I know Andy only posted yesterday but thought I'd follow up with some extra photos and thoughts on our trip so far, one week in.
A quick summary and rehash of stops and visits, and to add my 2 cents.
Day 2 got us to Woomera which was curious, cold and foggy, and the site of the first hot shower, and last for many days...another fairy garden by Jemma and the beginning of the red dirt.
Day 3 & 4 we arrived in Coober Pedy where we stayed for 2 nights at the BIG4. We utilised the day off from travel to revisit The Old Timers Mine and The Breakaways and dog fence. Coober Pedy is really a place like no other and I am sure it is at times a sleepy mining town but at the moment it looks like a 4WD and caravan/trailer expo. Years of border closures and postponed bucket-list road-trips is making everywhere BUSY. Certainly much busier than Andy and I remember from our travels back in 2008/9.
Day 5 we crossed the border into the NT and stopped in Kulgera for the night for an exciting night for all the wrong reasons. Andy and I stopped in Kulgera on our previous tour but approached from the north last time.
The excitement came in the form of stupidity by me (holding bread rolls in the palm of my hand to slice open with a super sharp, brand new serrated knife) leading to me also slicing the palm of my hand. I knew it was pretty nasty; for one I barley felt it, for two there was a LOT of blood, and for three the bleeding would not stop. I continued to prepare dinner trying to keep pressure on the cut with a tea towel wrapped around my hand but it turned out to be inadequate.
Jemma requested to be taken to the loo ( a very big part of camping with kids is back and forth to the loo) and while I was waiting for her I got extremely lucky. The tea towel covered in blood was a bit of a give away, and possibly the look on my face said that all was not well, and a super kind GP we will call Dr Kate ( it is her name) asked to take a look. She immediately offered medical assistance including stitching me up if it needed it ( at this point I honestly hoped that it would just stop bleeding and be OK).
I was told to keep the pressure on and revisit her in the toilet block in 15 mins where she would be ready with her kit to see me and have a proper look. She took a look and decided we needed a chair as I was about to be stitched up in the laundry of the toilet block at Kulgera Roadhouse (the first and last pub in the NT).
A better story would have me taking swigs of whiskey with a good lug poured into the wound for cleaning, me biting down on some fabric while I was stitched up, but no, Dr Kate was equipped with almost everything she needed including local anaesthetic (which stung so much more than the original cut before or since). Her lovely brother tried to distract me as she put FOUR!!!!!! stitches into my hand without suture forceps which was a new skill for Dr Kate and I cannot recommend as an option as it put a lot more pressure on the sewing bit. I was sent back to camp with a dressing and a numb hand, told to keep it dry for 3 days and as clean as possible (hahahahaha camping), and to have the stitches out in 8-10 days which coincides nicely with our stay in Alice Springs (alternatively Candi has offered to FIFO, or worst case scenario is Andy will do it after a YouTube tutorial...or not). Dr Kate and helper brother came and checked on me the next morning before setting off, and they were pleased to see that it, and I, appeared to be OK.
It is now day 3 after the stitches were put in and it looks OK. I am looking forward to being back to full capacity in a week or so as it has put an extra load on Andy as I really cannot do many of the big things at the moment. Andy has been a trooper and barely complained :)
From Kulgera we travelled to Yulara - the resort that allows camping closest to Uluru and Kata-Tjuta where we are on the last of 3 nights (Days 6, 7 & 8). We did the base walk around Uluru yesterday 10.6km as well as sunset at the rock - it is such a special place to visit. It is freezing at night, meant to get down to 0C tonight with possible frost, but the days are crystal clear and warmish which is great for walking. The light is soft and pretty.
Today we visited Kata-Tjuta, about 70km from Yulara and did two shorter more rugged walks; Walpa Gorge and Valley of the Winds ( gales), and picnicked there as well.
Tomorrow we move on to Kings Canyon for 2 nights before heading to the bush proper for 3 nights in the West MacDonnell ranges west of Alice Springs.
I have just shopped at the Yulara IGA for 5 nights camping which as you might imagine charges at premium prices. 5 nights camping for a family of 4, 3 meals per day + snacks equates to 60 meals. Before we left Adelaide I prepared and froze meals but they have run out now and things are about to get pretty basic. We are operating out of a 40L fridge plus car drawers for pantry items and dry goods...about to put my meal planning and maths to the test.
The kids have settled into this camping life pretty well, making friends and helping out in their own way. We have tried to separate big driving days with a few days stop but it isn't always possible in this country. They are both enjoying playing lots of card games and just being grubby kids, and we are loving showing them such special parts of Australia.
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