Departure

I also decided to treat myself to a full breakfast which was also bountiful. The waitress from the night before was on shift again and said that she was saving up to travel to South East Asia after finishing her stint at Yulara.

The shuttle to the airport didn't leave until noon so I caught the circular shuttle to the town centre. The service happened to be one that detoured to the camel ride grounds so I got to see that too.

I sent off a couple of postcards, a vanishing species, at the post office there, and took a few last pictures.

The day before the guide had explained desert oaks. They are slow growing, the roots reaching for the water table. The height of the tree is proportional to the depth of the roots and so is an useful indicator. Once it has a stable source of water, it flourishes, except that it's now vulnerable to lightning strike because of the conductive path. When struck the tree explodes. But in dying its seeds are scattered to restart the cycle.

I was pleasantly surprised by my trip. I had not high expectations; I wondered if there was more to it than seeing The Big Rock. The air was fresher, the pace of life gentler, the scenery more spectacular, the flora and fauna more varied than I had anticipated. But out there I would miss the cultural activities and food of the city. The one tour I wished I had also signed up for was the Field of Light, a light installation by Bruce Munro.