Yulara Thurs 6 June 2002 email me at longw@acr.net.au
Here we are at Uluru, the rock is amazing first hand and the colours and rock formations are very impressive. We arrived 2 days ago and saw a sunset, along with hundreds of other people in a specially marked out viewing bay, then woke at 6am the next morning to get the sunrise on the other side of the rock.
Yesterday Kelsie, Brittany, Janaya and myself set off on the Kuta Tjula walk (the Olgas). It was a bit much for Libby with lots of climbing. The kids complained after 10 minutes but did the whole 7.5 kms in 2hrs 48mins. They helped me over it!!
Today we are finishing our look around Yulara and Uluru then heading a short distance to Curtain Springs for a camel ride to see the sunset at Mt Conner, a spectacular mesa-like mountain that is twice the height of Uluru but 4 feet shorter (1.something metres!!)
It is overcast and quite cool here this morning with a high predicted of 22degrees, lovely weather!!
Best get off, it is $3 for 10 minutes here and Kelsie needs to update her Blog, too.
Bye for now, Warwick.

Monday evening, at Erldundra, the corner where you turn off to head to Uluru.
It is my birthday and we have travelled the furthest in one day yet, 490kilometres, but I enjoyed the drive and the kids coped quite well. We had seen enough at Coober Pedy, it is very dusty and combines being a mining town with being a new tourist destination, and I don't think the 2 meet very well at this stage.
We saw a lovely, late, (after 6pm) sunset today. The drive from Pt Augusta to the Northern Territory border is, in general, a desert type landscape, barren, dusty, dry and salty, but the drive from the border this far into the NT has been full of life, grass all around. Perhaps this is the result of recent rains, I will have to ask the locals. And the rock formations are very attractive, especially in the late afternoon sun.
We got to within about 200metres of the 80km/hr speed sign here, ie after 480 odd kms, and a light went on on the dash. Seems to be some funny Mercedes Benz thing. Hope it is okay.
Must go, birthday to celebrate and long drive to Uluru tomorrow.
bye for now, Warwick

3.50pm Sunday 2nd June, Coober Pedy, continuing the writing below, which I posted to break up the story a bit!!
Now, where was I? Ah yes, Adelaide. We set off the next day to head north, but Glenelg trapped us for a time and we did not leave Adelaide until late, so we only got to Port Wakefield on Thursday. Next day we stopped for quite a while at Port Pirie, home of the smelter. Quite interesting place, talking to lots of people, for example the tug boat crewman who was out fishing, as there were no boats in at the time. He travelled 10 miles out to get King Whiting, "the best of the best", with a bag limit of 20 fish per head, so he had 20!! A lot of Italian heritage people in Port Pirie, on the fishing boats.
Then to Port Augusta to get ready for the big trip north.
Shopped for provisions and headed out the next day, Saturday, to get as far as possible. We travelled 300 kilometres after lunch and pulled into Glendambo Station. So many incredible sights on the way it is difficult to describe them. Perhaps the highlight was driving up a slight rise and pulling into a parking area that they said had something to photograph, and sure enough it was Island Lake (i think) a dry white salt lake with a conical island in the middle, just extending forever. Breathtaking!!
Will have to stop soon as the money runs out shortly. It is cool at night, mild in the day, with jumpers still close at hand.
The kids are fine and doing lots of reading, maths work (heh heh), playing game boy, listening to "The Indian in the Cupboard" tape and other tapes both spoken and songs.
Will go now, hope you are all well.
Love and regards from Warwick and the family

Sunday 2nd June Coober Pedy
Well, sorry about the delay but at last we are away from the coast...quite a way from the coast...we are in Coober Pedy and it is nice and cool in the breeze outside. I am underground at the moment in the big international hotel called...hmmm...the cave, i think. It is pleasant all year round underground so most people live and work underground.
We have travelled a fair way since our last sign in, Warrnambool seems a life time ago! We spent 3 days there then travelled to Portland, from memory, (sorry if i get a little mixed up, we have been in so many places since then!!) then to Mount Gambier in South Australia. The lakes there are a sight to behold and have many moods.
From there we went to Murray Bridge on the Murray. We travelled through the Coorong National Park which is quite amazing.
Into Adelaide to stop at Brighton Beach Caravan Park for 2 nights. I stopped there 20 years ago, Feb '82, when Curly Ohmsen and I travelled to Perth and back to Cairns for a month on buses in our small tent. Rick, the owner, said he was at the park at that time.
Next day we travelled into Adelaide on the train, ahh no driving!!,and went to the zoo. We all enjoyed that and have lots of video to show for our efforts.
Will post this so I don't lose it (and you don't get too bored reading a big chunk!!)
Regards, Warwick.