Cutlers Cruz Aus: August 2012

Travelling from Kings Canyon we thought we would try the dirt road shortcut. The Ernst Giles Road was only 100km saving us another 200km following the highway. We had heard a couple of stories that the road was rough but we thought we would give it a go. How bad could it be? Famous last words... Well the moment we turned off the highway the corrugations started, we drove on each side of the road, off the road in the grass to try and stop the car shaking uncontrollably. Travelling at 20km/hr we were overtaken by by a guy who was probably going about 100km we thought he was mad but then Jamie said maybe we wont feel the bumps if we go faster. So off we went, up to about 70/ 80 km/hr and it did feel at lot better until we came across a crest and and all four wheels on the car and the van were off the ground. The kids thought it was awesome except when Levi's head hitting the roof. At the end of the road was a meteorite crater site which wasn't the most amazing thing we have seen on our travels but it was nice to have a break to stop our teeth from rattling. We made the most of the stop checking that we all made it out alive and what we thought was uninjured. Arriving in Alice Springs we found out the car had blown a couple of bulbs and the tap on our water tank had snapped off the van and all our water was gone, but it was easily fixed. The caravan park had all the water we needed.

Alice Springs has a very bad reputation for crime, Jamie & I actually thought it was a lot better than 15 years ago. Locals didn't line the banks of the Todd river like they once did, but they do still go on huge walks everyday meeting around the river, I'm still not real sure what exactly they are doing but it's probably none of my business.

We stayed in Alice for 10days and filled our days with lots of sites.

Visiting the West MacDonnell Ranges, which included Glen Helen Gorge, Orminsten Gorge, Ellery Creek Big Hole, The Ochre pits where the aboriginals found their paints, Simpsons Gap and Flynns Grave.

Another corrugated road took us out to Rainbow Valley which had beautiful coloured sandstone. A beautiful back drop to do some more of my burpees for the Goalpower challenge. Thank God I got a few extra in as on the drive out I injured my back while trying to get food for the kids. It was very painful and I thought I broke it, I could barely move for a couple days. But Jamie still had another dirt road trip up his sleeve, checking out Redbank campground on a river. But my tears told him to shorten the drive and head back into Alice. He did cook dinner and wash up which had the caravan park talking about what a great guy he was.

The East MacDonnell Ranges had Emily &Jesse Gap, Corroboree Rock, Trephina Gorge and another 4WD trip through a rocky creek bed to John Hayes Rockponds.

Penny Prado needed a service so we booked it in with Kmart Tyre & Auto only to find they don't really know what day it is and wrote us down on the wrong day, so we took advantage to take in another fantastic attraction. School of the Air was first founded in Alice Springs and now there are many more Australia wide. We had a great experience talking to one of the teachers who came in on her holidays while other staff were away sick. She showed us behind the scenes of the classrooms and told us some of her trade secrets. We saw a film of one of the students who was interviewed by Sunrise, he was 8 years old at the time and could drive a car and weld. He is now 10 and is driving trucks on his families property. Pretty cool stuff our kids walked out wanting to go to this school.

I had forgotten to get Zara her 4yr old immunisation needles so that was something we had to get out of the way so she could head to school if we pulled up anywhere for a length of time. She was excited as we told her she could have any prise she liked ( within limits) and I must say was the bravest little girl I have ever seen and her prize was a packet of pink musk sticks. That's my girl thinking of food just like her mum.

But the highlight for me was the reason we stayed for so long, it was the Camel Races. The funniest thing I had ever seen. The jockeys were mostly backpackers or young guys and girls looking for a new career maybe. The most amusing was an old guy who had no idea how to ride and every time he got on he held on for his life, bouncing all over the place. It really was a" had to be there moment." The first couple of races where crazy, camels running in the wrong direction, a couple of guys were thrown to the ground and some of the camels weren't going to run even if their life depended on it. The main race was held at the same time as Melbourne Cup, the atmosphere was pumping, with guesses to who would win the cup. Unfortunately there is no betting but at least I saved my money as the winner was a young lady who ha won with her camel for the last 3 years running.

Got to love the Northern Territory.