We left camp at 7:45 for Kings Canyon in Watarrka National Park. It is often referred to as Australia’s Grand Canyon and is known for it’s soaring red sandstone walls and is part of the George Gill Range. The walls of Kings Canyon are over 100 meters high, with Kings Creek at the bottom. We intended to hike the King’s Canyon Rim Walk, a 6K (3.7 miles) with sweeping views of the gorge and surrounding landscape. The day was mild enough (it is closed if projected temperatures are 36 degrees) so we headed out on the walk around 8:30am.

There is a steep climb up at the beginning of the walk (the locals call it “Heartbreak Hill” or “Heart Attack Hill” due to its steepness) ascends to the top) treats one to spectacular views of the vivid orange-brown gorge below and of the surrounding landscape. We anticipated a 3-4 hour adventure. I was feeling quite challenged and felt winded about a third of the way up this first rock “staircase”. I realized I was trying to keep the brisk pace set by Nick and Luke – many years younger than this older adult. Settling into my own pace, I marveled at this impressive eye candy landscape. I keep thinking of how my definition of “eye candy” has evolved over time. At one point in life it was definitely handsome men but now it is breathtaking landscapes!

We opted for a 600 meter side trek to the Cotterills Lookout and it was well worth the challenge of negotiating the multilayered sandstone domes to get to the vantage point. I love the challenge of finding solid footing for my “safe” path up these adrenalin injecting rock outcrops! At times it was a bit frightful given the brisk wind and the crevices between the tiered sandstone “hills” thus requiring a bit of rock hopping. From this vantage point the cliff edges are spectacular.

 

About half way through the walk we descended down into the canyon via a staircase to a bridge across the canyon bottom. A permanent waterhole was visible but due to the arid conditions and lack of rainfall the amount of water was scant. Vegetation in the creek bottom is abundant and ancient ferns abound which are estimated to be over 400 years old.

 

We ascended up the staircase to the other side of the canyon. The last half of the walk passed through a large maze of weathered sandstone domes resemble ”beehives.” and often identified as the “Lost City.

The primary rock of Kings Canyon is formed of Mereenie Sandstone, a clean white sandstone. I was quite surprised to see broken sandstone almost white inside. The red exterior color is thought to be due to iron-rich dust blown onto the rock surface. It becomes chemically fixed to the sand grains by a form of fungi which thrive on iron, silica and rainwater.

 

After a brief rest we opted to take the two km out and back King Creeks walk tracing the bottom of the gorge. The entire creek bed up to the turn around point was a a completely dry bed with no waterholes. It was lined with tall trees and mostly shaded. Due to a rockfall the viewing platform was closed but having been able to hike the rim loop we were not too disappointed. Up until this hike I never felt through our travels that the flies were bad enough to warrant the fly net.  However I decided to get out the fly net as there was a very pesky constant annoyance. As on most of the hikes, since so much hiking earlier in the summer in Colorado with Tasia and Amara, one fun way to stay engaged in the surroundings is to find faces (and animals) in the rock formations, trees trunks and deadwood. I was psyched spotting a “skull” and “worm larva.”

 

 

Our journey through the Red Center Way continued post-sunrise at Uluru with the drive to Kata Tjuta National Park, 50 km north west of Uluru. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site so we anticipated another amazing experience. Our plan was to explore Kata Tjuta via the full circuit of the 7.4km Valley of the Winds walk. I anticipated a walk that would engulf me in another stunning patch of the Australian Desert. It had been suggested that the Valley of the Winds walk was an alternative to climbing Uluru and offered awesome views of the landscape from two lookout points along the circuit. The walk was sometimes steep, rocky and difficult and had been rated a rugged class 4 hike (high level of difficulty) but overall was I was able to negotiate it with reasonable caution on the steepest rockiest sections. The temperatures were warm but not near the point where they close the walk due to danger of heat and dehydration. Kata Tjuta is 36 red rock domes that make up “The Olgas.” Kata Tjuta is a aboriginal Pitjantjatjara word meaning ‘many heads’. The Olgas has historical significance and offers amazing hiking. The views awere breathtaking and were worth the effort of driving over and taking the walk.Another great benefit was it was much less crowded than Uluru.

Reaching the peak of the valley was the most challenging part for me. We again followed our “sandwich formation” with Nick and Luke the top crust, myself the filling, and Miriam the crust at the bottom. The first section was a gradual 2K cobbled, mildly rocky and graveled moderately difficult walkway to the Karu Lookout.

At that point the track split and we headed counter-clockwise to the Karangana Lookout. We were headed for a space between the domes at which point we could see below to the Valley of the Winds. During this climb to the lookout we were surrounded on all sides by steep rock faces. There were many steps, some steep rock domes to climb, challenging decent (I find that descending is much more treacherous the climbing and ll my falls and skids are on loose gravel and stones on rock steps and paths. I walking between sheer walls, up steep “staircases” and felt exhilarated by the challenge.

 

Leaving the lookout we had to negotiated some steep rocky terrain to enter the Valley of the Winds.The valley crossed the plain below through the dry grass, dry creek beds, spinifax, and desert flora and fauna and it becomes a true experience of the Australian outback. I had that feeling of being in the middle of no where. I could see towering rusty red domes, wildflowers, a clear blue sky, gentle winds and a variety of outback vegetation. This desert atmosphere is dry, very dry and though the sun was not yet of the scorching as one might experience in the summer months I felt a real need to consume minimally a liter + of water to keep hydrated. The dry air evaporates the moisture around me and even with the water I managed to get dehydrated. The one advantage of this, though I don’t recommend it as a technique, is not having to duck into the sparse bushes to eliminate the excess water!!! I wonder how all of the plants can survive I wonder how all the plants survive in this arid rocky area?

We all agreed at the end of the walk that it was exciting, challenging and much preferred as a hike to the flat terrain of the circumvention of Uluru. We still had to break camp and wanted to be on our way to Watarrka (Kings Canyon) and had a 350 km yet. So we managed to be out and the road by one o’clock, backtracking first the 50k to Ayers Rock campground and then on to the Lurijata Road to the Kings Canyon Resort. When I hear the word “resort” I mostly think of an moderately upscale hotel/motel with many amenities. The outback resorts are much more rustic in my opinion. We checked in and headed to the communal camping “lawns.” We had several areas to choose from. One was near a noisy gas station and bar, another right by the pool and the camping area for the busloads of high schoolers, and the third was a large empty red dirt lot, spare of trees. There was little vegetation (nothing resembling what I think of as a lawn) on it and the dirt was so fine I kept thinking of chili powder or paprika. We opted for the far end of the red dirt lot which had a spindly tree for shade and we hoped protected from the worst of the noise. We finally found the communal stoves for cooking in between a dreary looking bank of mortal room. The car hood was our table and we found ways to not have to sit in the chili powder. Here we needed to make sure all food was secured in the car due to the dingos roaming the area As it was getting dark we realized the “loud couple” and there loud friends were setting up camp right next us in the middle of this dirt field. We were a bit dismayed at the inconsiderateness of there rather noisy conversations and robust laughs that went on pat our bedtimes. Fortunately we all were tired enough to eventually fall asleep.

 

Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock)

Whenever I thought of Australia throughout the decades of my life I alway thought of the iconic Ayers Rock, though now more appropriately named Uluru, the aboriginal name. Having made two trips previously to Australia I had yet to date visit this “island mountain” and was eagerly anticipating a holiday there with son Nick, Miriam, and grandson Luke during this visit.

We set off for the airport early on Saturday morning, September16th. After leaving the car at the off-airport car park and negotiating the bus to the terminal with our two large suitcases stuffed with an array of camping equipment and clothing, we breezed tough security, Australian style. Yes, there are scanners and carry on restrictions but it seems so much more sensible to me to not have to bag all your liquids, take off your shoes etc. etc. I certainly did not feel any less safe.

The views from above during our 3 hour Qantas flight to Alice Springs from Brisbane were amazing. The rugged desert and arid bushland with its striation of gray, pink to red, tan to yellow — sports an infinite array of colors in its planes, river beds and parallel sand ridges and dunes. It stretches for thousands of kilometers and appears mostly uninhabited. Another amazing occurrence was we were actually served a hot sandwich on this domestic flight-a lot more hospitable airline than our US domestic lines for sure.

 

Upon our arrival in Alice Springs, we hurriedly acquired our hire car and sought food and propane for out drive to Uluru which we had anticipated being a 4-5 hour travel through the bushland with relatively few guesthouse and gas stops. The 500 kilometers drive though Australian bushland might be described as flat, featureless, open shrubby country with very few trees, sparse flora and fauna. The largest concern was to get to Ayers Rock campground before dark due to the danger of feral camels and kangaroos roaming the desert and being a potential road hazard after dark. Additionally it is no easy task setting camp in the dark.

It was a long and somewhat tedious drive given the sameness of so much of the bushland but also I found it quite interesting as this is new territory for me and definitely different from the deserts of the southwest US. I kept looking for those camels and kangaroos. There were no remarkable encounters and we saw nary a kangaroo or camel along the way. The brightest spot was a rest stop at the Eridunda Desert Oaks Roadhouse with its pen of emu’s and much needed toilets. The few roadhouses along the way usually have a motel and caravan park but it did not seem very enticing to me to be staying in the hot sunny bushland/desert.

Camping in Australia has been a new experience for me. The only camping around Uluru is Ayers Rock Campground and though there are reservable sites with electric for campers, many tent campers, as we were, opt for a site on one of the designated “lawns.” Being accustomed to more privacy and site boundaries in US parks and National Forest Campsites it seemed a bit odd to be setting up our tents in a large open area – a “lawn” with several other families doing likewise – and often quite close together. They also have communal “barbies” to cook on which have a gas heated 18 “griddle” type surface. We managed to get set up and things squared away by nightfall and were able to cook under a lighted picnic shelter. I definitely like the “barbie” and lighted shelter amenities. As we began to think about settling in to our tents Nick was hollering at us to look up in the sky. A huge streak of orange burning light was streaming across the sky and appeared to be something shattering and burning up. We surmised it to be a meteor but Nick found an article a couple of days later identifying it as space junk and it was most likely the third stage of a Soyuz rocket re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere.These are usually programmed to burn over the oceans and rarely burn up over land. Even knowing that it still was quite special and spectacular to have seen. AND surprisingly our lawn was quite subdued and I slept cozy in the mid-40 degree temperature.

After a round of hot oatmeal and hot coffee for breakfast to quell the chilly temps we were off to Uluru for a day of hiking. Over the last couple of decades the aboriginal origins and culture have been recognized and honored and the Uluru National Park is co-managed by both the indigenous groups and the Australian government though ownership was turned over to the original aboriginal owners in 1985. As a result much of he land has been returned to its historical origins of being sacred and park guest are asked to honor that. Uluru rock is considered one of the sites and though many visitors come her just to climb the rock, tourists are requested not to do so. We did not hesitate to honor that request though I had originally anticipated the climb. This national park is leased to the Australian government for 99 years so the climb remains open. Even with that request about 30% of the visitors still climb it which I find sad. If the percentage of climbers fall to 20% , the climb will be closed, fully honoring the aboriginal wishes.The challenge then became to walk the base of the rock which is a 10K hike, We had taken a guided walk on the Mali trail which was extremely interesting and informative, seeing the cave drawings, water holes and sacred sites, and the separate caves for the men and women being just a few of the micro stories of the indigenous people..

 

The Mali walk  put us close to noon, the hottest and sunniest part off the day to circumvent this massive monolith. We headed out and the four of us fell into a relatively consistent hiking order with Nick and Luke out ahead. Luke,10 years, is an awesome hiker and has great endurance. I was not to far behind as I love to keep a brisk pace but don’t have the stride length at 5’1” to match Nick’s stride. Miriam was the caboose as she loves to hike at a slower more relaxed pace and tends to spot more of nature than perhaps I do pushing on faster It was a relatively flat, minimally shaded adventure but I did find the traverse a significant way to try and be in touch with the spirit and souls of the aboriginal people who tread this land currently and historically. Up close the rock has many significant features that would not be seen without walking the circumference. It was inspiring to observe the sacred sites of the aboriginal inhabitants and hear the dreaming and historical Dreamtime stories or the ancestors including the origin of Uluru. “Dreaming is a complex network of knowledge, beliefs and practices belonging to their community, to families and to individuals. It is seen as powerful living force that must be maintained and cared for, it is considered their duty to respect and look after the earth and pass these ancient traditions on for all of time.” (www.the recenter.com.au)

 

One of the suggested experience to have at Uluru is to observe the Rock at sunset and sunrise to see the effect of the sky, clouds, and shadows on the appearance of Uluru. So after our hike of three hours and 50 minutes, we headed back to camp for a cool down swim in the Ayers Rock Resort very cold swimming pool. As it is a holiday for schools here in Australia, we encountered numerous groups of high schoolers on organized camping and sight-seeing trips. in the various parks we visited. It seemed like at least a couple busloads of young people all decided to descend on the pool at the same time. Needless to say, a quick cool off and then back to the campsite was the agenda I chose rather than fight for space in the swimming pool. We devoured a quick dinner and headed back to the park for sunset.

 

 

 

It is about a 20K drive from Yulara which is basically Ayers Rock Resort and Campground so we were not of a mindset to drive it too often. The rub was that it was almost impossible to rent a car with more of mileage allotment of 100KM per day and since the estimated round trip driving distance was going to be about 1500km without counting day trips we were somewhat budget conscious at 25 cents per km extra. We had given brief consideration of renting a 4WD vehicle and traveling the Red Center Way but they were very expensive and had similar mileage parameter. However being able to drive the section of the road that is still dirt and requires a 4WD permit cuts a considerable amount off the mileage. But when talking to a couple of individuals who described accidents and totaling a car when the hit a patch of bull dust (It occurs when the driving track becomes wet and after drying breaks into a very fine dust and can flip a vehicle) we saw it differently. A bit of initial lamenting quickly shifted to a confirmation that we had made the right choice given lack of experience in 4WD.

Given this particular day and sunset we were quite underwhelmed by the impact of the setting sun as it was difficult to discern any significant color changes , but nevertheless glad to have come. It was back to camp afterwards and getting organized for an early wake up. We were going to go to Uluru for sunrise with Uluru silhouetted against the pre-dawn sky, dawn and rising sun and then on o Kata Tjuta National Park for another day of hiking in the Red Center.

Sunrise was quite awe inspiring we opted to be on the road in the darkness so as to have the full impact of the dawn and the palette of colors before the sun peaks over the horizon. This was a very satisfying and soul nourishing time. I had a deep feeling of tranquility as i watched the transformation of colors in this red center desert with the iconic rock of Uluru as the centerpiece and reflecting on its spiritual significance to the aboriginal peoples inhabiting this area

 

 

North Stradbroke Island, Queensland Australia (Minjerribah)

We commenced our adventure on Friday, September 22nd on North Stradbroke Island, aka “Straddie” by the locals and a favorite of many “Brisbanites.” as well as tourists from hither and yon. It is designated the world’s second largest sand island, next to Fraser Island – also off the coast pf Queensland. It is a 24 mile long subtropical sand dune, resting on volcanic bedrock. With an abundance of fungi in the sandy soil, flora and fauna are abundant. It is only accessible by water taxi or ferry so we opted for the vehicle ferry so as to have transportation easily accessible, though there is island public bus service. The first challenge was getting all of the Gear to fit into their Yaris plus 4 people. With car camping it is easy to just throw in one more thing and we did not disappoint in this department. This then necessitated Miriam driving and Luke (a normal sized 10 year old) having to sit on Nick’s lap in the backseat on the way to the ferry. He was not too thrilled about that but we got there without too many moans and groans out of Luke or Nick . The ferry ride is only about 45 minutes and the campground a 20 minute drive from Dunwich towards Point Lookout. On the ferry, but also throughout our travels in the outback, I was always fascinated but the myriad of vehicles with their car top carriers loaded up with gear, gear, and more gear. A group of Nick’s and Miriam’s acquaintances through Luke’s school gathered there for campout last year during the fall school holiday period. Miriam and Nick opted to join them for a second year as Luke has an awesome time running with the passel of kids last year. The magnificent white sandy beaches are the main attraction and certainly did not disappoint. But, If I only had one word to describe the adventure it would be WINDY!!!

We camped with MANY other families on one of the camping lawns in the Adder Rock camping and caravan park. In that my experience of camping is mostly in US National Parks and National Forests, it is a bit strange for me to see a multitude of people coming out of the city to set their camp in a small rectangle next to another families’ small rectangle which is usually covered front to back and side to side with 2-4 bedroom tents with multiple entrances, dining shelters, kitchens areas, awnings, fly’s covering tents that already have fly’s, dressing areas, solar panels, chairs, folding tables and benches, florescent lights, blow up couches, several esky’s, antennas, barbecue grills, boats, jet skis. surf boards, bikes, outdoor carpeting etc. Since I always look for vegetation “privacy screens” separating campsites or seek the wilderness experience by backpacking, camping Aussie style is a new adventure. It seems quite social and those I spoke with were surprised by my description of US campgrounds Once I make the mental shift however and went with the flow, I have a more positive spin on it. And it is a blessing that I am a good sound sleeper. As we got to the campsite and were about to set up it became clear that there was a pecking order within this group we were a part of and I knew to just wait until some of the tents were firmly set in a claimed space to carve out a small spot for my backpackers tent. Turned out to be a good spot as it was in the afternoon shade by 11:30 am and just enough sun in the am to take the wee chill out of the air.

As the day wore on the tent city became more populated but there still was enough open space for the kids to race around and have themselves a variety of fun games. Once set up, the item on my agenda (as well as others) was time on the beach. Imagining Gulf of Mexico temperatures at comparable time of year (spring), I was quite shocked to discover the very chilly temperature of the water, at 68-70 degrees. With the weather in the mid-to low seventies and a brisk wind off the shore, I found my self easily chilled and not able to spend too much time sitting on the beach despite layers of clothing. I must acknowledge also that blowing sand, sandpapering the hair off my legs, plays a part in the decision to vacate. No need for a razor here. But not to be deterred I of course went in and also tried a few runs bodyboarding with Nick’s broken boogie board. Luke was having a great time in the surf and becoming quite accomplished on his board. I couldn’t claim to be very successful but figured I had a few more days to master it. At some point Nick and Luke commenced the tradition of building a sand castle, whether it was this day or the next.

 

The rest of the days was spent around our camping area, lunching, and then a good late afternoon beach walk. I was introduced to what triggered a thought of a term to describe walking there on the beach: operatic sand. This very fine grained almost white sand “screeches” with every footfall so I was glad it was low tide and a wide berth of hard packed wet sand to traverse. The sand also seems to have a “glue” in it which makes it quite difficult to brush of the body. I deemed it.wearable sand. The thing that required the most adjustment to was the cars and trucks driving the beach. An incredible array of 4WD vehicles were making their way up and down the beach, churning the sand, and at times it seemed like they were dangerously close to me as I walked the tide line. One of the most interesting natural phenomenon was the large number of dead moon jellyfish, a very translucent organism with a rim of mauve colored tentacles, washed up on the shore. I was a bit hesitant about swimming but learned they may sting but are not dangerous. Otherwise there were very few shells or other marine life washing in.

 

Unlike many of the families with their gas grills and large barbecues, we opt for the simpler the better cooking. So here we are with our tiny MSR Pocket Rocket backpacking stove and minimalist tents perched in the midst of the 2-4 room monster tents, eating canned beans and cheese slices in burritos wraps, pasta with tomato sauce, or tuna. Nick did do eggs one morning as well as pancakes another with varying results. The scrambled eggs were great but the pancakes came out to be scrambled as well. I definitely am in favor of the simpler the better approach and it is quite a “sideshow” observing the amount of time and work it takes to set up their outdoor homes and cook their meals that perhaps rival the space and cooking style in their city residences. During those first hours i was able to encounter a goanna, kookaburra, and koala in the wild, if you consider an established campsite “the wild.”

 

Storms were brewing in the distance so we prepared our camp for rain. Though the thunder and lightening sounded ominous, the storm clouds made for a beautiful sunset and the rain turned out to be a very brief spattering. Since dawn comes early and sunset is also of course early (5:30 ish), the end of day darkness also comes early. I found my self ready to crawl into bed but when checking out my watch found it was only 8:00pm. That sounds like a very unreasonable early hour to bed down but then if the song birds are going to be chirping at the dawn perhaps it would be wise to retire. Since I was tent ready and Miriam has already retired, s it was into the tent to read and drift off…hopefully as the still energetic voices of the young ones were present and they were still having a marvelous time running about. All of the families were friendly and a delight, but I am used to a lot more solitude and setting my own agendas. Being part of a group experience required a lot of letting go and adjusting to the flow. It is a lot more facile to fit into the rhythms of my adult children’s families, but integrating into a group of families that have a history together would be and was more challenging.

Saturday, I awoke to the chirping voices of a couple Aussie sheila’s enthusiastically chatting away (as well as many of the beautifully feathered inhabitants of our 4 day home). Checking my watch it was 5:18 am and they were sitting in chairs right next to my tent. I was determined not to be disgruntled, so I dragged on my clothes and crawled out to a clear blue sky, steady winds and a slight chill in the air. First and foremost the task was to get the water boiling for coffee (my Starbuck’s Via) and head off with the precious key to the restroom. It is only precious because we have only two to be used by 4 people and keeping track of them can get to be a real logistics issue, despite identified spots to keep them. All was right with the world — to be with family, drinking coffee, on a beautiful morning on a wonderful island in Australia. After an oatmeal breakfast I had time for a 2 mile walk on the beach before we were to set out for the days outing. The trek was not quite as easy as the previous evening, as it was close to high tide and there was much more soft sand to negotiate. Afterwards the itinerary was to go to Point Lookout and hike the North Gorge boardwalk. I had not anticipated such magnificent views but the expanse of near white sand beaches, the bright cerulean, turquoise and azure waters, the white froth of he surf, and the many shaded rock outcroppings made for a breathtaking walk. And to add more enchantment to the walk, we witnessed a pod of dolphins and several wales migrating the waters. And what could be a more satisfying at the end of the boardwalk but a stop at the gelato shop right across the street for treats all around.

 

Mid-afternoon Miriam dropped Nick and myself off at Frenchman’s Beach at Point Lookout to walk the beach back to Adder Rock. We walked the 2.6 mile stretch enjoying the sea breeze (perhaps gale might better describe it), negotiating the rock formations between Deadman’s Beach and Cylinder Beach, and observing the fan patterns made by the sand crabs that burrow in the sand and spit out little balls while sifting their food. These balls make fascinating and intricate patters around the burrow hole. As the day wore on the winds did not dissipate and were blowing at 30-35 miles per hour, near gale force. The waves were several feet high and the salt spray was quite noticeable.

We were very grateful for the stand of trees between our camping spot and the beach. The families we were with called for happy hour on the beach to watch sunset. The sky was clear and cloudless but the wind a bit on the strong side. Not to be deterred though, we spread a sheet on the sand and laid out the cheese and crackers and chips. Within seconds, the “tribe” of 7 kids, ages 5-12, descended and devoured the snacks in lightening speed with perhaps a light coating of sand for garnish. Sunset for me was a peaceful soulful way to wind down the day.

Dinner was sausages cooked on the communal barbecue grills. Here at Adder Rock, this was a covered eating area with a center counter and four separate grills with sinks between to wash dishes. Four electric outlets were extremely popular and served cooking but more often as the charging stations for the campers who did not have their own sources to re-charge the vast array of tech devices. Though there was wi-fi at the campground I opted to use it minimally, notably to conserve battery but to be more present where I was.

A new day, Sunday, dawned with a clear blue cloudless sky and the chit-chat outside my tent right around my head was the 5:15 am alarm clock. In retrospect today was he day of the shifting agenda. Due to the ongoing near gale force winds and the high seas, the families decided to head to the South Gorge, a beautiful protected cove and then possibly the Main Beach on the east side of the island where the waves were not quite as intense and a safer swim area for the kids. It was a truly lovely spot to enjoy a few hours on the sandy beach with clear chilly aqua water.

After a brief swim I set out for a walk assessing that folks would be there an a while. It was glorious, though windy and much to my surprise when I arrived back after a 1 hour walk, everyone was gone except Nick, who was waiting for me. He was a bit dismayed as well with the changing directions so quickly. My metaphor for this was that of the shifting sands of the tides. The other three families and Miriam and Luke were up the embankment at a restaurant called “Loaves” and Miriam had purchased a sausage roll for us. Soon the group (the other three families) were off to a small inland lake called Brown Lake where better wind and conditions were anticipated. Nick and Miriam where quite laid back and willing to follow course so that Luke could run with the pack. However it was quite windy with a bit of a chill to the breeze, but we settled on the beach for the kids to swim. However it seemed that within the half hour, the major planner in the family group was up and off as she deemed it too windy, though the kids were having a grand time in the lake throwing mud on each other. By now, I was ready to head back to our campsite as flitting from place to place by this point was not very enjoyable for me. Happy hour was at the campsite and a pasta dinner was prepared by our chief chef Nick per usual. I find It always a bit edgy to watch the 2 quart pot of boiling water balanced on the three slim ‘feet” of the tiny backpackers stove and not anticipate a potential disaster of spilled a la dente pasta and se it slithering across the table when one slight bump of the table would causes the pot to slide off its petite perch. Disaster however did not ensue.

The next morning was bright and beautiful with the ongoing 29-35 mph gale force winds. Needing some solo time, I opted for a solitary adventure rather than the planned birthday lunch out for one of the women to the “tribe.” I anticipated a 9-10 mile walk, heading into Point Lookout via the road and a return by the beach. Walking the road was relatively routine, but negotiating the winds of a two mile stretch of Main Beach, the North Gorge Boardwalk and the beaches along the north stretch to adder Rock required a fair amount of extra energy and felt quite bracing. I enjoyed quiet time at the campsite to re-energize after a splendid and invigorating walk. Luke shared with me that the lunch was great fun and the food, especially the cake were delicious, but nevertheless I was quite content with my choice of quiet time away from the group.

The afternoon and evening were laid back as Nick had to return to the city for work. Miriam and I opted not to cook after the usual happy hour snack time. Luke was feeling sad and tired and I was beginning to feel ready to be heading back the next day to the city. Our departure for the mainland was scheduled for the noon ferry so after a much less windy 4 mile am beach walk, Luke and Miriam’s swim in the waves that were much more boogie board friendly, we broke camp. I managed to organize all of the gear in the Yaris with room to spare given that we were down to 3 people and one less bag. We thus headed to Dunwich and were on the ferry back to Brisbane for a much more rolling and windy ride.