09.04.2019 # Outback, Day 4, Kata Tjuta and Erldunda

Still impressed from the previous day, we set off early for Kata Tjuta. It takes us about an hour to cover the approximately 50 km because we make a stop at a lookout from where you can admire the mountain range in its full size. The Olgas consist of 36 individual boulders, some of which can easily match the height of Uluru. While Uluru scores with its sheer size and spiritual significance, the Olgas fascinate with their variety of shapes and colors.

We put on our hiking shoes one last time and walk along the Valley of the Winds to the Karu Lookout. It's incredible how the perspectives change quickly and new views constantly emerge. It's beautiful, it's really fun to wander around in the world of rocks for a while. Overall, I like the Olgas even better than Ayers Rock due to their original variety of impressions.

We leave the national park in the late morning. Originally, we wanted to stay here for another night, but considering the hustle and bustle at Ayers Rock Resort, we decide to head back to Alice Springs and look for a quieter place to stay. This also has the advantage that we don't have to drive as many kilometers on the last day to return the camper on time.

We continue eastward on the Lasseter Highway. We take a coffee break at a typical Outback rest area in Curtin Springs. The operators look like they've come straight out of an adventure movie, and you can admire a collection of bizarre objects on the walls of the kiosk, which you can only find in such a place. The repertoire ranges from pickled snakes and other creatures to a spear with a telescope. Apart from that, they have everything you need. The coffee and muffins are pretty good, and the toilets and showers are relatively clean. And by the way, there's an emu farm on the neighboring property.

We plan to take the next break at Mt. Ebenezer. Both the map and various signs along the track indicate a roadside rest area there. However, when we arrive, everything looks desolate and rundown. A couple sitting on a bench having a snack explicitly warns us not to use the toilets. For the moment, we follow their advice, even though it's particularly difficult for me right now.

A bit further, three motorcyclists are talking to each other. We had already seen two of them at Uluru the day before, their bikes have German license plates. We go over and start a conversation. Susi and Matthias from Nuremberg are riding their bikes around the world. We have the utmost respect for them and listen to their stories in amazement. They originally planned to be on the road for about a year and quit their jobs for it. The trend is now towards 24 months. With age, you become a bit more comfortable, and sleeping in a tent every night and looking for free camping spots is not really my thing anymore. We chat animatedly for a good half an hour and realize that we will be on Java at about the same time. Let's see if we'll meet these very likable people again. The world is a small place.

Right at the intersection of Lasseter and Stuart Highway is the small town of Erldunda. From the road, we see a small campground and decide to spend the night there. From here, it's only 200 km to Alice, a good distance for the last day tomorrow. Although I would have liked to spend one more night alone in the wilderness, we are not sure if there are still parking lots along the Stuart Highway where camping is allowed. So we gladly accept the available infrastructure and use the time to wash some clothes by hand. It's too little for the washing machine. In comparison to the hustle and bustle in the last two resorts, it's almost idyllic here. We choose a pitch at the very end of the campground and are so almost undisturbed. The only thing I worry about a little are the road trains parked not far from the road, huge trucks with up to four trailers. You can see the drivers uncoupling their tractor units and driving away in the twilight. It doesn't bode well for the next morning.