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Outback Safari

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In search of adventure, my husband Jeff and I took a trip to the Australian outback. Going against the recommendation of most Australians we knew, who warned that November was too hot to visit the outback, we risked it anyway. We booked a trip with WayOutback Desert Safaris. A three-day camping and hiking trip complete with the threat of dingoes, deadly spiders and snakes. Our camping adventure started in Alice Springs, a 3-hour flight from Sydney. Our tour guide picked us up at 6 a.m. Transportation was a 4wheel drive Toyota LandCruiser that sat ten people; in the back four on each side faced each other, and two sat in the front. A full car, it was an international group, the outback seems to have worldwide appeal.

Our guide's name was Ben, an Australian in his early thirties. Ben, suntanned and fit with dirty blonde hair, was dressed in typical outback gear: khaki shorts, hiking boots and a beige wide-brimmed hat called an Akubra, which were worn by bushmen far before becoming fashionable. Another popular piece of bush clothing is the Dryz-abone (keeps you 'dry as a bone'), a long, waterproof jacket. First we drove four hours to Watarrka National Park (Kings Canyon), 331 km (200 miles) from Alice Springs.

The trip started with a stop at a place where they did hot air balloon tours. Ben stopped to greet the girl working there. She slipped us a bottle of champagne for the trip and we wasted no time in opening it. At seven o'clock in the morning we did a group "cheers" for the trip ahead. Stopping at a camel farm on the way, we had the option to go for a camel ride. Jeff and I passed. Riding around a fenced in area didn't seem exciting. Australia has a large population of wild camels. There are over 200,000 camels in Central Australia, although they are not indigenous. They are now being used to make money by having them exported to other parts of the world.

Heading towards Kings Canyon we turned off the main highway onto a red dirt road. It was bumpy, but fun being far off the beaten path. Red dust covered the windows as we sped down the barren road. During the drive, we got to know our fellow adventurers.

Pulling off the path, we stopped to look at some cows and a bull. According to Ben, most of the area in the outback is either Aboriginal land or cattle stations (ranches). I stayed near the car for safety, not wanting to get speared by the bull with the large horns.

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