Uluru by helicopter

After checking into our hotel at 12:30 [took us 21 hours/including our 4.5 hour nap – NOT BAD!]

We booked a 30 min helicopter flight for that afternoon and a sunrise bus tour for the next morning. At 16:15 we were picked up by the Ayers Rock Helicopters company and we were transported to the airport.

Our pilot’s name was Emma. The flight was absolutely the coolest and most amazing part of the trip. It was the best and is the most recommended way to se Uluru. The flight took us past Uluru, the city of Uluru, and the Kata Tjuta [The Olgas]. Tracy was silent most of the flight as her microphone was not working properly. I did most of the talking while Tracy nodded and Emma asked if she was alright.

Sunset

After our helicopter flight we drove to Uluru again for sunset to capture the colour changes. This was an awe inspiring wonder of nature in itself. We highly recommend to everyone a visit to Uluru.

Sunrise Tour

Once we returned to the hotel we got ready for dinner and hopped on the free shuttle to the next resort. We were lucky enough to experience a brief down pour while we waited for the shuttle to take us back to the hotel [it only rains 12 inches a year].

When we got back to the hotel we started to get ready for bed and our 04:00 AM start. As we were sharing a four person dorm with 2 Japanese ladies – Daryl tried communicating to one of them that we had to get up early. But we don’t think that charades are as popular in Japan as they are in Australia or Canada! She was trying to talk to us , and we were trying to talk to her ... but there are not too many English words that match the Japanese language and vice versa.

We also contacted one of our friends Jake who is studying Japanese and he tried to explain to the lady ... we still could not get through. In another attempt to speak to her Daryl went off to find someone to translate ... there were a lot of Asian tour groups. Apparently there is a phone at the front desk that connects you to a translator. While Daryl was gone the Manager came to our room with the other lady and advised that she was moving us to another room for the night as the one lady that we spent all that time trying to communicate with was not well.

We felt quite bad after this – we spent all that time trying to communicate with her and all she wanted was to be left alone!!

The next morning we caught our tour bus with Eco Tours [on recommendation from the front desk that they were the “tour company to go with”]. Our tour guide Jackie was very knowledgeable but lacked simple social skills and even jipped Tracy and 10 others [out of 12] from a portion of the tour!

We took in sunrise and we stopped at the “climb” [some people attempt to climb Uluru – still not sure how they would do it as it looks really unsafe!] where Jackie pointed out where the bathroom was and where we were to meet afterwards. I went off to the toilet with everyone else. Daryl was waiting on the side along with another guy from the tour when Jackie signalled them to follow her.

Daryl asked if they weren’t going to wait for the others. Jackie replied: “Nah, nah. They go to the toilet they miss out.” Needless to say when I got back and found out what had happened I was not happy!! It isn’t like the tour was free!! AND she was 15 minutes late to pick us up that morning ...so she decided to sacrifice part of the tour to accommodate?!! [I have already started a letter to Eco Tours]

Part of Sunrise Tour that Tracy missed

More photos of Uluru

Should we stay or should we go...

On the tour bus home we contemplated a walk through Kata Tjuta [The Olgas] or checking out early and driving back 722 km to Coober Pedy to stay in an underground hotel for the night. We used the internet facilities to check availability and decided to call a hotel directly as 6 minutes does not allow enough time for a proper search. We were able to book a room. We packed our bags, checked out and were on the road again within 20 mins.

After a short period of time we realized that we did not know the address or the name of the hotel that we had just made reservations at!! As we were driving out of phone service.. we had to drive back a few kilometres so that we could call back and get the proper details! Daryl explained to Reception how excited we were and that we had forgotten to get all the appropriate details!

On the road to Coober Pedy

Coober Pedy

We started on our drive again and once again left phone service for the next 7 hrs 36 mins. We stopped a few times on the way to fill up [as there are not many stops along the Stuart Highway] and finally checked into our Coober Pedy hotel after 19:30 [we lost an hour in between the Northern Territory and South Australian border due to Daylight savings].

We had a beautiful dinner in the hotel that night and a good night sleep. The next morning we did some touring before we started back home to Adelaide.

Coober Pedy is a creepy little mining town. We say creepy because the residents live underground.. in spots we saw cars but no houses ... I guess it is creepy because it is not something that we are used to seeing. Every minute I was expecting someone to come out at us with a cleaver!!! There were wrecked cars everywhere, garbage everywhere and in one of the parking lots there was an old spaceship [we Google it and we think it might have been from the movie: Pitch Black].

Coober Pedy is famous for its Opal mining. We did visit an Opal store and the stones were quite beautiful.

What is that on the road?

We had breakfast at a Road House in Coober Pedy before we started our 840 km drive back to Adelaide. Again, nothing much to see between Coober Pedy and Port Augusta besides sand, some trees, more sand, mines ... AND THEN part of the road became a runway!! [for the Royal Flying Doctors Service]

[We do have runway video footage but at this time I am unable to upload the file. I will try again soon.]

[Lake Hart Rest Stop]

It took us 8 hrs 37 mins to drive home from Coober Pedy.

Traffic was a lot heavier as it was the Monday of the long weekend and once we hit Port Augusta there were more people on their way home.

We had an amazing trip that was extremely full. Until next time ... TAKE CARE!

D & T

Our New House

Hello!!

We know it has been a really long time since we last posted anything! For a while I could not remember what my password was!

Since the last post Daryl has finished his mining certificate course... we have moved house.... that is about it..... work is really really busy... but school holidays are coming....

Nothing else is new. I take the train to work now.

Last weekend Daryl and I went to the Royal Adelaide Show. It is like the Ottawa Exhibition except it is more of a major RIP OFF!!! You pay for each ride individually. We went on 3 rides (roller coaster that lasted 20 seconds, some twisting ride that went all around and upside down for a really really long time and the ferris wheel) and it cost us 50$!! Ridiculous! They had fireworks and motorcross tricks. The motorcross tricks were the highlight of the show!!

On 11th October we are hosting a "Thanksgiving" dinner at our house. I am going to have to think of some kind of hat for everyone to wear.

Okay so here are some photos of our new home... Enjoy.

Hope that this finds everyone well. Thanks for visiting our blog.

Daryl and Tracy