Well we have been away for 3 weeks today, time flying but having fun. I must admit it’s taken me a while to get into the swing of things and relax but I’m getting there. I think it’s the setting up and then packing up all the time, we make sure now that we have some down time every few days. I also find as a very light sleeper I wake a lot during the night if there are people around us. Some people don’t seem to realise that their caravan and tent walls aren’t plaster!! Not to mention howling dingoes, can live without that. On a good note I haven’t thought about work at all which is brilliant!

Today we had an easy day winding our way back along Namatjira Drive to Alice Springs. We camped at Ormiston Gorge last night (not my fav camp site over serviced, under equipped and overpriced) and started the day with a short walk up to The Ghost Gum Lookout and back down around Ormiston Water hole. The water hole was just gorgeous, there was a pair of Australian Grebes with 3 little babies and 2 Cormorants which means there was fish in the water even though it wasn’t very big. I sat for a while just staring at the cliffs reflecting in the water and the shimmer of the water dancing back onto the cliffs above. One of those this is awesome moments!

Did I mention I love Ghost Gums?

Col went for wander up to another lookout much further up on another track but I headed back to wash dishes and start packing up, probably missed an amazing view but I was happy with my water hole. We called into the last gorge Simpsons Gap, it’s the last on the tourist drive and only 18kms from Alice.

Ormiston Pound Lookout

Ormiston Pound Lookout

Took this silly photo! There was water further up…..

We have stopped in Alice for one last night to wash clothes, refuel, re-water and do a grocery shop before we move on from the area tomorrow and have chosen a different caravan park as well on the north side of town. So tomorrow we head up the Tanami Road to Wolfe Creek Crater (no John Jarrett jokes please…and no I haven’t seen the movie!!) The Tanami is roughly 1000km of dirt and we have checked road conditions and it’s all good (for NT standards)…..we hope!!! might just need some new fillings in our teeth at the other end. Feels good to move on to the next little section of our travels, have loved the East and West Mac Donnell Ranges and the amazing scenery but not sad to leave Alice Springs, it hasn’t won me over.

P.S We have been very amused by the Wicked Camper hire cars and vans because

a) they stick roof top tents on any sort of car including a Nissan Micra!! (can’t believe it didn’t tip sideways when the tent was opened) but didn’t get a photo yet of that one.

b) They have the most ridiculous graphics on the doors, as did this one today.