Day 13: On the road to Alice Springs

Driving across the Red Centre from Yulara (The Ayers Rock Resort) to Alice Springs was a delight. So much more interesting than taking yet another flight. The road stretched ahead, almost straight, for mile after mile, kilometre after kilometre, with hardly a vehicle of any kind to be seen. However, the landscape, with its subtle changes, was fascinating. As were Graeme's anecdotes. After his mother died when he was six, his father packed him and his three brothers into a camping van and they spent the next seven years travelling around Australia. What a different kind of education that must have been!

Our first rest stop came at the Mount Connor lookout, where in the distance loomed up the mesa shaped mountain, part of the same range and created at the same time as Uluru and Kata Tjuta, but geologically so different. It reminded me of Cape Town's Table Mountain.






The lookout was surrrounded by deep orangy red sand dunes. The facilities consisted of two "long-drop" toilets. Better not to drop anything too important! On one of the doors was a not very politically correct employment advertisement, seeking a woman machine operator for Mount Ebeneezer, 24 dollars a hour plus accommodation and food. It remarked that women were better employees!

Coincidentally our next stop was at Mount Ebeneezer, about an hour further on, where there was a cattle station and a roadhouse.


Jack and Bernard waited under the sign.


At the side of the road was one of the many road-trains which drive the long straight roads through the relatively empty centre of Australia. This monster had 90 wheels!



Countryside views...









The third stop was at a camel farm, which still breeds and exports camels. Evie was the lone, brave soul who went for a spin.





The view of Alice Springs from Anzac Hill.


The war memorial.



We arrived, tired but happy at our hotel, where we were very pleased to find, surprisingly, a really excellent Indian restaurant.
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Day 12: Sunrise over Uluru and a drive to Kata Tjuta

Another very early start was required in order not to miss the sunrise, but it was well worth the effort to see how the light changed the colour and definition of the rock.













































In the distance are the other rocky outcrops, the Olgas, (now known as Kata Tjuta), which were formed at the same time as Uluru, although, geologically, they are very different. Graeme, our guide for the day, was very knowledgeable about both botany and geology so we learned a lot.

After breakfast we set out for a closer look at Kata Tjuta, which means many heads. First we walked up to a Dune Lookout.



























I had finally acquired the correct netting, which I hoped gave me the air of belonging to the Raj.... Perhaps a refugee from Jewel in the Crown?









After a short drive we set off on a walk into Walpa Gorge. Here are the other members of the group with Graeme our guide.




































Even though there are many visitors and, of course many vehicles, Uluru/Kata Tjuta National Park remains surprisingly serene. No wonder it has such significance for the Aboriginal Peoples.

Day 11: Sunset at Uluru

Viewing Uluru as the sun sets is evidently a "must".













Unfortunately the flies come out in large numbers in the evening, so many people had efficient nets to protect their faces. Unfortunately I had not yet acquired this "must-have" item of clothing. Here is one of our group modelling this elegant headgear!


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Day 11: Onward to the Red Centre

On Sunday March 2nd we had an early start, since our flight to the Ayers Rock Resort left Cairns at 7.30. Immediately on arrival, we were whisked off by our guide Leroy for a first experience of the amazing rocky outcrop, now more usually known as Uluru.












Having seen the deep red of the earth I appeciated how apt the name Red Centre really is.





We visited the wonderfully informative Cultural Centre, where sadly, photography was not allowed.
Then we set off on a walk to see one of the permanent waterholes which has such significance in the nomadic life of the Aboriginal peoples, Mutitjulu.






Close by was a shallow cave with the most beautiful cave art, some of it hundreds of years old.























Leroy was a mine of information about the culture of the Aborigineal peoples and the stories they tell. Some of the ancient symbols which appear on the cave walls are central to Aboriginal art to the present day.












We saw one of the climbs which people used to make. However, although climbing is not forbidden, it is now considered to be disrespectful to the native peoples for whom Uluru is such a sacred site.
In the afternoon we chceked into our elegant hotel : Sails of the Desert.


























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Day 9: And down again.....

For our journey back from Kuranda we took the cable car.






This unusual means of transport gave us a wonderful view of the rainforest canopy.



















We stopped to view the Baron Falls.











The next stop was at Red Peak, where a boardwalk wound through the forest. The plant life was truly stunning.




















What a wonderful day we had.

Tomorrow (day 10) will be a "chill-out" day, if that is an appropriate way to describe doing "not a lot" in 30 degree heat and humidity.

Next stop Ayers Rock.

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