Sunday, August 3, 2014

Let's go camping, it will be fun....


Our camping group at Rainbow Valley.
You may have read my blog post from March 2013, it was then that I went camping for the first time - it was hot and there were so many flies I honestly thought I was not going to make the 2 scheduled nights.  So this time, when I was asked to camp again, I thought about it carefully and decided 1 night, in winter, I can do this - I will be fine.

 

Well to my surprise, I was fine - I did not die from the cold, there were no flies on my food, had some laughs around the campfire, some good wine - but I still think, camping is not for me.  I have come to the conclusion that it is an amazing amount of work, and while I love being with friends, I am afraid the fun meter and the work meter are seriously out of balance.  You spend two days cooking, shopping, making lists and checking them twice, you load the car (and mind you not 1 inch of leftover space, I thought we might have to tie the boys to the roof!), you drive there, unpack the car, put up the tent and now, hours later you are ready to hike and have fun - oh and did I mention there are still flies in winter, just not in the thousands like summer flies - only a few hundred.
At sunset, thank you Steve for the photo.
We had chosen Rainbow Valley as our camping spot and honestly it is amazing.  I do understand making it a camping trip versus a day trip because watching the sunset against the scenery was incredible.  We enjoyed the walks and the kids loved playing on the rocks.  We had all brought an easy dinner and shared wine with our friends around the campfire, a perfect evening - but did I mention it was winter - the forecast said it would  be 26F - seriously cold.  In preparation I bought a polyester, fake fur, minkie blanket for JD and I to use along with sleeping bags and additional blankets.  I found that as long as I was completely under the blanket, head and all, and pressed right up to JD, I was in no danger of freezing to death - even though we woke up to frost on the top of our blanket.  The boys had swags (canvas bags with a foam mattress) stuffed with sleeping bags and blankets and they said they were freezing.
Our minkie, yes that is leopard print!

The boys swags.
In the morning we spent some time trying to get the fire started, my friend Melissa spent about two hours making a pot of coffee, I gave up and drank a Pepsi, we then had breakfast and began to break down camp and pack up the cars and begin our journey home.  I understand now why the Australians use swags, not tents - you can throw your swag in the car with a little food and sleep anywhere under the stars - I hope JD and the boys enjoy it the next time THEY go camping!
You never know who you will run into.


A Bird in the Hair is worth two in the bush.


The boys and I made a visit to the Alice Springs Desert Park with our friends the Gapinski's, we were trying to take in as much as we could before they were to return to the United States.  Our first stop on this beautiful morning was the bird show - after living here for 2 1/2 years it was our first time seeing it.  Honestly I was amazed, I had no idea birds could be trained this well.  We had numerous species of birds all coming in on cue, hawks were diving for food around us and flying over are heads.  We now perfectly understood why they tell you to remain seated, do not move around - at all - while the show is running.
 



Our next stop was the nocturnal house, one of my favorite spots at Desert Park.  It is a large building that is very dark inside, stars (lights) on the ceiling and didgeridoo music playing.  There are enclosures for owls, bats, bilbies and numerous other animals, and yes snakes! We were lucky enough to be there at feeding time, so many of the animals that can be difficult to see in the darkness were easily spotted as the trainer brought the food into their habitats, the kids loved it.
Right before the eagle fell off the stand.

We then hurried over to the eagle area for a private encounter, there was a talk and then we got to get up close to a wedge tail eagle.  It was now picture time so the kids step in front of a bird stand and the trainer is going to place the eagle on the stand, but the eagle falls.  Keep in mind the eagle is attached to a strap so the eagle is flapping upside down desperately trying to get to the stand.  While this is happening, the kids are backing away and Cheyenne and I are standing there, cameras ready, but not one picture was snapped - we were in such shock at this scene that neither of us thought to take  a pic, so you will have to take my word for it.



Our last stop at the park was the Aviary, I really wanted Cheyenne to see the black cockatoos - they are magnificent.  I was amazed she had never been in the aviary before on one of her previous visits but then she explained that birds make her "uneasy".  I explained that it is a simple path, trust me, you walk through, you see a black cockatoo - you might even get to see the beautiful orange under his wings - and then you walk out - no big deal.  Reluctantly she agreed so we opened the gate, about half way around I was dive bombed by a small bird that had decided to make a nest in my hair - not sure if it was the blonde highlights or the gray sparkles but even after Dillon shewed him away he came back for more.  All I could do was laugh as Cheyenne and another couple kept their distance while taking hundreds of pictures.  I am not sure Cheyenne will ever go in another aviary!


During the school holidays the boys went back to Desert Park for the Desert Explorer program.  Ten kids to work with the rangers all day helping out with feeding and taking care of the animals, they even got to make the rules announcement at the bird show.  Jake said he liked the mammals day the best, he even asked if we can get a dingo as a pet - not gonna happen!