The edge of Oblivion - mighty King's Canyon NP

Kings Canyon
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Well, I did it - I did all three hikes. Uluru. The Olgas and now King's Canyon.

I am proud of myself and have to say King's Canyon was definitely the toughest. It was the highlight of the day and although I got attacks of vertigo at the edge of the canyon I am very glad I did it. But its the final stop and I am now back in Alice, cleaner, more tired and grateful for a real bed.

In places the road was as smooth as silk in others it was a real bum cruncher. At one point we stopped at a dry river bed for a rest before being set on by hundreds of flies

The 'Lost City'
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Last night was a better night under the stars and I must have slept like a log as the first thing I remember after bedding down at 10.00pm was Carolyn waking us all up at 6.00am. The stood like refugees in our sleeping bags trying to get warm. Breakfast was cereal and hot coffee and once again everyone pitched in loading the "eskies" into the Ute and rolling up the "swags". Where we were was pretty remote, it vies with the Matto Grosso and Serengeti as the remotest place I have ever been.

The Ernest Giles track
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Then twenty miles northward to Wattarrka NP and Australias equivalent to the Grand Canyon. We have to get there early again so the sun doesnt defeat us. One of our group, Donna, was concerned about the extremity of the hike. Would there be lots of narrow ledges and precipitous climbs? We were soon to find out and the first was a set of stone stairs up to the rim of the canyon. These were sheer, I mean really sheer. A near vertical 300ft climb first thing in the morning. From the bottom it was like gazing up at the "Stair of Cirith Ungol" and after the first 100 ft your back and calves start to ache with the effort of the climb. My breath came in gasps but I bravely ploughed on to the top where the humiliation of Australian pensioners overtaking me was ever present.

We were at the Canyon rim. All around us was Mereenie sandstone - a lunarscape of red rock. It was carved by the elements into shapes and contours. We followed the trail around the rocks till we could peer over the edge of the rim. 100ft deep and streaked with water stains and cliff hugging trees the canyon was magnificent. The sheer of the Canyon was unbelievable.

Then it was down into the canyon thorugh a set of wooden steps to a billabong at the back. Golden light reflected off the water. On the other side of the canyon was a view across a badlands of red mereenie stone. Elements had carved into hundreds of little beehived shaped rocks called 'The Lost City'. We also sank to our bellies and wriggled to edge of the canyon and looked down. Yeuch.

The trail down was easier then the trail up and we were back in the carpark by ten. Lunch was early and sandwiches. We were going to take a shortcut to Alice and the new Ernest Giles track which was 200 miles of sand track eastwards across the Outback. In places the road was as smooth as silk in others it was a real bum cruncher. At one point we stopped at a dry river bed for a rest before being set on by hundreds of flies.  There were also the remains of a fire and 'tinnies'scattered around. The aboriginals had been here that night.

Alice seemed like civilisation as we drove back in at 4.00pm. We said goodbyes and I was dropped back at Toddys where I occupied the same room. Ah, the feel of a bed and four solid walls around me.

I promptly fell asleep.