Days 4-5.
Today we packed our luggage for the camping trip and dropped off the excess bags at Chris’ work place. The car was still packed to the brim, so I was wondering where we would be putting the luggage when we got back and headed to Tennant Creek.
We drove south out of Alice and then went for around 100klm on dirt roads which traversed through mulga scrub, desert oaks and red sandhills. Quite spectacular landscape.

We stopped for a look at the Henbury Meteorite Craters and then kept going to Kings Canyon Resort, where we set up camp.

We had time to drive out to Kings Creek and have a walk along the valley floor of the canyon.

There were hordes of flies which almost drove you mad. Had to breathe through your nose and they went into nostrils and ears and crawled behind sunglasses to buzz around your eyes. Most tourists had netting over their heads to keep flies away.

That night we slept with the fly off the tent with the mesh covering allowing us to sleep under the stars which lit up the skies. Lots of dingoes roaming around and taking anything which was not secured.

Shoes, clothing, rubbish bags. You had to put everything away or it wouldn’t be there in the morning.
Next morning we planned to walk the rim of the canyon, a 6 klm hike. The night was mild again and we watched the stars through the mesh netting of the tent. Got up around 5am and I felt some water drops hit my face. It was starting to rain. Jumped out of the sleeping bag and Chris and I got the tent fly out of the car, over the tent and pegged down just as the wind came up and the rain came down. Lucky. Of course I didn’t bring any wet weather gear or jackets, but the others did.

It started to clear a bit just before sunrise, so I figured it would be fine and just wore shorts and T shirt for the hike.

Walking to the first steep climb towards the rim, it got very cold with a strong wind and sheeting rain. Not very comfortable, but we were here now and had to do it.

Beryl and I tried in 1975, but we got flooded in at Alice Springs and the roads to Kings Canyon in those days were dirt and impassable in wet weather. We weren’t going to miss out again. The landscape is spectacular and the waterfalls cascading off the cliffs added another dimension. Later on, speaking with locals and others, everyone was envious of the fact we had seen it in the rain. Apparently an uncommon occurrence.

Cotterills Lookout, Garden of Eden and a host of other scenic spots were amazing, despite me being soaked to the skin, cold and sore.

My camera bag was also soaked and dripping water, so I hoped all was good with the Nikon. At one point during the walk, a young boy was complaining to his dad that he was getting wet. He had a raincoat on and the father said, ‘look that man (me) is soaking wet and not complaining’. Beryl said, ‘yes he is’.

We finished our walk with waterlogged shoes and clothes and got back to the camping area to dry out. Of course the sun came out and it remained sunny for the rest of the day.

We had dinner at the bistro that evening and went to bed with the dingos howling all around the park. There was a heavy dew that night, so it was a wet packup next morning and after a big breakfast of pancakes, we headed off.