Kings Canyon

From Uluru, we headed off to Kings Canyon.  Stopped at Kings Creek Station for a picnic lunch.  This is a working cattle and camel farm, exporting camels worldwide.  You can camp up here but its 40km drive into the Canyon so we opted to stay at the Kings Canyon Resort & Campground.   It was over 300km between Ayers and here. Arrived just as a dingo was making his way thru the campground, tried to get his photo but he was too quick.  There are gates on the shower complex to keep them out!!!!!.  Five of us decided to attempt the walk around the  top of the canyon, whilst Helen decided to just do the canyon floor walk.  There are over 600 natural rock steps cut into the side of the canyon wall that you have to climb up before you actually get to the top and the walk.   It was exhausting just doing this part, lots of stopping to sit on rocks and get our breath,  Sometimes we were scranbling on hands and knees to get up the steps.    We had already started to think "Was it worth it" but you simply couldnt go back down the way you were coming up, so there was no choice. Mind you a 71yo passed us, he had done the walk the day before, and decided to do it again the next day for better photos.!!!!!!!!   Not even a little puffed.    Bugger.   This canyon walk was on the list of Must Do's.     Didnt think we would be capable of it, especially Rick.  He took his walking stick, which helped tremendously.   The walk took us 3hrs and 55mins.   We stopped numerous times, for photos, to rest and to have a little picnic. The walk takes you up and down and around the top rim of the canyon.  The views are nothing short of spectacular, everywhere you look, there is something to excite you.  We had a beautiful sunny day and the colours of the rocks were changing all the time.   There were a number of steep climbs, lots of pools with water from recent rains lying around,  plus a few sets of wooden stairs to negotiate and some foot bridges. you could walk right out almost to the edges of the canyon for magic views and photos.    We loved it but were thoroughly exhausted by the end.  We would be walking, thinking "are we there yet back at the car park" and then look up and see people high above us and realise we have to go "way up there" yet and think damn.    There were cheers and laughter when we finally saw signs of the carpark down below.  Medals all around were deserved.   Rick did so well to walk that distance, it was hard going but he was determined.  Mind you he got stuck into Johnny Walker ASAP after that