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Showing posts from May, 2009

Day 5: Exploring the sights of Alice Springs and Palm Springs

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Home Home Cycling Musings Backcountry Skiing Kiteboarding Packraft Kayaking Touring Trekking Next Prev

Day 4 Larapinta: Rocky Gully to Ellery Creek

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Home Home Cycling Musings Backcountry Skiing Kiteboarding Packraft Kayaking Touring Trekking Next Prev Last night I almost spent sleeping on the dirt somewhere. The toilets are some distance away from the camp site. I got out of the toilets and it was pitch black. I could not see the track to the tents. My Petzel head torch provide little more than a firefly flicker against the grey. A short distance, the tents, but no tents. Mike! Mike ! Mike !!! What ? Turn on your light !  Mike's head torch has enough power to strobe a thousand lighthouses and so when he responded to my pleading calls , he saved the sailor from his impending doom. Over the years we learn on these each of these trips.  When I got home, I bought a new AyUp outdoors kit - never shall this be my plight again. My gear is much lighter with tents and backpacks losi

Day 3 Larapinta: Hugh Gorge to Rocky Gully

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Home Home Cycling Musings Backcountry Skiing Kiteboarding Packraft Kayaking Touring Trekking Next Prev We had a much needed sleep in. Today was a shorter and less arduous day. We will be 1/2 way to Ellery Creek at the camp site. The water was good and clear here, but we were diligent about filtering it. Our spirits were good after freshening up and being well rested. The sky was overcast, temperature cool. There was a promise of rain in the air.

Day 2 Larapinta: Birthday waterhole to Hugh Gorge

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Home Home Cycling Musings Backcountry Skiing Kiteboarding Packraft Kayaking Touring Trekking Next Prev I thank the Parks and Wildlife commission of the Northern Territory, they have created a fine walking trail and excellent camping facilities with water and clean toilets. Without the water provision it would be easy to dehydrate here. We dug a hole to see if we could locate some in the creek bed. I reckon we'd be at it for a long time ! We bought the information pack which provides all the maps and a poster. The investment was worth it.  We aren't going to walk the entire job lot, but have chosen the section between Standley Chasm and Glen Helen.. Today was a rather long day, in hindsight, it would be better to split the walk in two. Again we have outstanding scenery.

Day 1 Larapinta trail. Standley Chasm to Birthday Waterhole.

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Home Home Cycling Musings Backcountry Skiing Kiteboarding Packraft Kayaking Touring Trekking Next Prev It’s a desert walk that I will remember for a long time - it has to be up there with the best walks in the world. The rich reds, cool pools of water, dry air and visible evidence of eons of geological transformation makes this walk very special. The trip was an excerpt of the best bits the Larapinta trail has to offer. Excursions to Uluru, Kata Tjuta, Kings Canyon completed our 2 week journey to the red centre. Excellent details about this trail are available at www.larapintatrail.com.au Day 1 - Hassles getting to Alice Springs I arrived at Tullamarine airport, Melbourne an hour before the scheduled flight. The queue was not progressing with consideration of my need