Ghan Trip 2008 22

Friday 8th August 2008

Up well before dawn to prepare for our coach trip to Uluru,
aka Ayers Rock. We were to be picked up at 6am from the
hotel lobby. There were a dozen or so people waiting for
transport to various venues, and all but one young man had
already left before our coach finally arrived, almost half
an hour late.

In fact, it wasn't our coach, but a substitute as ours had
encountered mechanical problems. This one was to take us
to the tour company's office where we would be transferred
to another for the trip.

The driver checked off the passenger list... two Johnstons...
and we were on our way. The young man in the lobby looked
anxious as we departed.

We reached the office, just a few minutes away, paid our
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park entry fee and boarded the
second coach. On our way at last... until the message came
through that a passenger had been left behind at Aurora...
none other than the anxious young man !

Apparently his name had been left off the list, and
since the coach that picked us up was from a different tour
company, neither he nor the driver realised he was supposed
to be with us. He was Danish and although his English was
quite good, Bill and I hadn't communicated with him in the
hotel lobby, despite having thought that he may be doing
the same trip as us.

Back we went to collect him.

The anxious young man appeared very relieved to join us !

A short distance outside Alice Springs, we were treated
to the spectacle of three hot air balloons silhouetted against
the eastern sky as the sun peeked over the horizon.

Our first stop, for breakfast of a pre-ordered toasted sandwich,
was at Jim's Place, where his world famous dingo, Dinky, entertained
us with his singing and piano playing prowess.

Dinky didn't need to be asked twice to clamber onto the keyboard
and perform. It was obvious that he was a born showman... umm... dog !

Jim joins Dinky in a duet on the piano, but leaves the singing
to the pro.

Some of Dinky's newspaper and magazine clippings.

Yes, he has even been included as a question in Trivial Pursuit !
Here's one of many videos of Dinky doing his thing.

Nowhere near as entertaining were the emus out the front of Jim's Place.
Taken from the coach, this is a bit fuzzy.

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