The Pimple Bursts - (newly arrived? You'll get more
out of this if you go back to the beginning… honestly, you'll enjoy the ride!)
Having
said hasty farewells to our not-so-knight-in-tex-mex-outfit, we were scuttled
onto the North-bound road 'plane by a rather surly 'coach captain'. It was mid-'arvo' and blood sugars may have
been getting low, but on the whole it must be said that the atmosphere on the
bus was less than welcoming. Even from
some familiar faces.
Quite a
number of our new companions were from the Nullarbor 'plane, so you'd think
there might have been at least a nod or grin.
Nada.
Then
there were the Ansett staff. Cap'n Steve
was not about to let us off the hook for having delayed his departure from
Adelaide. There was a lot of silence. Then would come the cracks about three-legged
donkeys and such like. Over the
intercom.
Bob, the
off-duty 'captain' was responsible for handing out the pillow and blanket that
would ensure travelling comfort on the Ansett 'road-plane'. There were half a dozen passengers who joined
the bus at Elizabeth, as we had now done; they got the goodies. We did not.
It could have been an oversight.
This bus was full, as in all 40 seats occupied. Aitch and I, whilst seasoned travellers by
this time, were still not of that nature which puts its hand up and says
"Please sir, may I have one too?"
We used
our backpacks and Chinese sunhats to hide our chagrin.
As the
night drew in it was clear that we were not being spoken to. We were barely included in the orange juice
round. Our fellow passengers, unlike the
Nullarbor 'plane, were not inclined to reach out to us. There was none of the camraderie to which we
had become accustomed. This was a
different sort of Australian we were up against.
The
Eastern side of the continent takes itself rather seriously. But we were only half way there really! Dead centre to be exact. Well nearly.
First we had to drive up through the Simpson Desert, using the Stuart
Highway (A87). Passing the great
waterless lakes, which were salty anyway.
To our far left was Maralinga.
The A87 actually cuts through some of the designated Government area
related to the nuclear blasting. On the
very edge of the invisible border, lies Coober Pedy. By the time we drew in at this stop, some
850km North and West of Adelaide, Aitch and I were feeling a bit on the fringe.
taken from Google Images |
It was
about 9pm when we off -loaded for refreshment.
A meal and the now familiar syrupy, mooing cuppa was awaiting us and, as
I recall, some pretty decent toilet facilities.
This came as a surprise, because this is a town with a distinct
difference. (Click on the photo to take
you to images that will amaze and astound - this is the place where folk live
underground!)
We were
due to depart a little before midnight so had some time to visit a couple of
places. Things were alive and open
because it's cool in the night. I remind
you yet again, OZ is made up of significant tracts of desert.
Here's
the chapel. Thanks to Aitch for this
shot. We both would love to go back and
actually spend some time in CP - absolutely fascinating!
![]() |
image copyrighted to Ms HMR |
As we
gathered to board the bus again, folk had wound down a bit and began
chatting. One lady in particular wanted
to make sure we were okay. Miss C was
from Winnipeg, Canada. A retired lady
travelling alone, she had spunk and we became firm friends. (Indeed, continued contact until only a
couple of years ago. Aitch and I are
concerned that she has now passed - no family to advise us,
unfortunately.) It was Miss C. who told
us that the driver had been muttering all the way up to Elizabeth about lazy
Poms and crazy women… say what? US! The whole bus, apparently, had decided that
silence was better than crossing Cap'n Steve!!!
Speak of
the devil. On he got, along with Cap'n
Bob and the pair of them started in… only this time it was a happier tone. "You ladies okay then? Did you get our pillow and blanket? What kept ya…?"
In a
nutshell, cap'n, your company's incompetence.
But we'll let that slide in return for a good ride up to Erldunda.
The
Sceptical Tourist Fishy (STF) was learning the style! Aitch couldn't believe I had been so sassy,
but it earned us the comforters and extra orange juices, so we decided we had
been forgiven.
I must
have been able to sleep a few hours of the next leg because all I remember is
waking up with the sun on my face and Cap'n Steve calling out that the next change stop was in
sight. Erldunda is another of those
great little dwelling places in the middle of nowhere which end up making it
somewhere. It is the junction between
the Stuart and Lasseter highways. This
is important why?
Here was
where a few of us dismounted and retrieved luggage in order to take a side trip
to Yulara - Uluru and Kata Tjuta (Ayers Rock and Olgas). When the much smaller, but not quite mini, bus
turned up to collect us for the Lasseter Run, the driver (Who Had A Name…, so
let's call him WHAN), got a surprise.
"R*****e
and MacLean!!! I thought you were left
in Adelaide."
We were
speechless. Australia, it seemed, was a
village with all the grapevine and gossip that entailed! Then we found
voice. So that entertained everyone for
a good half hour. Later, Miss C. told us that some of the muttering she'd heard might have been over the radio...
![]() |
image copyrighted to Ms HMR |
After an
age, we had Mt Connor pointed out to us.
A much larger edifice than Uluru, but the latter was where the Anangu Pitantjatjara placed such honour and mystery. The growing tourist village was quite new
when we arrived. It was hauntingly
beautiful, fully ergonomic and environmentally low-impact and you hardly knew
it was there until you were upon it.
Tomorrow,
read more about this incredible place, but if you're keen for a sneak peek, try
out the climbing escapade!
Sorry Capt Steve was such a cranky bugger, but they are everywhere.
ReplyDeleteI'm following your tour of inland Australia but have missed a few days so I'm doing it backwards.
Merle......
Hari OM
ReplyDeleteHAH! It works both ways Merle!! xx
What a view.
ReplyDeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteI truly love the OZ outback, Jessica. I am sure there are plains in the US which have the same feel - that sense of the land beneath ones feet sighing deeply...