Day 58 – Kings Canyon Resort to Yulara

I got up at 6:30 and had a shower and dressed, then had breakfast. Lynn was up soon after and had her breakfast, so we started packing after that and were away to Reception before 9, collected the key deposit and then headed off south towards Lasseter Highway. The run was nice and smooth, the road being sealed. The scenery was changing minute by minute. Once on Lasseter Highway, we stopped at Mt Connor Lookout (a crowded and busy spot) and then at Curtain Springs. Motorcycle touring group were there on BMWs and the riders were from Asia. The tone improved when some Suzukis came in and I spoke to them. Then I ran into a fellow who recognised me from Broome! We set off and got into Yulara about 12:50, so I called into the Health Centre and caught up with Leigh (ambulance driver) and Rob (nurse, who prepped me for my operation). Kath, the nurse in the ambulance, had shifted back to Melbourne with her husband, because of his work. I was too late to catch the police, so we went to Pioneer Lodge. Unlike other times, we couldn’t book in until 3, so it was a case of look around to find what facilities were available, where they were and what we could do. I left Lynn to have lunch and I went back to the police station and caught up with Nick and Val. They, like the ambulance officers, remembered the incident very well and were surprised to see me so well. I invited them around for a drink this evening, but some can’t make it until tomorrow or the next evening – but as we’ll be here three nights, that’s OK. I went back and we waited for the room and keys – I got them at 2:50. Lynn and I did some shopping, then came back to the Pioneer Lodge (but as YHA members, we get a considerable cut off the retail cost). Lynn settled in and I went to the lounge and did some emailing and blog writing. I sat in the same place I had just before I set off on my ill-fated trip (and even parked in the same place!).