1st March,
We are now into March where has the time gone.
We have now completed two weeks work. Everything is going great. John enjoys getting behind the lawn mower and mowing the lawns that look a lovely green colour before all the caravans arrive. We both enjoy a swim in the afternoon after work for half a hour in a large salt water swimming pool at the park.
The highest temperature we have had since we arrived in Alice Springs is 42 deg and that was in the caravan . Very hot. Most nights are around 25 to 29 degs which is quite warm until around 4 am then it gets a little cooler but by 7 am its back up around 27 degs.
Today being our day off it was time to be the tourist for a few hours We went to see Desert Park 10 minutes drive out of Alice Springs. This is based on the edge of the MacDonnell Ranges. It is a fully protected area.
The Nocturnal House has a lot of lizards and night creatures that can be seen . Many of these are very rare.
9th March,
We have both been very busy at the park . Many of the cabins have been booked out so there have been big cleaning days. They started trimming trees through out the park last Thursday so no branches etc will fall when the season starts. John has been feeding the mulcher with the tree Branches and raking up the leaves . With the heat during the day still around 35 degs it can be quite hot.
I did the local market on Sunday , very slow with no sales . It was interesting talking to other stall holders as they said also the sales were down.
11th March,
Today we are going to Uluru for a sunset bbq. We left G'day Mate caravan park at 6.20am . It is a beautiful sunny day with temperatures getting to 33 degs.
Our first stop is Stuart's Well Roadhouse where we had breakfast , bacon and egg on a bun and a cuppa . We left here at 7.50 heading to Mt Ebenezer roadhouse around 9.30 for a cuppa and a stretch of the legs. Seeing some of the local art work with the bright colours at a gallery here is a great stop for tourist, 50% of the sales goes back into the local community .
10.00 am we were back on the road to Uluru .
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morning tea
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If the temperature is 36 degs the rock walk is closed to the public due to the heat. The rock walk was closed today due to the heat . There has been 35 deaths from doing the rock climb, which is very sad. due to slipping etc. We went on several walks around the base of Uluru and saw rock paintings and water holes .
Here is a small Uluru story that the indigenous elders tell the children . Hope you enjoy it.
The Willy Wagtail ( this is a small bird found around Australia with white eyebrows and its tail is always wagging).
The Willy Wagtail Woman,
Tjintir-tjintirpa, the Willy Wagtail Woman, lived at Ikari, the smiling cave , on the eastern side of Uluru.
This Ancestor used to laugh cheerfully to herself as she listened to the faint sounds of the Mala ceremonies coming from far away on the other side of Uluru.
Tjintir-tjintirpa was a very friendly women who smiled at everyone who passed by. She was interested in everyone's business and knew everything about everybody.
Even today Aboriginal people in Central Australia are very careful not to talk too much when the willy wagtail is nearby. She might fly away to tell other people your business.
This is an example how stories can cross from one language area to another. The Luritja people, who live at King's Canyon, 200 kilometres to the north , tell how the Willy Wagtail Woman came to their country to spy on some travellers from Uluru.
From here we went to Kata Tjuta ( The Olgas ) which consists of 4 large rocks side by side.
We returned to Uluru (Eyres Rock) for the sunset which was specular and a Bbq and a few glasses of wine . What a way to spent a wonderful day . We left Eyres Rock at 7.30pm for Alice Springs . On our way home we stopped at Mount Conner and looked up at the Milky Way. Standing In the middle of a main road looking up to the heavens with not a vehicle light or other lights around was so clear, seeing a few satellites and checking out the galaxy's . We got home at 12.50 am . A total of 1100 kms of travelling today no wonder we are tired . We were up at 7.20 to start work at 8.00am a early night for both of us tonight.
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| The Olgas |
29th March,
Our day off yah. That is once we give the toilets and showers a clean. We decided to have a look at the Ross Highway. It is a very scenic drive to the Ross River Resort 85 kms away. We stopped at Emily Gap, and Jessie Gap , but no water in either of the rivers . Then onto Corroboree Rock Conservation Reserve .
Here we came across a very peaceful caravan park , with great walking tracks around the rock and other walks. One of the walks we came to a beautiful Ghost Gum tree , it is over 300 years old . The trunk of it is so smooth when you touch it. If there was water in the river we have been told that it water is very cold even in the summer which surprised us.
Then it was back to camp to watch the cricket test between NZ and Australia sad to say we lost .
11th May,
All of a sudden we are in May, the time here has gone very fast. With getting up at 7.00am and starting work at 8 am . John finishes his section of cleaning around 4.00 and myself I finish around 5.30- 6.00 every night. Once I have cleaned the cabins and ensuites I go into the office for the rest of the day. The park is now in full swing with up to 30 plus vans coming in everyday . The park is 99% full each day.
Marg is still knitting at night to relax here is her latest project .
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Swimming hole at Uluru.jpg)
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