Lost in the Outback - I could handle that ...

After a day without internet in the depths of the Outback, I can now write a post today. For me, these are already the experiences of yesterday, which I can hardly remember anymore because today's day has 'flashed' me so much. Kings Canyon and Ayers Rock were simply overwhelming today. But I'll write about that tomorrow on the plane, because there was free WIFI on the flight from Sydney to Alice Springs and I assume there will be again tomorrow. Crazy new world ...

From Glen Helen, we went to the Kings Canyon Resort yesterday. There is no name of a place that I could mention. Besides the resort, there is only a gas station and a cafe in this spot on earth. That was it. But the tanker truck was cool ... However, today another one came towards me with a second trailer ...

The exciting thing about the route between Glen Helen and Kings Canyon is the approximately 160-kilometer-long 'Merennie Loop'. A dirt road, like surely every road in Australia used to look like. And still does in other parts of Australia today.

You need a permit to use this road and you pay 8 AUD. The money goes to the Aborigines, through whose territory the road runs. Otherwise, you would have to take a big detour.

But before we got on the dirt road, I wanted to have a look at a volcanic crater that was on the way. But at the junction it said that only four-wheel drive vehicles were allowed to go to the crater.

I had a good breakfast and I thought, what the heck, my blue Mitsubishi 2WD is almost like a 4WD. And it really wasn't a problem. There were a few light sand drifts, but they were limited.

Then we got on the dirt road. According to the Internet, you should plan a few hours for the drive, as you can't drive as fast there. If you ask a local, it goes much faster. Because if you drive at a certain speed, you almost fly over the bumps in the road and don't feel every single one of them. That made sense to me, so I stepped on the gas.

Then I turned around ... and everything looked the same ... I had no idea where I came from anymore ... I took the direction that I thought I came from. But the bush was so dense that you couldn't even see the parking lot or any other point of reference through the trees. Of course, I immediately remembered stories about people getting lost in the woods just by taking one wrong turn and being found days later ... Suddenly, I could somewhat understand that. I had my backpack with me, you always have to have your passport and valuables with you, only I left my water bottle in the car. I just wanted to take a photo ...

Okay, I don't want to make it more dramatic than it was. I came out onto the road after five minutes ... But in a completely different direction than where I thought my car was.

So what did I learn from this? From now on, I will only go on well-signposted hiking trails ...

When we arrived at the Kings Canyon Resort, the day ended pretty early in bed. That was a good thing because today was a very tiring but also a very beautiful day. It's as if I already sensed it yesterday ...