We really discovered how much we'd enjoyed our trip up north when we staggered off the red eye special from Perth on Thursday 2nd and into a freezing cold Sydney, just to make us really welcome.  I fronted the ticket office for the train from the airport to our home away from home at Beverley Hills. The ticket woman was shown my health card with Tina's name on it but that wasn't enough. Tina, standing guard on our luggage 20 meters away and totally exhausted had to be called to present herself and her card in order to get her trifling concession. Ah the joys of Sydney transport.

We had left Bermagui on the Premier Coach on the 9th of june to begin our trip. The coach driver dropped us at the Kogarah spot where our friend was waiting and rushed off having put our luggage on the pavement. After exchanging pleasantries we looked round and realised that we were one case short. Frantic phone calls to Premier and a vain chase for the coach ended with a trip into Sydney Central Station arriving just ahead of the coach. Parked, probably illegally, by the coach office we were very relieved when it turned up and we recovered the case. Not the way we wanted to start the holiday of a lifetime.   

The next day I had to see the eye specialist to have my 6 monthly check up. Des was scheduled to front a photo exhibition at Willoughby so we went with him and spent a pleasant time viewing some stunning images at "Incinerator" gallery.  Then on to my eye specialist. The melanoma continues to retreat, this was what I wanted to hear.  The drive in both directions was a nightmare. How Sydneysiders put up with it I'll never know. All the promises from politicians! For 30 years we lived there and were told the same old lies every election season and still another 15 years and its even worse. Best I get off my hobby horse, it's only occasionally my problem now.  The good news, at least it set me up for the following day when we flew out of Sydney for Uluru. 

The flight was uneventful, Uluru airport was quite welcoming and our transport to our hotel was ready to go as soon as we boarded. They dropped us at the Desert Gardens Hotel and we found our room ready for us, our bags following soon after. One hour later we were back on a coach heading for Kata Tjuta or the Olgas as many would know them.  Walpa Gorge was a challenge for Tina and to a lesser extent myself. Masses of rocks big and small covered the pathway with only the occasional clear run. The size and colour of the rocks, the bizarre shapes and strange grasses I found fascinating and of course the photo opportunity was not to be missed. I paid the penalty of focussing on a picture and not my feet.  Saved the camera as I fell and got off lightly with a cut on the palm of my hand from a sharp rock, uncomfortable but healed in a day or so.

From Kata Tjuta we went on the the viewing platform at Uluru to witness the sunset and were plied with wine and nibblies during the wait. I found the light show rather underwhelming but took the obligatory pics and passed the time making pictures of a very tame butcher bird that was no doubt looking for a free meal.  Back in the Desert Gardens Hotel, a very nice steak and a glass of red finished the day nicely.

Thats for the next posting. - PeterC

SUNSET SKYLINE TO KATA TJUTA