An Alphabetical Stroll Through Bali and Australia-A is for: A BIG, FAT FINALE!! Link to new Africa TR (4/5)

[Steppesister]

"your bedding"
As in your bedding for the night that was provided by the hostel? Or what you brought with you?

No, bedding is always provided.

There's this thing... Now bear with me, this might surprise you... there's this thing you can use.
Here's the link: www.google.com

Nah.... We tried when we could and did our best.

So...
What you're saying... and correct me if I'm wrong... there are flies.

No. These are little flying monsters. Tiny terrorizers whose sole mission is to drive mankind insane.

 

[pkondz]

No, bedding is always provided.

Thanks for clarifying.

Nah.... We tried when we could and did our best.

Meanwhile, in Kentucky... "Why does the phone keep ringing at two o'clock in the morning??????"

No. These are little flying monsters. Tiny terrorizers whose sole mission is to drive mankind insane.

Not sure if should laugh or cry... hmmm...

 

[Steppesister]

Q is for: Questionable Conditions on Quiet Hikes​

The day still had some life in it and I’m not one to fritter away touring opportunities. Our time in the Red Center was very limited and I definitely wanted to make the most of it. Anara chose to stay behind at the Outback Lodge and rest while I opted to set out to the rocks and find a bit of hiking to do.

The drive from Yulara town to the Park Headquarters/Entrance took about 6 minutes and there I paid our entry fees which was about $23/pp for the 2 days that we’d be there. The ranger was super helpful and gave me maps and some great recommendations for a couple of very short hikes that I could do before I needed to go back to the Lodge to get Anara before sunset. Kata Tjuta is quite a bit further than Uluru, so I headed off to the first of the two that I chose there.

(On the way)​

The Kantu Gorge hike is a 2.1 km return and signage says it takes about an hour of continuous walking. I got out of the car and was immediately assaulted by the oppressive, dry heat. Sadly, I didn’t think to take water with me, a circumstance that would prove to be Master of my day. Luckily, there are water stations and emergency phones along the route, but warm water rarely quenches the thirst. I donned my trusty outback hat and set out…

​

I started my little walk and really enjoyed the informational signs that explained the cultural and historical significance of the area. It was truly an easy walk on a flat dirt trail with points of interest to stop at along the way to take photos. Some areas are of extra spiritual importance to the Arrente People.) One spot that I spent a few minutes at was an overhang in the rock which was decorated with painted pictographs. I wish I’d taken a photo of the signs at various points but didn’t. Instead, I’ll have to be happy with the memories I have of enjoying learning what I could of the ancient people along the way.

​

But it was unbearably hot, and I needed a break. I was happy with the photos I’d gotten so was content with moving on. In all, I spent about 30 minutes on the Kantu Gorge Hike and was back in the car headed to my next stop.

(There are places to pull off in this area and I got a nice wide angle on the whole of Uluru from here.)​

The Lungkata Walk which goes out and back to the Mutitjulu Waterhole was fantastic! This covers a portion of the Uluru Base Walk which I definitely didn’t have time for but gave me a wonderful taste of what it would have been had I made the entire circuit. Not only did I not have the 5 hours to do that, but it was also simply too hot to attempt it safely. I parked the car and immediately recognized the Dutch gal I’d met the day before at the hostel in Alice Springs. She had told me she was going on a semi-private, 2-day guided tour to the National Park, so it didn’t entirely surprise me I saw her. It highlighted how relatively few visitors go through the effort of getting to this extremely remote part of the world.

Once on the trails a few hundred yards or so in, I waved to her and we decided to take photos for each other since it’s hard to get enough of the background in that way. Afterwards, we bid our goodbyes and each continued with our touring- she on her guided tour and me on my own.

​

When I’d first started my little walk there were maybe a dozen others I came across along the way. But by the time I got the actual waterhole I was the only person there so could take all the photos I wanted without having to jockey for good spots. The solitude in this amazing place was perfect in every way. I learned that this little oasis in the desert is home to a particular species of frog, the water contains fish, and the ancient Aboriginal People have used this place for millennia to rest, practice initiation rites, and teach their children about their creation story.

​

On the way back from the waterhole, I stopped at the area where there are loads of cave art and took a few minutes to listen in on the tour guide talk about their meaning, techniques, why they've lasted so long, and cultural anecdotes. One thing I learned is that as part of their coming-of-age ritual one of the front teeth is knocked out and bodily scarification was also common. Yikes! and Ouch!

(The concentric circles represent a waterhole)


(The yellow drawings are made with ochre, which I'll talk about more a few chapters from now...)




​

I was back in the car and headed back to the hostel by 4:30. Anara had texted to let me know that she had bought a pizza and there was plenty leftover. YAY!!

Here are a few photos I took while driving back at the dedicated pull-outs you are allowed to stop at:

​

Sunset was at 5:48 so we had about an hour to rest and eat before heading back out again to grab our spots for the sunset on Uluru. The restaurant and bar area of the Lodge is pretty nice all things considered. Each evening, they have a do-it-yourself BBQ where you can choose your meats and veggies, and side dishes and salads, skewer them, and manage your own cooking on the grill. A variety of meats were offered including kangaroo, but it was over $50/pp for this experience, so we passed. If only we’d known…. Instead, we stuck with the pizza, and I ordered a hard cider which was absolutely refreshing for a savagely hot day. In fact, when we set back out at 5:15 the car thermometer still read 40C. (104F)

​

One of the most popular things to do while in the area is to watch the sunset on Uluru. That is when the colors are their most brilliant and because its such a draw the parks have set up a dedicated viewing area which I’ve read can get pretty crowded. You are forbidden to pull off anywhere else along the road in that area so this is the one spot you can get those coveted photos of the rock at sunset. (Now you know why you pretty much only see that one view in most photos of this landmark.) Given that I’d read it can get crowded and that I had been told by the ranger where the best spot was with a certain tree in the foreground, it was important to me to get there early and grab that spot he recommended.

(Before sunset and before it got cloudy)​

We were parked by 5:25 and had a little while before sunset. Strangely there was only one other car in the entire parking lot which is pretty big. Huh. Every 20 yards or so there are wooden platforms for sitting between the cars and the barbed wire fence, so we took up residence on one and turned on our audio book and waited for sunset. We were saddened that the sky was full of broken clouds and the rock was mostly in shadow. The ONE opportunity in my lifetime that I’d get to photograph Uluru at sunset was probably going to be a bust. How could this be?!

At 5:40 there were now only 4 other cars in total and I could only surmise that the heat and the fact that this was the shoulder season accounted for the empty lot. The sky was still more cloudy than not and my hopes of getting that rich, red glow on the monolith were growing dim. Still, at 5:47, I had my camera fixed on it ready to snap whatever would be in the next few minutes. At that moment, God chose to whisper a breath giving 30 seconds of glorious sun to my subject before it fell below the clouds again casting it back into darkness and with that sunset on Uluru was over. That 30-second window was worth the trouble and wait. I came away with a couple of my favorite photos of the trip.

(WITH that tree )​

With our goal achieved, we headed back to the room for the night but not before capturing a couple more images of the evening’s sky. Here you can see why sunset was a bit dicey. And seconds later this strange, but beautiful, phenomenon appeared just as the sun set. I tried to find a name for it, but I can’t find out if there is one or not. Nevertheless, it was quite something!!!

​

I took a nice hot shower in a fairly decent campground style bathroom (maybe 10 individual stalls). A towel was provided along with the bedding. Back in room and tucked into our top bunks, we had just gotten close to sleeping when a couple of German-speaking ladies came in and proceeded to talk out loud for about 10 minutes. With 30+ other people trying to sleep, that is a HUGE no-no, and it took everything in me to not give a loud “SHHHHHHH!” to them. I mean, what the heck?! Not long after, there was a tussle outside of some Aboriginal folks yelling at each other which woke me up again. Finally, things settled down and after that I got a decent night’s sleep. My plan was to be up at 6:00 and on my way for sunrise on Kata Tjuta the next morning so I was glad for that!

 

[Wood Nymph]

On the way back from the waterhole, I stopped at the area where there are loads of cave art and took a few minutes to listen in on the tour guides talk about their meaning, techniques, why they've lasted so long, and cultural anecdotes. One thing I learned is that as part of their coming-of-age ritual one of the front teeth is knocked out and bodily scarification was also common. Yikes! and Ouch!

It is a surprisingly pretty waterhole. I didn't expect there to be more than just a boring rock.

And seconds later this strange, but beautiful, phenomenon appeared just as the sun set.

It is a beautiful sunset.

 

[Steppesister]

It is a surprisingly pretty waterhole. I didn't expect there to be more than just a boring rock.

You ain't seen nuthin' yet!!!

It is a beautiful sunset.

Brief, but beautiful!!

 

[zanzibar138]

We're getting pretty close to departure now, so I'll still be following along with interest (on both your TRs) when I can, but probably won't be commenting much. You had some wonderful adventures on your first day in the Uluru area, and amazing stamina in that heat! Looking forward to seeing the sunrise at Kata Tjuta.

 

[juniorbugman]

I won't comment on all your photos but I did see the same views when we travelled to Australia back in June of 1991. We were on a bus tour so we flew into Alice Springs from Cairns then bussed it to the then called Ayers Rock area and stayed at the Four Seasons. We too did the sunset tour and sunrise tour.
I will share a few of my photos with you.
First up is the infamous don't brush the flies off the person in front of you because they will just land on you. I think there were more flies on his coat at other times.


Here I am on the bus wearing my outback hat. It didn't come with the cork bobbers which was all the rage then,

Back in 1991 you could climb the rock and some of our little group managed to do it but not I. I couldn't make it past the steep climb at the beginning and people were just pushing by you to get up. Time crunch you know.
I can't remember how long our tour was but you only had so much time at the Rock to tour and climb the rock. My sister and some of the other people in our group made it to the end and signed the guest book before they had to make the long climb back
.
View from the top.



We also did the sunset and sunrise tours and my pictures look similar to yours. Sunrise I think.

 

[missjackiemcg]

Love this picture of you! So much joy from the intrepid traveler! Nice that you ran into that other lady, so you could snap pics for each other

This is just beautiful!!

At that moment, God chose to whisper a breath giving 30 seconds of glorious sun to my subject before it fell below the clouds again casting it back into darkness and with that sunset on Uluru was over.

Wow. Just wow. All of those picture were gorgeous. I'm glad God was smiling down on you and gave you the beautiful moments of sun. Those pictures are some of your most incredible, for certain!

 

[pkondz]

Our time in the Red Center was very limited and I definitely wanted to make the most of it.

You have to! I mean... it's not like you're there a lot.

Anara chose to stay behind at the Outback Lodge and rest while I opted to set out to the rocks and find a bit of hiking to do.

Kids these days!

The ranger was super helpful and gave me maps and some great recommendations for a couple of very short hikes that I could do before I needed to go back to the Lodge to get Anara before sunset.

Love it when things like that happen.

(On the way)

When I see things like this, I wonder who (or what) lived there over the millenia.

The Kantu Gorge hike is a 2.1 km return and signage says it takes about an hour of continuous walking.

An hour for 2km?

I got out of the car and was immediately assaulted by the oppressive, dry heat. Sadly, I didn’t think to take water with me

Luckily, there are water stations and emergency phones along the route

Phew!

Ain't no bugs gonna bother you!
I take it they were still bad.

This (and the other places with drawings) is so cool.

So cool.

In all, I spent about 30 minutes on the Kantu Gorge Hike

So... that's what I'd think 2km would take at constant walking. Did you do the whole thing?

(There are places to pull off in this area and I got a nice wide angle on the whole of Uluru from here.)

Great shot!

Not only did I not have the 5 hours to do that

It highlighted how relatively few visitors go through the effort of getting to this extremely remote part of the world.

I'd love to go someday... but... well... maybe.

These are great shots.

But I just noticed... Your ankles are bare. Did the bugs not bite your ankles? Heck, your arms???

But by the time I got the actual waterhole I was the only person there so could take all the photos I wanted without having to jockey for good spots.

Niiiice.

I learned that this little oasis in the desert is home to a particular species of frog, the water contains fish

Fish! Really! Huh!
Were you allowed to dip a toe, or is it a place of worship and not allowed (Like climbing Uluru now)

One thing I learned is that as part of their coming-of-age ritual one of the front teeth is knocked out and bodily scarification was also common. Yikes! and Ouch!

Anara had texted to let me know that she had bought a pizza and there was plenty leftover. YAY!!

Very nice of her. I say don't knock out her tooth.

Nice shot.

Each evening, they have a do-it-yourself BBQ where you can choose your meats and veggies, and side dishes and salads, skewer them, and manage your own cooking on the grill.

I like that.

In fact, when we set back out at 5:15 the car thermometer still read 40C. (104F)

The ONE opportunity in my lifetime that I’d get to photograph Uluru at sunset was probably going to be a bust. How could this be?!

Thank goodness you got that narrow window!

my hopes of getting that rich, red glow on the monolith were growing dim.

No, that's just the sun going down.

At that moment, God chose to whisper a breath giving 30 seconds of glorious sun to my subject before it fell below the clouds again

Yay! A reprieve!

That 30-second window was worth the trouble and wait. I came away with a couple of my favorite photos of the trip.

And they're really stunning.

Gorgeous. Have seen that on occasion (up here, I mean.)

we had just gotten close to sleeping when a couple of German-speaking ladies came in and proceeded to talk out loud for about 10 minutes. With 30+ other people trying to sleep

Some people. Not a brain to share between them.

Not long after, there was a tussle outside of some Aboriginal folks yelling at each other which woke me up again.

Probably setting a car on fire.

 

[Steppesister]

IT'S OFFICIAL!!!

I signed a contract today for the job I really wanted! I will be a primary provider with my own cohort of patients- they encourage independence and creativity as you build your patient interaction style. I'm excited and nervous all at the same time! Yippee!

It's going to be a seriously steep learning curve but I'm ready for the challenge!

I'll be starting on the 10th by scribing for the specialty providers and then accepting my own patients on April 14th.

 

[Paulaparm]

Congratulations! That is wonderful news!!

 

[juniorbugman]

Congratulations - I am so proud of you and excited that you got your dream job. All your hard work has paid off. Is it near your current home?

 

[pkondz]

IT'S OFFICIAL!!!

I signed a contract today for the job I really wanted! I will be a primary provider with my own cohort of patients- they encourage independence and creativity as you build your patient interaction style. I'm excited and nervous all at the same time! Yippee!

It's going to be a seriously steep learning curve but I'm ready for the challenge!

I'll be starting on the 10th by scribing for the specialty providers and then accepting my own patients on April 14th.

Wow! Congratulations! That's wonderful news!!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

IT'S OFFICIAL!!!

I signed a contract today for the job I really wanted!

Many many congratulations!!!!
So well deserved after all your hard work. Absolutely brilliant news. Best of luck in your new role

 

[Steppesister]

Congratulations - I am so proud of you and excited that you got your dream job. All your hard work has paid off. Is it near your current home?

It is. I forgot to mention that it’s right here about 2 miles from my house so I don’t have to even travel to a nearby town.

 

[Wood Nymph]

I signed a contract today for the job I really wanted!

Congratulations! This took a lot of hard work and dedication. I'm so happy for you.

 

[irene_dsc]

Congrats!!!

 

[Steppesister]

R is for: Rising Early and Raring to Go!
(A short, little easy read chapter)​

Day 22- The Outback, Australia

5:50 AM and still dark.

The air was still and quiet and the day held a vast possibility of memories to be made. After a very fitful night’s sleep, I silently dressed by flashlight and packed as much as I could before setting out. There was no chance of waking Anara up; she was content with what she would see a bit later in the day.

The viewing point to watch the sun rise on Kata Tjuta was 28 minutes away and I’d need to be there no later than 6:30 for Nature’s show. Had I known that there would be many, many more people for this than there had been for sunset on Uluru, I’d have aimed to get there far earlier. The designated viewing platform makes the formation of a crowd more inevitable as well as it’s a raised large platform as opposed to a parking lot with plenty of room to spread out. Arriving JUST in time and literally trotting the long pathway to where the crowded area was, I quickly tested my camera settings and tried (in vain) to find a good spot. Sadly, the best places were already taken by the earl(ier) risers, and I had to strategically jockey for a piece of real estate that would work. In the end, I had to migrate a bit during my half hour there.

I ended up with a few decent shots that I’m happy with; they aren’t quite as wonderful as the ones of Uluru the evening before, but nonetheless, sunrise over Kata Tjuta is a magical experience that is quite extraordinary. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who makes the effort to travel to Australian’s Red Center.

(The colors changed so quickly!)
​

And sometimes it pays to look behind you and look where fewer people do. This view, was in some ways even more spectacular:

(Uluru in the shadow of sunrise)​

As the golden hour gave way to the heat of the day, I hopped back in the car and headed to the Valley of the Winds Trailhead. This is a hike through the towering rocks of Kata Tjuta and quite a popular walk. My low fuel light came on and I thought to myself, it’s all okay. Plenty of gas to get back to town…

My goal was to make it to the first lookout which has a posted time of 1 hour. Here’s a link for more information about this hike.

https://uluru.gov.au/things-do/activities/walks/kata-tjuta-walks/valley-winds-walks/

As you can see, it was still very early morning on my 18 km drive to the trailhead:

​

I parked in the paved lot and started my walk. Just in the few minutes it took me to reach the lot from the sunrise viewing point, it had grown uncomfortably warm, but I donned my hat and set out. There were already several small parties on the trail; some passed me, I passed others. I took a leisurely pace stopping at various places to admire the wildflowers or look at lizards sunning themselves on logs or rocks.

​

There were posters at the trailhead warning visitors of snakes, but I never saw a single one at any of the remote places we went while in Australia save one. With that in mind, I was very careful when I stepped off the trail to find a place to, well, yeah, I admit, I had to find a place to peepee. I figured I’d channel my inner bush-girl and discreetly (and hurriedly!) take care of business behind a small tree. The trail was just busy enough that I was super nervous the entire time and we all know what being nervous does to a bladder. If snakes had wanted to find me, they had plenty of time.

The hike was really, really lovely, but boy, was it getting hot!! I took my time on the somewhat rocky and at times not level (but not terribly steep either) trail, and right about that hour mark, I did indeed make it to the first lookout. And that was that. Most of the others I was hiking with chose to continue on- of note, it is here that on the hottest of days, when it is 40C or above, they close the trail altogether after 11:00AM. You’re either past this point by then, or this hike is off-limits. It’s just too dangerous and remote; I’m sure the rangers are all too used to dragging heat stroked folks out.

(Some other hikers and I traded turns taking shots of each other)


(It will digitally say "OPEN" or "CLOSED" at this point)​

I was back to the car by 9:00 and on my way to pick up Anara and load up our bags for the rest of the day. This is when I had some moments with God. Remember that photo of the dash display in the last chapter? Here it is again to remind you…. ¼ tank.

​

I simply wasn’t as mindful and careful as I should have been. Perhaps in my enthusiasm to “see all the things” I lost my sense of responsibility and became idiotic. This cavalier ‘tude nearly became a very serious situation. When I got to the main road, the car started dinging at me that I was critically low, and I realized that I was in BIG trouble. It no longer read even close to ¼ tank, but rather more like 30 miles left on the digital countdown. I honestly wasn’t sure if I was going to make it back. At all. I have not prayed in such earnest in a long time. I literally begged God to get me to a gas station out loud and came very close to panicking. Yes, there were a few cars on the road, yes, there were rangers patrolling, but this would have been VERY expensive, would have certainly meant hours of lost time, and probably a long, really hot walk the last bunch of miles to town. Remember, it was 33 miles from where I was!!!! Recall, on that ¼ tank from the day before, I’d driven to and from the sunset viewing area and out to Kata Tjuta. Stupid. So, so stupid. I turned off the AC, putted at 40 mph, and held my breath.

I coasted into the parking lot of the Outback Lodge and asked at the front desk exactly where the gas station was. I thought I understood and started the car again and drove that way… only to get lost a bit in a little neighborhood between the lodge and station. At least now I could tote a gallon or two to wherever it was that I’d run out. By some fantastic miracle I did make it to the station with like 3 miles left on that gauge. I have been more relieved very few times in my life. I can attest that to fill a Nissan crossover in the Outback cost me $200 USD.

$200!!!!

Holy mother of fuel!

It may not shock you that I also bought a couple of meat pies for my breakfast. I have no idea if or what Anara ate- she was on her own. I was glad to be alive. It would not be the last time on this trip...

We gathered up our stuff (I can’t express how liberating it is to pack in only carry-ons!) and struck out for the next destination- The Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Center. It’s too much to include tonight but I will hopefully get another chapter up soon. Meantime, stay warm, Friends!

**********************************************************************

Real life update: I’ve been busy with spending my days taking care of things I’ve put off for years before I start my full-time job and also studying some. I really feel like I need to be regularly reviewing knowledge, so I don’t get rusty. I’ve been out of the primary care environment since late October, and I feel like things just don’t come as fast as I’m going to need them to when I am with patients. So, I’ve been building a master “cheat sheet” so to speak as I review each of the most common patient issues I will likely see- from diabetes and migraines to hypertension and low back pain and everything in between, system by system. My treatment options, recommendations, labs and tests, follow up guidelines, special things to consider, etc… My neighbor who was my main MD Preceptor has agreed to look it over in the coming weeks. February 10th is quickly approaching!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

And sometimes it pays to look behind you and look where fewer people do. This view, was in some ways even more spectacular:
[]

(Uluru in the shadow of sunrise)[/]

This stunning photo is my favourite of all time

I have been more relieved very few times in my life. I can attest that to fill a Nissan crossover in the Outback cost me $200 USD.

Blimin heck I’m glad to know that after making it to the gas station the shock of the fuel price didn’t finish you off! That’s a crazy amount of $ to fill a tank!

Love your idea of a “cheat sheet” to help in your new role. I’m sure you will be fabulous and your patients will no doubt benefit from your knowledge, professionalism and care.

 

[Wood Nymph]

I ended up with a few decent shots that I’m happy with; they aren’t quite as wonderful as the ones of Uluru the evening before, but nonetheless, sunrise over Kata Tjuta is a magical experience that is quite extraordinary. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who makes the effort to travel to Australian’s Red Center.

The sunset pictures were prettier but sunrise is always an awesome experience.

My low fuel light came on and I thought to myself, it’s all okay. Plenty of gas to get back to town…

Oh-oh!

I figured I’d channel my inner bush-girl and discreetly (and hurriedly!) take care of business behind a small tree.

I would think that it would be hard to find a secluded spot out there. I've done that on a hiking trail in Hawaii, but it was pretty lush and green there.

By some fantastic miracle I did make it to the station with like 3 miles left on that gauge.

What a relief!

My neighbor who was my main MD Preceptor has agreed to look it over in the coming weeks. February 10th is quickly approaching!

You are very fortunate to have a neighbor like that.