Well, it feels like it’s home thoughts from abroad as we’ve probably spoken to more non-Australians over the last ten days than Australians. And, interestingly, the highest proportion of those are not German as it seems to have been in the last decade or so but French. We spoke in more detail to one young (how old it feels to say that!) couple on the Valley of Winds walk in Kata Tjuta and were told that Australia is now a popular destination for the French, partly due the fellow said to cheaper airfaires. Whatever the reason it’s great to see them here!

The “foreigners” we’ve met have not only been other tourists of course, but people working in the hospitality industry. We even met a young Japanese guide (for the AATKings company) along the Kings Canyon Rim Walk. She works out of Yulara (the tourist village that supports Uluru) and has for the last 5 years. Now THAT was interesting. 

One night we went to the gorgeous Sounds of Silence dinner in the dunes. The first couple we met over champagne and canapes was Australian (from Melbourne in fact), but the next was a honeymooning middle-aged Spanish couple and then at our table for the dinner we were the only Aussies. We dined with two groups of New Zealanders, and an American couple. I love this aspect of travel. Oh, and we did meet some Germans too! In Kata Tjuta we met a German teacher of English – who had wonderful English. This was her third visit to Australia she told us!

However, we do also have our “it’s a small world” story because we did meet an Aussie couple on the Valley of Winds walk. And they just happen to live about 5 houses from us! We know well the people across the road from them but hadn’t met them before! Truly, the world is a wonderful place…for the lucky ones of us anyhow.

And that’s about all from me in the Centre. Look out for the next post from home – I’m hoping to post some images – especially of GUMS of which we have seen some absolutely gorgeous specimens.

(PS Don’t you think I deserve a bit of a kickback from the Northern Territory Government for all this promotion?)