3 July 2014

Not too sure how successful this is going to be getting posted tonight as, although I have actually got an internet connection, it is what one would call dodgy, it comes and goes, a lot, so sorry of this is late.

Today was all about getting to the Rock, so was on the road and away before 8 this morning and it didn't seem to be really all that long into the drive, only 97km, when it was time to stop for the memorial for the people killed during the running of the first Australian "Canonball Run", needless to sat there has never been another. As I mentioned yesterday about the speeds and the little two lane roads, it was an accident waiting to happen really. Anyway, that was when they brought in Territory wide speed limits, which they have relaxed in places again only relatively recently.

Cannonball Run Memorial

2 drivers in a Ferrari F40 made a speed error in a timed section of the race and sadly killed themselves and two race officials. There never was a second race after this.

Continuing on it was a smooth easy run south for the 100km from the Cannonball Memorial to Erldunda where there is a major fuel stop. I know it's a major stop because the line on way was about 8 cars and caravans deep, so there are definite advantages to using unleaded as opposed to diesel as I rounded all of them and only had to wait 3 minutes to get an unleaded pump.

From this point you leave the Stuart Highway and turn right onto the Lasseter Highway which runs you through to Uluru another 267kms further on, though there are a few smallish fuel stops further along too. The countryside changes along the way from ranges to plains to rocky hills and scrub and trees and grassland, but always the red earth and rocks showing through to really punch the colours.

 Look in the distance, is that.., no it's Mt Conner, I'd never heard of it either, impressive though closer up

 Another fuel stop at Curtain Springs, they come and unlock the pump so you can use it

  

 The Count and the Red Centre rock

Uluru

There is not really a lot else to say, as I said earlier it was about getting to the rock, really there is not a huge amount along the way. Tomorrow is here in the area...

2 July 2014

Today has been a very laid back and relaxed day I must say, there hasn't even been a great degree of picture taking, mostly because it is actually a small town and there isn't a huge amount that grabs my attention building etc. wise, mostly it is a relatively new town, there isn't all that much of any "old" stuff left. Not that this is a bad thing, it seems to work and as I said yesterday there is a quite relaxed good feel to the place, despite one of the locals advising me it is the stabbing capital of Australia and that I really should not go out walking at night. During the day everyone seems very easy going and fine and all the cafe and eateries are packed during lunch spilling out onto the footpaths.

I started the morning with a visit to the car wash next door to where I am currently staying, which was a very good thing as the poor Count was looking a bit shabby and dirty, that red dirt certainly stands out against the green paint and the rear hubcaps are still chrome after all. That done it was onto a drive up ANZAC Hill for a look over the town. You can certainly get a great view all over the town and beyond from up there and looking out the other way highlights just how small the town actually as the hills are just there and the town just stops.

 ANZAC Hill

 From the top

 Looking north from top of ANZAC Hill

Looking south from ANZAC Hill

All of Alice Springs Pano from ANZAC Hill

On coming down from the hill it was off to south side so that I could go out to the transport museum which I had been informed by another Count chat friend was really worth a visit and had quite a few old cars out there. Turns out it not too far from town and there is a Ghan railway museum and a Transport Hall of Fame and Truck museum, with a purpose built Kenworth section, there are a few cars but not quite a few by any stretch. Lots of trucks about the place and from all over the place too, some interesting old English ones, but if trucks are not really your thing, then it's probably not worth the $15.00 to get in, because if it is cars your after then there are relatively few to see. There are two minis though and one is an Austin Cooper S, which was more expensive that your average Holden for sale at the same time.

The old Ghan

"S" Series Valiant minus an engine by the look of it on a, oh sorry some truck

 Fabric bodied Rolls Royce, withe a couple of 27 Chev Tourers, Ford T Runabout, Dodge Roadster

 Small selection of trucks of all ages in one of the sheds, that is the back of an Austin Cooper Mini

 Chrysler Roadster

 Couple of Model T Fords

 I am hoping I am wrong but by the looks of the radiator this is a Vauxhall, what a waste

Buick

Following on I went back over to the Cultural Precinct from yesterdays walk so I could have a look at the Aviation Museum. It was a free entry thing and it is good that it was really, there wasn't a huge amount of information about anything inside that I had not already learnt yesterday from the sign outside, but there were some interesting pictures and the main aircraft was good to see, even if there is a heck of a lot of work before it could ever be given a chance to fly again.

Aviation Museum on the site of the original Aerodrome, the hangar was bought as a prefab kit.

Beech 18 built in 1946 for the USAF and bought by Connellan Airways of Alice Springs in 1960 and used till 1967.

RFDS plane, looks better with a Morris in the picture though 

This afternoon I just wandered about town and had another look around , different with more people about today as yesterday afternoon was fairly quiet being Territory Day, everyone must have been home waiting to let off their fireworks. Lots of tourists about today, but I am not sure what time things start around here in the mornings as I had time to get moving, wash the car and still there were nearly no cars on the roads. Anyway it is a nice place to look at and walk around, very relaxed pace here. It looks great in the sun, but were there ever old buildings here?

Random sunny street shot, I did well to just crop out the Lollie shop don't you think

Another long day driving tomorrow, off to Uluru for as look, oh but for the folks that think it is just up the road, well in the scheme of my trip it is, but in reality it is 443 kilometres one way and they recommend it is a 6.5 hour drive. I am hoping they mean it is 6.5 hours at normal Australian standard speed limits, because the normal speed limit in most sections of the Northern Territory is 130 kilometres per hours, though there are section that are actually "Open" limited, so you get to drive to the conditions and your ability. You should have seen the speed some cars passed me at on the way here, almost Autobahn speeds and we're talking a standard two way road, one lane in each direction and not the greatest road surface in all places. So at 80 kilometres and hour at standard Australian measurements I should be looking at about 8 or so hours to get there, so it will be another two night stop...

1 Jul 2014

Started out relatively early this morning as I knew it was another long day of driving ahead, and in the end it proved to be just that lol. The Count again performed well and without any problems at all. People still come over when I am stopped or filling up and ask about it, I tell you it's popular, if it could talk it would not need me at all. Anyway it was out of Tennant Creek (Jurnkkurakurr in the language of the Warumungu people) without any feelings of leaving something special behind and it was a really good drive ahead into the morning which was really cool (as in fresh, it was quite cold this morning). Another drive or long roads with changing scenery along the way and of course some red dirt as you would expect, the colour mix in the morning sunlight is really intense and vibrant though, it really is something great to see.

The first stop about a 100 kilometres along the road is the Devils Marbles (Karlu Karlu) and quite literally it is just along the road, turning off is just a formality so you can stop. Amazing place and very quiet, but the view of the grey nomad "free camping"caravan village just over behind the "marble field" really is a bit sad, would be nice if you couldn't see them freeloading to be honest.

 The Marble field, you can just see the van village in the back of the pic unfortunately

The next town, ok well very very small settlement along the way, about 9 kilometres at that, is Wauchope which to me looked like it consisted of a pub that also sells petrol. I am thinking that it must be a bit bigger than that though as the pub still is in business so it must have a customer base somewhere. Anyway this is the best pic I have I think, actually the only one I took.

Next up along the way was a place I had read about somewhere and was interested to have a look at. Wycliffe Well, supposedly the most UFO'd place in Australia, though after visiting I don't know if the place is or not really. The visit has given me the impression that they have found a marketing tool and they are working it and working it well. Certainly if the UFO's are dropping off merchandise then they have been visited by a whole armada of them, the place has all kinds of things UFO to buy to commemorate your visit / fuel purchase / stay at the motel or van park. I think it really is an awesome effort on their part, quite amusing and interesting. The outside is something else again too.

 
I didn't then stop at all in the next couple of place as they were again just fuel stops and I had filled at Wycliffe Well, I have the alien badge to prove it too, so the next stop for me was Ti Tree, which again was not really anything but a road house which was doing a roaring trade in fuel and fast food, not sure how their caravan park attached was doing, but the free parking space across the road was packed! To be honest it wasn't pretty, so no pics and I left.

So now we get to another 194 kilometres and ta dah, Alice Springs (Mparntwe, pronounced m'barn-twa, in the local Arrernte language). I know it is a much bigger town, but wow it has so much more feeling of life than Tennant Creek, there are lots of people and there are lots of tourists, but it doesn't feel at all lifeless and intimidating. Mind you several people have told me not to go walking after dark and lots of the houses have 6 to 7 foot fences, some have razor wire (I kid you not!). I walked around all over the place between 4 and 630 and never once felt unsafe or threatened at all, so I have no idea if it is so bad after dark, but on the thought of being safe I don't think I am going to try walking around at night, specifically as I really quite liked the look and feel of the place this afternoon so I don't want to lose that impression because of something completely avoidable.

 The Todd River looking north

 River again, north

 from the middle of the river looking south

 Random street views

 Todd Mall

 again

 and again

 Oh and it is Territory day here, so there are fireworks going off everywhere, which is nicely covering all the yelling and screaming going on outside at the moment, don't know, not asking

 Going a bit garden here, Swainsona formosa anyone, Sturt's Desert Pea, there is a lot of them about

 Random pics from the Cultural precinct

 Random pics from the Cultural precinct, I believe it is a caterpillar

 Random pics from the Cultural precinct

Random pics from the Cultural precinct, there is a small aviation museum there as well, used to be the original aerodrome.

Tomorrow is a day in Alice Springs to have a look about and see what it's like...