Kings Canyon and Return to Alice

The return trip from Uluru to Alice Springs was rather in express mode... After a long night drive leaving Yulara (during which I also hit a kangaroo and destroyed the right hand side fog light), we were looking forward for a swim the next day in Watarka National Park. Unfortunately, swimming in one of the natural pools will have to remain in our dreams, as this is no longer allowed... We went straight to Kings Canyon resort instead, and spent the rest of the afternoon in the Swimming Pool. The kids had their first nightclub experience in the camping resort and enjoyed it so much, we parents couldn't help enjoying it ourselves.

The next day we attacked the circuit walk around Kings Canyon. The kids proudly managed the whole ascent and walk through the magnificent sandstone domes to the Garden of Eden on their own feet, after which we carried them back through the rest of the very scenic hike back to the car.

We then left the Park Northwards, only to cross our dear friends Andrew and Therese, with whom we crossed the Simpson desert. We camped right next to the road, although it was officially not permitted to do so on the whole Meerenie track. We just had to catch up on those beers we missed to share together at the end of the Simpson Desert trip. The following morning we parted in opposite directions - hoping that we might meet again somewhere in WA in a few months...

Rushing back to Alice Springs to have Oceane's healing wounds checked up at the hospital, we had a little bit time to visit some of the most important sites of the West MacDonnell Ranges, such as the stunning meteorite crater of Gosse Bluff (with a 25km thick depression round the 5km crater), then the stunning walls of Ormiston Gorge. Camping there overnight revealed the most impressive experience of the site: Howling dingos... sounded just like ghosts in the forest. The next day we also visited Serpentine Gorge with its wonderful hidden valley, as well as Standley Chasm, which was rather a rip-off than anything else.
On the way, we met a couple on bicycles. They had left England 13 months ago and travelled overland via Turkey, Iran, India. Final destination of Melbourne... Check their adventures on A Bike Journey.
Oceane's checkup at the hospital was short and successful. We were out an hour later, to do our final shopping before heading to Western Australia, including updating our flickr album of the last lap: Check this link for a selection of pics of the last 2 weeks in the Red Centre, including Alice Springs, Uluru, Kings Canyon, West MacDonnell Ranges.