Railroad museum this time. We found our way to Isabella’s Restaurant for an excellent Italian lunch. The special of the day was plentiful. The KOA gives each family a family pass to the Revelstoke Aquatic center but we did not take the time for that. Instead we went for a walk along the river walk. There are beautiful views of the junction of the Columbia and Illecillewaet rivers against a backdrop of the mountains. Every evening in the summer one of the streets is closed, chairs set up and live music is staged in the plaza.

We went on to check out two other possible RV parks. Canada West RV Park is currently under construction and may be a good option by the time we need it. Canyon Creek RV Park is a Hot Spring and very nice for RVs but the cabins were unsuitable for our needs and amenities were all an additional expense.

We went back to the KOA, had dinner and spent a quiet evening on the internet. We sat outdoors by the office to get the Wi-Fi signal. We had to dress for the mosquitos and black flies after dark. The time flew by and it was one of the latest nights of the trip. We managed to catch up with our mail and family connections.

We had another day to explore while we waited for Leroy and Reza to catch up with us. We had a slow start and then went up Mt. Revelstoke to see the wildflowers on Alpine Meadows Parkway. Unfortunately there had been a rock slide on the road and we did not get very far up the mountain before we had to turn around.

Instead we went for a walk along the Skunk Cabbage Boardwalk. It was another lovely warm day to be out in the sun. Right at the start of the walk we saw a sign warning us bears were in the area. We saw how true it was when we found a pile of scat on the boardwalk! I saw many of the berries that attracted them but I did not see the bears.

We checked out the Coast Hotel just above the KOA. They do have a group discount for rooms and they could cater the family dinner for us either on the deck or in the dining room. It was a lovely hotel with beautiful views over the city and mountains.

It was time to go back to our little home on wheels. Leroy and Reza arrived and we had a pleasant evening around our picnic table enjoying a good dinner and a bottle of wine. This would be an early night as we had all had a busy day.

We toured the property one more time and then packed up. We were heading east to Kinbasket Lake. We had no particular directions but found it on Microsoft Streets and Trips with our GPS. Off we went! It would be a short trip. Even shorter than we planned! The turnoff to the resort was well sign posted – long before the GPS route. We followed the signs down the Canada West logging road across the railroad tracks and into the resort.

Kinbasket Lake Resort would not do for the reunion. The lake was a reservoir that at this time had been drawn down a long way. That made a steep drop to the water and would be a worry for any mother of active small children! The water was not clean or inviting. There was not a lot to do unless you had a boat to go fishing. The long rough road in would not encourage you to go in and out often and nowhere to go if you did.

For us it was a quiet day of napping and reading. Very enjoyable! Quiet that is, except for the trains. I was surprised how many trains ran on this track. There was a gated crossing just above the resorts so we heard the bells of the gate coming down, then the shrill whistle of the train for each one that went by – day and night!

That would be our last night in British Columbia. In the morning, we headed east over the Rogers Pass into the heart of the Rockies. We drove through spectacular views of the mountains around us.

On the shoulder of the road we saw mountain goats grazing peacefully. As I got out to take pictures they watched me and stayed aware of my presence but they did not move off.

Carrying on down the highway, we bypassed Banff and went into Canmore for groceries. For the next few days we will explore Alberta.

Road to the Cariboo

June 21, 2011.

We pulled the trailer out of summer storage and went to Chilliwack today. It is only an hour from home to the RV Park. But it feels like we are on the road. We chose this place because it is near a large RV sales and repair complex so we can buy any parts we need as we prepare for our trip. It is also near a large shopping complex to stock up on supplies. We will camp here for two nights and spend a full day getting ready.

I forgot to go through the pantry at home so I have a long grocery list. Most of the staples were left behind. We had a leisurely day going from store to store. Did you know Thursday is Senior’s day - 10% off at the LIQUOR Store???? Too bad it was Wednesday! It would have helped as we chose a few nice bottles of wine and a case of beer for sharing along the way.

We spent time at the RV shop just looking to see what was available – then had to go back when we realised what parts we really needed.

Back at the park we fixed and cleaned the trailer then stowed our purchases.

There were far too many mosquitos to step out of doors for long. I did manage to get some photographs of the beautifully scented flowers lining the drive along the river.
By nightfall the chores were done.

In the morning we were on the road, driving up the Fraser Canyon. We picnicked by the side of the road making lunch in the trailer. It was too cool to hang about outdoors. We drove out of the rain and cold into warm sunshine as we passed Lilloett. There was a construction zone of one way traffic that allowed us to take a pleasant break by a waterfall. All the creeks and rivers are very high this season. The Fraser is raging, covering most of the large rocks that are normally visible.

We turned off the highway north of Clinton heading 30 Km. along a gravel road to Big Bar Lake. It was a long, slow 30 Km. on mud road today. Towing a trailer made it a much different trip than the one we remembered camping with our children years ago! We reached our goal and it was beautiful. It was also cold, raining off and on and the mosquitos were as big as house flies. It was not a place to linger this week!


By the time we reached the highway again, the truck was mud to the roof and the trailer had a brown front end. We stopped at 70 Mile House – named after the old stage stops along the highway. The old general store caters to every need – food, hardware, miscellaneous gear and licences. Reza bought a fishing licence. She wants to do some fishing on our travels.

We traveled east from there to Green Lake where we stopped for lunch. The lake was a pale green in places! The day use site was empty. It was a lovely place but raining again. We had missed the turn up the west side of the lake so we back tracked until we found it. Once we were on the right road, we followed the lake back to Highway 24, our route to Deka Lake.

My brother-in-law, Joe, lives in Deka Lake one of the few “full-timers” in a small village of “summer people”. He was expecting us and gave us our usual warm welcome and a place to park the trailer. We made ourselves at home. Reza and I took over the kitchen. One night, a neighbour brought his special curry dinner while we provided the side dishes. We had good times exchanging stories around the dinner table!

Summers are lovely in the high altitude Cariboo-Chilcotin. Usually warm and dry. This year it has been wet and was still quite cool. We needed our down duvets at night and had the heat on. Joe had the fire burning in the house so it was always cosy. The walks are always lovely, views over the large lake or just endless empty roads lined with a variety of wildflowers. Today we picked deep purple lupin, brilliant red Indian Paint Brush, bright yellow daisies, White Oxeye daisy, and the trailing white flowers of vetch similar to garden peas. There was another small white flower like a trillium with an extra petal. We looked it up and found it was “Bunchberry”. It will have an edible red berry later in the summer. Wild strawberries and wild roses had yet to bloom.


I left everyone there and went on to Williams Lake by myself. A family member was going into hospital and I wanted to be there with her. Leroy and Reza stayed a little longer. Joe took them on a tour of the countryside where they did a little fishing and walked the “Stone Bridge”. Then it was just Joe and Dan enjoying the quiet days in the country.


All went well in Williams Lake and I returned just before the July 1st long weekend. That is when Deka Lake changes. People were now driving in at a steady rate. The roads were no longer empty and you had to be sure to look BOTH ways! This first holiday weekend of the season was spent clearing up yards and opening up the cottage. Lawnmowers made the background noise of the day. As we walked about we could see that many people had large groups of company enjoying a cool drink in the sunshine. Young people rode up and down on motor bikes and ATV’s. That did not seem to deter the deer from eating their way through the village. We saw two young buck nibbling the fresh greenery in an empty homestead.



July 1st we shared Canada Day dinner with a couple from up the road. We retired early and watched the fireworks from another neighbour’s display out the trailer window. Very low key but pleasant. Our friends in the south might say – very Canadian!
As the weekend ended the “summer people” started moving out. We joined the exodus. Saying good-bye to Joe, we headed east and south. Leaving the green grass and pine forests of the Cariboo high country, we passed through the sparse brown hills, sage and long needle pine of the Thompson Okanagan We kept heading east to Revelstoke, the beginning of the green hills and mixed forests of the Kootenay and Rocky Mountain area.

We had a nice lunch break at a rest stop east of Chase. I walked the path to a beautiful waterfall along a river the colour if clear iced tea. By 4:00 PM we were settled in the Revelstoke KOA. We are checking it out as a possible place to hold the next family reunion in three years. The BC branch of the Porter’s will be responsible for that one. That means us! We are gathering suggestions as we go and will see what suits the group before we begin our preparations.

Sunday in Sydney

Placeholder for our view of Sydney.

Southern Ocean Road

Place holder for Souther Ocean Road.

Traveling in Tasmania

Placeholder for our Tasmanian journey.

Australia Day in Melbourne

Place holder for Melbourne blog.

Relaxing in Noosa Heads

Monday, January 24, 2011

We had a relaxing time in tropical Noosa Heads. We walked the trails of the hill, visited the beaches and shopped Hastings Street. We dipped into the pool several times a day and finished up on the lanai having Happy Hour.

Dan and I took a long walk through the National Park and actually saw a koala bear in a Eucalyptus tree. Very high up so that all we could get was a butt shot as Dan says. The farther you get from town the emptier were the beaches. It was beautiful but very HOT!


We drove out into the "hinterland" and visited the ginger factory and a macadamia nut factory. The plantations Lynne remembered are no longer there. Just a real tourist destinations. The gardens had many types of ginger on display and the shops sold ginger ice cream and bags of Macadamia.


We carried on into the mountains. We found a nice pub for lunch and toured a small town high in the hills that now caters to tourists. Our goal for the day was Mary Cairncross National Park, a small slice of old growth rainforest. It was worth the trip. We saw concave and convex buttress trees. As we crept quietly down the trails, we saw a padermelon crossing in front of us. Padermelon are really tiny kangaroos with lovely faces. We were lucky enough to see three altogether.



As we walked through the wetland area it looked very much like Florida. I was enjoying the differences in the plants but I could feel something biting my foot. Little sharp bites. I leaned over to check but could not see anything. I did knock a leaf off to get a better look - the leaf was wiggling... It was a leach! the bottom of my foot was bloody! Once it was all washed off it was only a tiny mark. Another interesting experience.

The following day we went to Mooloolaba to see the aquarium. A nice thing to do in the tropical rain. Again nothing was the way Lynne remembered. The quay was almost the same as Key West - it even had a Hogs Breath Pub! But the aquarium still held the moving walkway running through a seawater tank so that the fish were swimming above and beside you. At one point a ray swam lazily over my head and alongside me. So many of the fish we saw while snorkelling at Lady Elliott were here and labeled for our identification.



We drove on to Brisbane with no difficulties this time. Turned in our car and flew to Melbourne for a week in the big city. The computer is truly dead so we are borrowing when we can or using the internet cafe method of keeping in touch.

A Day on a Sand Island

Place holder for our Fraser Island trip.

Lazy Days on Lady Elliott Island

This is a space saver for my Lady Elliott blog. It is almost done!

Hospitality in Hervey Bay

January 9, 2011.

We found our way back to the Brisbane airport. Laurel and I dropped Lynne, Thea and Dan off with the luggage while we followed the signs to the car rental return. Once we had parked the car we walked back to the terminal to find the three of them waiting for us. Wrong terminal! We had dropped them off at International and it was quite far away from the Domestic terminal. By taxi or train it was going to be an expensive ride for five people hauling luggage. What to do! By now the rain had caught up with us and it was pouring!

What is to stop us just taking the car back - we had just left it in the lot?. We had not actually turned it in yet. Laurel and I went back to get the car, just drove out of the lot and picked up the group again. We found our way to the Domestic terminal and another rental car return! We dropped off Lynne, Thea, Dan and the luggage. This time Laurel and I turned in the car. Good thing we had lots of time before our flight!

We flew over the flooding rivers and into sunshine on the Fraser Coast. We landed in the Hervey Bay airport in the late afternoon. It was still very warm outside of the small terminal. We decided against a car as we would not be in town long. We were not sure if the roads would be open later to travel further afield.

We got a taxi van large enough for the five of us and our luggage and gratefully allowed our friendly driver to take us to the Boat Harbour Resort. I was a bit apprehensive as we travelled. It was a long way from the airport and seemed to be away out of town. Fine when we thought we would be driving, not so good on foot. The view from the entrance to the property was not striking. There was no one on duty at the office. Though we had been warned the office closed early on a Sunday, it was a bit of a letdown after a day of turmoil. I did find a large bulky envelope by the office mail box addressed to me. We followed the directions and used a key to enter the 2 bedroom villa. It was very nice with a comfortable living room, dining area and kitchen. There was a large lanai and in suite laundry facilities. It would be very comfortable for the three women.


Dan and I took our key and found our suite across from the office. Our lanai looked out over the empty property next door. It was very quiet and secluded. We had a studio suite with a kitchenette, small eating area and the bed all in the same room. It was large, clean and nicely decorated. Things were looking up!

As we picked up our package at the office, a couple sitting on their lanai next door introduced themselves. They wanted to be sure we settled in all right. If we had any questions, we had only to ring the office phone to reach the manager. We chatted for a while and they gave us suggestions for dinner that evening. Their first recommendation was the Hervey Bay Boat Club in Urangan Habour. It was a great suggestion! We had a pleasant walk past the overgrown property next door, along the foreshore park and through the boat harbour to the club. The day had cooled into evening so it was comfortable to be outdoors.


It was dark by the time we reached the club. Laurel and I had tried a short cut through a questionable caravan park and found no exit. Somehow, we had become separated and she was now lost. Dan went looking for her as Lynne, Thea and I waited anxiously in the Boat Club lobby. Laurel arrived as bubbly as she always is after one of her adventures. Dan returned and we all signed in.

“The Sinbad Bistro” had a wide variety of regular menu items and a few good chefs suggestions that change daily. Good hearty pub food at reasonable prices. Wine and beer were even more reasonable! For after dinner, there was an extensive bar, live music and dancing. We arrived tired and hungry and left well fed and cheerful! It was a lovely walk home in the moonlight.

NOTE: The Harbour View Caravan Park looked fine seen later in the daylight!

Monday was a day to get things done. I talked to the manager about transportation and he mentioned while the roads were still cut and the airlines were full, the train was still running. Dan and I decided to do some research online. Our host directed us to the nearest internet café – past the empty property next door and up Boat Harbour Drive to the Colonial Village YHA. We bought a YHA Internet card at the front desk and went on line to clean up our email and research transportation in the area.

We had never stayed in a Backpackers facility. I was quite curious about it. It seemed to be a really nice place to stay. The computers were well set up for internet and Skype connections. There were large central areas for socializing, beautiful gardens, barbeque area, pool and a variety of accommodation styles. There certainly seemed to be travellers of all ages staying on the property.

There was a train to Brisbane and we could get off at Cooroy to connect to Noosa Heads by bus as well. I took down the information and we walked home to call the ticketing agent to make the arrangements. It is a lovely walk. This time we walked through the empty property. It had been someone’s home at one time. There were the remnants of a paved driveway. The trees and flowers had once been planted and tended. Now they were growing in a wild profusion of colours. The Golden Rain trees were in full bloom. The ground was covered in red and yellow flowers something like a Turk’s Head lily. The air was full of bird song and you could catch sight of their brilliant plumage among the trees. As usual, I was watching the ground for snakes – stomp, stomp, stomp! All I saw was fire ants, easily avoided.


Dan and I walked back to the Boat Club for breakfast as we had bought any groceries yet. The others opted to stay by the pool. The club was surprisingly busy. We got a light lunch at the sandwich bar and ate indoors looking out over the bay. It was cooler than out on the deck in the sunshine! We walked back through the marina and along the shore. There were a profusion of wildflowers on the dunes as well - the bright yellow of “Beach Primrose” and hot pink “Pigface”. There was a fenced path leading from the beach right to our resort.


We met up with the rest of the group and decided to take a taxi into Pialba Place Shopping Center in Hervey Bay to get groceries and explore. I found an Optus store and got a SIM card for our cell phone. Now Laurel and I could communicate if the groups were separated. I could also make my share of the travel calls so they did not all fall on her account. Lynne found a really nice cotton skirt in the mall. It was very useful travelling in this heat and went beautifully with her Uluru T-shirt. We stopped for coffee and made plans for the afternoon. We decided to take the groceries home by cab while the girls walked back to Boat Harbour along the waterfront. The walk along the Esplanade was 8 Km. In this heat, Lynne and I preferred the pool! The girls did not return until evening. Looking at their pictures, we should have done the walk! Long beaches with almost no one there. It was beautiful.


I phoned the Queensland Translink number and made reservations for the five of us to take the train to Brisbane Saturday morning. At this time the flooding had reached Brisbane. Much of the CBD was affected and local transit was not running. We wondered if the train would still be going into the city on Saturday. If it did, would the girls be able to find transportation to the airport? Thea was flying home to Canada and Laurel back to work in Melbourne. Dan, Lynne and I were getting off in Cooroy so we would not know what was happening to them. I know Lynne spent the week worrying. We had seats booked so step one was accomplished. Later in the week we found even the train was full.

Dan and I decided to walk up to the Botanic Garden in Urangan. We walked up Boat Harbour Road again to the “Great Sandy Region Botanic Gardens and Orchid Conservatory”. We were too late, the Orchid House was closed and tea was over. But we had a good walk through more of the neighbourhood. I particularly enjoyed the gingerbread style Queensland houses on their stilts and all the tropical gardens.


I joined Lynne at the pool for the remainder of the afternoon. Once the group was altogether again, we walked over to the Boat Club for another good dinner. We shared the stories of our day’s pursuits. What a life!


Tuesday morning we were to fly to Lady Elliott Island. The tariff includes the flight to the island and the accommodation. It is a small plane and you are limited to 10 Kg of luggage per person. I had arranged with the Boat Harbour Resort that we would leave some of our luggage in storage with them and pick it up on our return. Many peoples travel plans had been disrupted so there were no other guests expected at Boat Harbour this week. The manager kindly told us to just leave everything in our rooms, take the key with us and walk back in when we returned. With that in mind, it was an easy packing job after dinner and we were ready for the next adventure.

Flooding in Queensland

January 8, 2011.

Our time in Alice Springs came to an end. We were packed up and ready to go early in the morning, except for Laurel. The lucky girl had made her plans separately so she would be flying from Alice Springs to Brisbane later in the day. We would spend the day flying to Melbourne`s Avalon airport, crowding into a taxi for an hour long drive to Tullamarine airport on the other side of the city, before catching our plane to Brisbane. Laurel would spend the day by the pool¸ catch a direct flight to Brisbane and arrive before us! We got well priced seats on Tiger Airlines. She caught a last minute seat sale on Quantas, a winner anyway you look at it!

By late afternoon we were altogether again in Brisbane. We loaded up our rental car and headed north to Deception Bay. Laurel drove and I was navigator with the help of “Dora the Explorer” – the GPS on Laurels iPhone. As night fell the weather grew stormy. I was glad to have the bright purple ball bouncing from screen to screen as we made our way up the highway. We found the right exit and then the sky really opened up. We could barely see the road. It was impossible to see street numbers. The bouncing purple ball let us know we had passed our destination. We turned around and found the driveway at last.

Claire-Lind Bed and Breakfast was a lovely Queensland house built on stilts. A very useful design when you are unloading luggage in a rainstorm! Lynne, Thea and Laurel were shown to the Australiana room. Dan and I got the Anniversary suite! We quickly unloaded the car and then went back out into the night looking for dinner. The only place open at this time was the Golden Arches. Not classy but certainly familiar. Saturday nights are wild around here! Returning to our rooms, we found crystal service at our bedside with chocolates and port. A lovely way to end a long day.


We took our time in the morning. We planned to explore the Claire-Lind property to see their rainbow lorikeets and their koala bears before making the drive to Hervey Bay. We met on the deck for a lovely breakfast. While we ate, we got a call from the manager of the resort in Hervey Bay. The road had been washed out at Maroochydore. We could not get through.

The flooding in Queensland was international news by now. We had been watching and knew it was working its way south from Bundaberg. Hervey Bay was still untouched but rivers between Hervey Bay and our present location had now flooded washing out the main highway. We talked it over during breakfast. The highlight of our trip was a visit to the Great Barrier Reef. If we did not get to Hervey Bay, we would not get to the reef. What to do?

Alternate plan B – return to Brisbane with the rental car and fly to Hervey Bay. Could we get tickets? No problem – not many tourists were trying to go toward the flood! So much for our quiet day. We loaded up the car and headed off. We decided to drive to Redcliff on the ocean for lunch. It was on the way back to Brisbane and we may as well take the scenic route in the daylight.

The rain had stopped. The wind was strong and the sky was clearing quickly. The beautiful beaches were a mess. The water’s edge was covered in dirty brown foam that stained your clothes if you got too close. Debris washed ashore everywhere you looked. We walked the waterfront looking for a lunch spot. I laughed as I caught sight of a series of signs – “Bistro”, “Pokies”, “Hooker”. Were we in the red light district? No, translating I found the “Bistro” to be a nice beachfront restaurant for lunch, “Pokies” were slot machines in the bistro and “Hooker” was a realtor next door – L.J. Hooker Real Estate..

After lunch we had a pleasant drive back to the airport and turned in the car. Next stop, Hervey Bay.

The Red Center

January 6, 2011.

On good advice, we booked a tour for our trip to Uluru, previously known as Ayer’s Rock. The bus would pick us up at 6:00 AM for the drive out to Uluru – Kata Tjuta. We would not be back until after midnight. Long hours of driving in the outback at night would not make for a fun trip so we will have someone else do it!

We were all up, packed and ready when the bus arrived to pick us up. There were two driver–tour guides, Kevin and Tic. Both were very knowledgeable about the area and were able to talk about the plants, animals, geology and history of the area. It seemed that if Kevin was particularly interested in one area, Tic would have in depth knowledge about another. Both kept us entertained.

Kevin started driving and Tic passed out our breakfast boxes then retired to the driver’s bunk to sleep for a while. We drove through empty country with the beautifully coloured landscape stretching into the distance around us. We were actually crossing a number of cattle stations but any animals were elsewhere today. Our first stop was the Erlunda Café and Desert Oaks Tavern. There was a gas station, public washroom facility, general store, motel, café and pub. It was undoubtedly, the social center for the area. The gas station certainly had no competition for many miles! Tic advised us the best coffee was at the pub. I took his advice – it seemed like coffee time!

The Highway sign told us we were on the Lassiter Highway and it was four miles to Uluru. There is nothing else out there to mention. At least we were on the right road!

As we drove along, everyone was watching to see our first glimpse of Uluru. There it is! WRONG! What we saw first was Artilla (Mount Conner) or, as our guides pointed out, “Fooluru”. It is also a spectacular flat topped tor alone in the desert. We stopped for a Kodak moment, climbing a hill overlooking a large salt lake. Lake Amadeus was a salt edged earthen pan with no water to be seen. The colour of the red earth was spectacular! Laurel was wearing a brightly coloured skirt and as she climbed, the earth dusted her legs like colourful makeup. We stretched our legs, took some pictures and got back on the bus. Next stop was Ayers Rock Resort; a chance for a restroom and to pick up a few more people.


Now we were in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. First stop, Walpa Gorge at Kata Tjuta. Kata Tjuta means” many heads”. That describes the round domes of conglomerate rock that makes up this part of the park. The English name is “The Olgas” after Mount Olga, the largest of the domes. It is a very sacred site to the men of the Anangu people. Here they passed down the creation stories from generation to generation. The women could camp well back from the gorge but were not allowed into the men’s area. Similarly the men were not allowed in the women’s sacred sites on Uluru. Because the stories of the people could not be shared outside of the specific group for which it was intended, the only stories we would hear today would be classified as the children’s stories.



We left the bus and walked up the gorge between two domes. Dan and I were so busy looking around us and photographing all we saw that we never did reach the end of the trail. Lynne found a convenient bench and let the girls go on at a faster pace so they would reach the viewpoint. The shapes and colours were spectacular and each new angle seemed better than the one before. All too soon, it was time to return to the bus for the short drive over to Uluru.

As we drove around the base of the monolith our guides told the stories of the area and at the same time served our lunch boxes. A great idea so no time was wasted once we were free to wander. We stopped at the start of the Ayers Rock climb. It is a steep face with the trail straight up! My father climbed it on an unusually hot summer day in his 80’s. Looking at it, I could not imagine climbing it even on this more temperate day when I am 20 years younger! Fortunately it is no longer allowed, so I do not have to prove myself!



We walked to an area that was near the women’s area. Our guides told us the story of a time when the women and children were left here while the men went hunting. Another group heard of the gathering¸ came upon the women and children and carried them off. When the men returned they found their wives and children missing. They saw footprints that they recognised as other men on the trail and they followed them. There was a great battle and they got their families back. The raiders were turned into the many heads of Kata Tjuta.

We continued on our tour to an area where the hunters gathered. There was a natural blind and cave where the hunters would wait all day, whiling away the time telling stories and playing games. At dusk the animals would gather to drink at a nearby water hole. When they were drinking the hunters could see them through a small spy hole in the rock. They were able to kill what they needed and take meat back to the village with relatively little effort. In the dry season they would have to travel much further following their prey.


It was very beautiful by the Kantju waterhole, the blue sky, the red of the rock and the colours of the plants. It was heightened by the dark clouds building in the distance.

From here we drove on to the new Talinguru Nyakunytjaku sunrise viewing area and the Park Cultural Center. Apparently the powers that be made a small mistake here. They spent 21 million dollars on roads and facilities to a spot that does not give a good view of Uluru at sunrise at all! The old spot is actually on the other side of Uluru!

Our last stop was the sunset viewing area. It is in the right place! We all wandered the area looking for the perfect angle to photograph Uluru while Kevin and Tic prepared our barbeque dinner. We returned to the bus in time to get seats at the table and serve ourselves from a buffet of salads and sausages on the barbie. I chose a glass of wine and was just settling down to enjoy my dinner when the heavens opened up! I put a plastic bag over my wine glass and another over my dinner. The wine was saved but the torrential downpour filled my plate! Many people ran for the shelter of the bus luggage compartment. Dan and I decided it was too late and waited it out. Dan would pour the water off his plate, eat – pour water, eat! Here we were dining in the desert and soaked to the skin!


In no time the rain stopped and the fleeing clouds gave us a spectacular sunset. Who else has pictures of waterfalls on Uluru?


The ride home in wet clothes was cold. Lynne saved me from hypothermia by supplying a beautifully warm sweater she had tucked in her bag just in case. We settled down to watch a classic Australian movie called “The Dish” as we drove through the night back to Alice Springs. The storm had all the animals lying low so again there was nothing to see along the way. We arrived home at 1:00 AM. It would probably be closer to 2:00 AM when the drivers had the bus ready to put away. Then they would be picking up a new group of people by 6:00 AM. Long work days!

Dan, Laurel and Thea were up and at it the next morning. They had booked a camel ride out to the MacDonnells. Interesting but they still did not see the wildlife they were hoping for.


Lynne and I had planned to go touring but the cloudy skies would not give us the light we needed to photograph the cliffs in Standley Chasm. We opted for a morning at home instead – doing laundry and relaxing by the pool. When the cameleers returned we all went for a nice lunch in Alice Springs. It was time to pack up and get ready to leave the Red Center. There is so much more we would like to see, we will have to come back another time.