Hello friends & family. We have returned from the outback of Australia. What an adventure it has been. I will try to sum up the events over the past week along with highlights of our journey & of course pictures!!!
We arrived in Adelaide on May 10. That night we enjoyed an authentic Australian BBQ thanks to Cath’s mom, Cynthia & step dad, Tony. Robbie also helped out with the cooking. We had our first…but not our last…feed of kangaroo. We loved it!!! Also had delicious lamb chops & sausage. Bruce & I slept in the motor home that first night then it was off to the outback. We did some touring around Adelaide first & did some wine tasting. Found the Jacob’s Creek winery….amazing.
Sometimes we stayed at the roadside rest areas & other times we stayed at the “Caravan Parks” which are like North American campgrounds. We drove north through Port Augusta, Coober Pedy (an opal mining town), onto Marla (we took pictures just for you Marla!!!), to Erldunda, then our final destination of Uluru (Ayers Rock). What an amazing site to see!!!!
Cath’s mom Cynthia flew to Ayers Rock to join us for the weekend. We were not able to climb the rock as it was too windy so the climb area was closed. We did a hike around the base of Uluru so we were able to get wonderful photos from there. We did the sunrise at Uluru as well which was amazing too. Bruce, Robbie & I took a short helicopter ride out to Uluru & back.
We drove north again to Alice Springs. It is hard to believe when you look at the map that Alice Springs is only half way from Adelaide to Darwin!! This country is HUGE!!! We stayed overnight in Alice Springs, did some shopping then started our 1400km journey back to Roxby Downs. We got back to Roxby Downs on May 19.
We celebratedBruce’s birthday Australianstyle….BBQ kangaroo again with all the trimmings & a koala cake made by Cath. It was a great time!! We spent yesterday (May 21) at another opal mining town, Andamooka, where we had a great lunch & Bruce bought me another pair of opal earrings….they are absolutely gorgeous!!
Today is Friday May 22 & we are relaxing in Cath & Robbie’s beautiful home in Roxby Downs. We enjoyed a beautiful morning in their backyard playing with the kids & getting some sunshine on our very white skin. I will attempt to send daily updates as we wind down our trip. It has truly been a trip of a lifetime. If any of you are thinking of making the long trek, it is certainly well worth the efforts.
Our home for the next 12 days.
Wine tasting at “Rockford Winery” in Barossa country.
Australian outback.
Waste rock from Opal mining in Coober Pedy.
Cath, Bruce, Cynthia & Elizabeth in front of Uluru.
Just before sunset.
Uluru from the air.
Alice Springs.
Another view of Alice Springs.
Bruce & Cath at Alice Springs.
The birthday boy with Alex & Lizzy.
The Koala bear cake.
Andamooka opal.
Andamooka.
Tuckabox pub in Andamooka where we had lunch.