no doot aboot it eh!

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DAY 28

Week 4

ALICE SPRINGS (Northern Territory, AUS) to AYERS ROCK (Northern Territory, AUS)
via KINGS CANYON (Northern Territory, AUS)

Sunday October 10th, 2010

TODAYS MILEAGE – 476 miles or 766 kilometres

TRIP MILEAGE – 4516 miles or 7268 kilometres

Jungle & Yvonne Go Walkabout.

Having seen most of the countryside between Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park and The Alice, I handed the keys over to Yvonne and Jungle to go exploring one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the Oceania, on their own.

They headed back down South on the Stuart Highway, then hung a left on Ernest Giles Road and pulled up at Kings Canyon, or Watarrka National Park, as it is officially known as.

After several hours of playing "Tommy Tourists", they were back on the road, bound for Ayers Rock. At the Luritja Road and Ernest Giles Road turn off, they had a decision to make. After all the recent rain, the road was closed in order for a grader to make a run across it to clean up the wash outs and corrugations.

Going back the way they came was 278 kilometres (173 miles), or they could just sneak around the sign and take their chances on the 66 kilometre (41 mile) dirt road.

Jungle figured there were three major reasons for going through the shortcut: (a) the vehicle is a four wheel drive, (b) he could play the dumb French Canadian tourist if he got into trouble and more importantly, (c) it was MY fuckin' vehicle.

Obviously Jungle was joking, as he takes great care with his and other peoples gear, or I wouldn't have let them take the ute. Anyways, around the Road Closed sign he goes and they save themselves 212 kilometres (132 miles) in the process.

Out along Lasseter's Highway and past Mount Conner they trundled, before pulling up at the Uluru Sunset Viewing Area in time for the for the big orange light to slowly extinguish for the day.

The night was spent at the Sails In The Desert Resort at Yulara, where the going room rate was $678.00 per night (they got it online for about $350.00) and from experience, the rooms would barely rate $80 a night if there was some actual competition.

Just a word from the wise, the township of Yulara has been and still is an absolute rip off in regards to their pricing. Sure it's a bit of extra freight to get stuff out there, but there is no way on this planet that they should charge the prices they do. Food, drink, souvenirs and accommodation is charged out at Mafia-like extortionate telephone number racketeer pricing. It's an absolute disgrace.

They last time someone did that kind of thing to Jungle, they at least kissed him first – if you know what I mean.