We visited the Flinder Ranges, staying a a lodge called Wilpena Pound. The lodge is an expensive tourist lodge, offering access to all of the Flinders Ranges of South Australia. Perhaps it struggles sometimes to live up to its billing as a ‘lodge’, but it was a nice place to stay.
My travel buddy decided he’d do the lodge experience and had a room. I chose to practice my camping skills, and also wanted to save some money. I pitched my tent.
I think I enjoyed the camping experience overall, however, I had Covid. And it was a good dose. When you’re in the middle of these things you just soldier on and get stuff done. To be honest I lived on a diet of Panadol, Codral and sleeping pills. I’d get over to the lodge for breakfast and dinner, but otherwise just vegged. Geoff wasn’t much better – although of course he tested negative and never had Covid.
This was my first experience of camping in the red dirt that is Australia. It is an incredibly fine dust. Nothing special to say about it, other than it will take years for me to find and wash away the last remnants. It gets everywhere.
There were some good things to do in the ranges. Sadly we didn’t do many – well, any really. Every morning we’d see people kitted out for solid treks in the hills to soak up everything the ranges had to offer. I popped Panadol and Codral and had a nap.
Travelling, though, you take the rub of the green. We were in a nice, safe spot for 3-4 days while we recovered. We isolated properly and ate well.
We did see some good stuff. We drove out towards the Oodnadatta track, through the Parachilna Gorge. Pretty rugged and dramatic Australian landscape. A river gorge channelled over millions of years. I’ll drop some photos in, but I fear they will not capture the awe of the place.
