I'm sitting in the Yulara Airport waiting to board a plane to Sydney where we'll spend the night before boarding a plane to Houston. The trip from Houston to Sydney was 17 1/2 hours. The trip back to Houston from Sydney is only 16 1/2 hours--tailwind. This small airport is full of people. We didn't immediately find 3 seats together, but finally lucked out.

I have been singled out to be scanned on the way as well as again today. I'm beginning to wonder if I look dishonest. I suppose grandmotherly types might be the ones drug smugglers would use to carry their contraband into the country. 

We're all packed and just sitting here till we need to check out at 10:00--a couple hours. Our plane doesn't leave until 2:00, so we have a lot of down time. Everything is so expensive here. The hotel, for example, offered us a take-along breakfast for $38 Aus, which consisted of cereal bars, a piece of fruit, and a bottle of water. We declined, and went to the grocery store and bought the same stuff for a lot less. The hotel offers sit-down dinners for $49. We have not taken them up on that either. We've eaten several PBJs for lunch, shared a pizza one night, etc. One of the reasons that food is so expensive here is that food service people are paid a living wage, and tipping is not necessary. I did see a "tip" jar at the place where I bought some fish and chips (we call them fries.

This is our last night at Ayers Rock Resort. Tomorrow we take a plane to Sydney, spend the night there, and fly home May 21st.

This morning I took a bus trip to Kata Tjuta, sometimes called the Olgas. The most famous attraction of the Kata Tjuta National Park. It's a sandstone monolith that is world renowned for being a symbol of its indigenous culture.


Kata Tjuta (The Olgas

We also stopped near Uluru, otherwise known as Ayers Rock. For the geologists, it is an insulberg, which is an isolated rock hill, knob, ridge, or small mountain that rises abruptly from a gently sloping or virtually level surrounding plain. The guide says that only about 1/3 rises above ground, about 2/3 is still below ground. I almost forgot to mention that the guy who drove us around is called Snakebite. He had a very strident voice, and he told us about several aboriginal myths, then proceded to spout poetry. One was "The Man From Snowy River," but I didn't catch the titles of the other two. Of course, I could only understand about 2/3 of what he said. In fact, I have trouble understanding some of these Aussies, 

Barbara and Herb walked 3/4 of the way around Uluru, which took about 4 hours. If I remember correctly, I have already posted something about Uluru. I'm ready to go to bed.

Friday, May 18 (Error yesterday)

Carol Webb

Just now · 

I spent the day at Kings Canyon--about 4 hours from the Ayers Rock Resort where we're staying. On the way, we saw a herd of wild camels--probably 15 or so--and one wild horse. The country doesn't change much between here and Kings Canyon--lots of scrub brush and fine red dirt.One of highlights of the day was a helicopter ride. Barbara and Herb chose to walk the rim of the canyon--about 7 miles. I chose to walk the bottom of the canyon, which is a dry river bed--very rocky. We're going to Ayers Rock tomorrow. It's a huge sandstone monolith, several miles around the base:

ULURU-AUSTRALIA.COM

About Ayers Rock - Uluru (Ayers Rock) Australia

Uluru (Ayers Rock) is one of the most impressive landmarks in Australia. Learn more about Australia's iconic Ayers Rock.

Thursday, May 18
I'm just back from a camel ride. My camel had a muzzle on her. Her name was Taz. Thirteen camels were all linked together, and the one I was on was third from last. The most interesting part was the getting up and the getting down. The camel was lying down to start with, and once I was on, she started with her back legs, and I had to lean back. Same when it was time to get off. The ride lasted over an hour, and I was ready to get off about 15 minutes before it was time to get off. We'll see if I'm sore tomorrow.

I looked up Kakadu: This is what Wikipedia says about it: Kakadu National Park is in the Northern Territory of Australia, 171 km southeast of Darwin.It is the second largest national park in the world. It covers an area of 1,980,400 ha (4,894,000 acres). The Aligator River runs through it, and I took a boat ride on it. Ironically, there are no aligators in Australia, only crocodiles, and I saw several along the way.

Today is the day I go for a camel ride. I'll give a full report if I survive.

Wednesday, May 18
We are officially in the "Outback." Barbara says that we are in the red center of the Outback. The dirt here is fine and red, and it sticks to my shoes--glad I didn't buy new ones. I haven't seen any cactus plants, but there are no tall trees and lots of scrub brush. The ghost gum seems to be about the tallest, but it's not nearly big enough to give much shade. I discovered last night that we are in the area of the setting for the Meryel Streep movie "A Cry In The Dark.." A mother whose child was killed in a Dingo attack in the Australian outback fights to prove her innocence when she is accused of murder. Knowing that adds another dimension to this trip.

Last night we were taken by bus to a location "in the middle of nowhere." We were served lots of bubbly wine and canapes, some of which contained kangaroo and some contained crocodile. There were lots of choices on the buffet, but the best was lamb chops--a real treat for people who seldom have such a choice.

Tuesday, May 15

Carol Webb

1 min · 

Carol Webb

2 mins · 

I'm in Alice Springs Airport, waiting for a connection to Uluru. It's chilly here in Alice Springs, but I think it will be warmer at Ularu. I'm told that it's more desert-like. I just looked at a map of Australia, and I have traveled around the entire north-east quadrant of Australia. The 4 hour trip from Kakadu to Darwin was pretty much all scrub trees and grass--reminded me of scrub oaks in Missouri. I did see 3 wallabys by the side of the road, as well as a baby that was only about a foot high.I'm looking forward to posting a photo of me holding a koala She was just a cuddly as she looked, but she had long curved nails that I had to detach from my bare arm. I'll also be posting a photo of me petting a kangaroo, and I'm looking forward to a camel ride in Uluru. This is a rather small airport, but it has a fantastic gift shop. I was able to buy several important gifts, including the boomarang that my son had asked me buy.

Tuesday, May 15--Darwin Airport
We're headed for Uluru for the last leg of our trip. Barbara also refers to going to Ayers Rock. It's in the middle of Australia if I understand correctly. I wish I had brought a map of Australia. We have to change planes once before we arrive at today's destination. I think the area is mostly desert, unlike the area around Darwin and Kakadu, which has lots of scrub trees, which remind me a little bit of sw Missouri with its scrub oaks. Yesterday, it seemed like we traveled mile after mile of the same scenery. I did, however, see 3 wallabys, as well as one agile wallaby baby, which was only about a foot tall. It looked almost like a toy.

Tuesday, May 15
We spent the day at Kakadu. On the way, which took about 4 1/2 hours, I saw 3 wallabys by the side of the road. A little later, I saw another one that was only about a foot high. My friend Barbara says that it was an agile wallaby which is only about 2 ft tall, so what I saw was probably a baby. The landscape between Darwin and Kakadu is pretty boring. Some of it reminds me of scrub oak, but of course the trees are not oak.

On the way back, we stopped at Nourlange where we saw prehistoric drawings--quite interesting.

I sat beside a woman from Sydney on the way back from Kakadu. She is a retired primary school teacher. Her name is Alice, and I gave her my card. Having someone to chat with made the trip more enjoyable.

We leave Hervey Bay tomorrow morning at 5:30 (by plane), headed for Darwin, then Kakadu and Alice Springs. We will not be coming back to Hervey Bay where Barbara's mother lives. There is a barbeque this evening. The natives refer to it as a "barbie." I have realized that Barbara has lost some of her accent. Sometimes I have trouble understanding the natives--some more than others. Barbara has arranged several tours for us during the next few days, so I will probably have more to tell you after each tour.

More later

Saturday morning in Hervey Bay, Australia

It's cool here this morning, and I believe a cool front was in the forecast. It has been warm, but not uncomfortably so. My friend Barbara's mother Faye turned 80 yesterday, and there was a big party starting at noon yesterday. Friends had traveled from other areas in Australia to be a part of the celebration. There ,was lots of food, and several Pavlovas for dessert. That's a meringue cake with fruit on the top. The outside of the meringue is dry, but the inside is nice and moist. I have heard that it was especially made to honor the ballerina Pavlov.

We are going to Darwin Monday, and I have been told that it will be hot. Barbara is going to take me shopping later today to buy a pair of shorts, since my jeans will probably be uncomfortably hot.  Otherwise, I think today will be rather low-key compared to yesterday, which amounted to low-key partying from noon till bedtime. I crashed about 8:30, but I think some folks were intending to continue for quite a while.

My host and hostess Ron and Sue live across the street from Barbara's mother. The area is probably what God would have done if he'd had money. It's a gated community with palm trees and flowers everywhere. I think all the houses back up to water. There are black swans to be seen occasionally. Barbara's mother has orchids growing in her garden. I haven't seen much grass--too much trouble I suspect.

More later

Friday - Hervey Bay, Australia

Yesterday, we went to the Australia Zoo, which was founded by Steve Irwin's father. It is a world-class zoo. We spent about 5 hours there, and didn't see nearly all of it. Of course, we knew we wouldn't be able to see all of it, so we hose to visit exhibits that we don't have at the Sedgwick County Zoo. The highlight of my visit was having my photo taken holding a koala. Her name was Ruby, and she was very cuddly, but she needed her nails trimmed. Another animal that I had never seen before was a wombat, which was considerably larger than I had imagined--about the size of a large dog. The reptile house had a fair number of venomous snakes. It would be pretty scary to come upon one of those guys outside his cage. There were lots of koalas and kangaroos, and even a platapus.

Today is by friend Barbara's mother's 80 birthday party. Of course, this occasion is the main reason Barbara chose to come at this time. The party starts at noon-about an hour away. This part of Australia is 15 hours ahead of Wichita time.

Hervey Bay's climate is sub-tropical, so there are palm trees everywhere-- big ones, small ones, fat ones, and skinny ones. There are also flowers everywhere. This area reminds me of Palm Beech, Florica. I don't think there is very much carpet anywhere, and I love all the tile floors.

More later.