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Detailed travelogue on Australia and New Zealand

Detailed Travelogue on Australia and New Zealand

Larry
2006-05-27 03:23:16

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Originally, I had reserved a "budget" room for myself,
but the lack of sleep and the miles walked were beginning to catch up with
me, so when I arrived in the late afternoon, I changed my reservation to a
regular room, and just lied down for a few hours in what would have been a
cheap hotel room anywhere else. Still, even though it burned a hole in my
wallet, I think it was the right decision, because I was able to relax, not
get sick, and rest up enough for a long hike around Kings Canyon the next
day.
That afternoon, I had an interesting conversation with two of the
Resort's employees over dinner in the cafeteria. One was a gardener, and
the other worked in the fancy restaurant next door. Both were working at
Kings Canyon to get a change of scene, and figured they'd last maybe a year
before going onto something else. There isn't much to do when the only
civilization for hours in any direction is the same small, self-contained
resort that you work at. Like these two fellows, Australians in general
were friendly, outgoing, eager to engage in conversation, and anxious to
help. The lady at the Resort's Mobil service station took a good half-hour
(between ringing up customers) to fold open a map and tell me everything I
wanted to know (and more) about driving conditions throughout the Northern
Territory, and especially up the Stuart Highway. The whole Resort had an
interesting "oasis in the desert" kind of feel to it, and I spent the rest
of the day relaxing, writing postcards, catching a bit of TV, and hitting
the sack early.

At 5:30am the next morning, I was at the base of Kings Canyon, a large
canyon full of layered rocks and rivers. From the base, you have a choice
of two trails to take: a short 1-hour walk, or a 6km, 4-hour hike. I chose
the hike, and I'm glad I did -- it was one of the best days ...

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