BARBARA'S KIMBERLEY ADVENTURE - KINGS CANYON/SERPENTINE GORGE

The George Gill Ranges otherwise known as Kings Canyon

We headed off from Yulara at 8am, filled up with Diesel (now $2.25 per litre) and after an uneventful but very scenic drive, we arrived at George Gill Ranges/Kings Canyon around midday.  We stopped first to get some info on the place, and typically, there's no off-road camping....you have to pay and camp in designated camp spots!  We found a cool little joint called the "Dry Dingo Bar" where we had to have a quick beer while deciding what we were going to do.  We decided to stay at the park for the night.  The park was pretty good, and while GM set tinkered under the bonnet of the beast, I caught up on the laundry......pretty exciting stuff you know ;-) 



I had to call out to GM when I was coming back from the laundry, as a couple of dingoes just happened to wander between us as calm as can be

Then we went to the Kings creek so I could have a walk and take some happy snaps.  The place is just beautiful, but the helicopter tours absolutely ruin it for those on the ground.  You can't hear the birds or anything else when they fly over.

GM's back was too sore, so I went in by myself..........just beautiful :-)

When we finished there we went for a drive out of town towards the Mereenie Loop,......Aboriginal Land that requires a permit to enter.  There were lots of Paddy melons laying on the side of the road, and we'd seen quite a few of these since leaving Port Augusta.  They have been introduced from South Africa and seem to grow only on the edge of the road just like pumpkins.  Apparently live stock have been known to die from eating them.  Also bumped into our  Coober Pedy neighbours Trent, Christa and the kids :-)

We went back to camp and went to the Wild Dingo  Bar for a steak dinner and some entertainment from a couple who called themselves "The Roadies".  They came to Kings Canyon to do a show 13 years ago but are still there today :-)  Dinner was lovely, but the entertainment was better ;-)  GM had to get up, wear a green and gold mohawk and dance along with "home among the gum trees" 
Sorry, but the video won't upload :-/  Anyway, needless to say he was extremely uncomfortable and I had a great time :-) 

We went back to camp, had an early night and were up and out of there at around 8am.  We paid $5.50 for a permit so that we could drive across the Mereenie Loop, and well worth the money.  We travelled 143km across a gravel road which was a little rough in  places, but worth every  bump!  We finally saw our first wild brumbies, who seemed almost as curious as us. 

We came over a rise and experienced one of the most breathtaking views either of us had ever seen.  

Eventually we turned onto a sealed  road that took us through the MacDonnell Ranges.  It was a beautifully maintained road with stunning views of the ranges and the unusual rock formations caused by the earth pushing on either side and tipping them vertically.

We arrived at Serpentine Gorge around Lunch time.  We parked Barbara up in the Serpentine Chalet Bush Camping Site, and went and did a walk to the Gorge.  Absolutely breathtaking and a beautiful sunny day that was quite warm out of the wind.  We took our happy snaps. 

There was a 15 minute steep walk to the top of the gorge, so while GM hobbled his crippled body back to the car, I decided to have a crack at it.  What the sign didn't say, was that it also included vertical rock climbing, I was about 10m from the top and chickened out, but I certainly got my exercise that afternoon!!!  I knew I was going to pay the next day, and I wasn't disappointed ;-)

We went back to camp and set up Barbara, then sat around the fire drinking scotch until it got too cold, then off to bed for another early morning wake up call.

Eek!!!! I really didn't want to get out of bed!!!!  We woke to -2.5 degrees and frozen toothpaste.  After a quick cuppa, we packed up and with an awful lot of swearing, we shook the ice off everything!!

We left around 8 and with only 100 or so km's to go, decided to have breaky in Alice Springs.  We weren't going to stay there as neither of us was terribly interested.  But we intended to spend a few hours re-stocking our supplies and getting the necessary information regarding permits and rules to cross the 1000km of the Tanami Road from the Northern Territory to Halls Creek in Western Australia, but that's another story :-)