We got into Kings Canyon Resort late on the afternoon of day 2. Weary and hungry, our bags were dropped off outside our room for the night. A cup of tea and a hot shower​ restored the spirits. We'd been told of several places in the village complex where we could eat and we headed for the pub's restaurant only to find out that we'd misjudged the direction and found ourselves wandering around unlit paths. We stumbled over some folks having a BBQ who put us on the right track. We were a bit put off as we approached at the loud music coming from one end of the pub. It turned out that we were to eat some distance away at the other end and were not overpowered. The Ordering and service were painfully slow but when the meals arrived they were hot and tasty. Wiser on the walk back we stuck to the road and found our way home without trouble.

In the morning we had breakfast at the bistro (pub again).  Tina saw a dingo briefly but it had vanished by the time I looked. It was bright and sunny with some light cloud when we joined the coach and headed for the canyon.  Arriving, we were given a short safety talk and divided into two groups. The younger, fit folk mostly headed for the ridge walk. Us mortal ones plumped for the river/creek walk which was a much less daunting route.  We were soon left well behind the rest as we started to notice birds and photo opportunities.  We chatted with another photographer, Maureen and her sister Pat in between taking pictures. It was only a short walk but we needed all the time allotted to make the images we wanted. All that time the cloud cover increased and when we returned to the coach the sun had vanished.

The rest of the day was taken up with the journey to Alice Springs with intermittent comfort and food breaks on the way. We stopped at Kings Creek Station roadhouse for lunch and noticed a young couple with a Hungarian Vizsla pup. We got chatting as dog people do and realised that the young lass was the waitress from the Uluru nibblies session at sunset on our 1st day. They told us that they had just had a day in Alice and were on the way home.  As the afternoon progressed storm clouds were gathering and before we got to Alice the skies opened and the coach that had sat on the NT speed limit of 110 KPH was forced to slow considerably.  We heard later that there had been hail and flash flooding in Alice Springs though there were only normally wet roads when we arrived at our motel at 7.06pm.  I was starting to worry about the long distances in a coach but felt much better for a nice meal and a cold beer in the restaurant.  The Ibis Hotel/Motel has seen better days but the staff were friendly and helpful; we were comfortable, what more could one ask? - Peter Cotton.