Australia - Ayers Rock/Uluru 4th - 7th Feb

On our way - Sydney airport

Flying west....

Ayers Rock/Uluru - Day 1

After a night in an airport hotel in Sydney, (hiding either Amy or Grace in order to get away with paying for one room!), we flew directly to Ayers Rock Airport.We arrived to 42 degrees C at Ayers Rock airport after a scenic flight west from Sydney. The heat which hit us on leaving the plane, was unlike any we have ever experienced. Very different to the air in the Whitsundays which was so humid, this was just like walking in to the full blast of a hairdrier. 

Even though it was very hot, it was much more comfortable than the humidity from the Whitsunday's. 

We were taken out to the truck (a sort of 4wd minibus with a trailer on the back), where we joined the other 11 people who had driven from Alice Springs that morning.

Our first stop was to go to the Uluru park office for Paul to purchase tickets. We then went to our camp which was basically an open shed with a sink and some tables. Sandwich kit was laid out and we all (except the Swiss couple) mucked in to prepare lunch. Once we were all cleared up – again everyone mucking in except for the Swiss, we loaded up and headed for the rock itself. 

Nothing had prepared us for the actual area of ground which the rock occupies. It is over 10ks around and is just vast. We stopped at a view point for the classic pictures of the most recognisable side of the rock. Poor Grace had drifted off in to an afternoon nap and was not at all happy at being dragged out of the relative cool of the bus. ‘Mummy, I just don’t think I can deal with this heat’.

The cultural centre was next and was fascinating, though we all felt that we didn’t really have long enough there. What really struck us all was that the appalling practice of removing Aborigine children from their families, in order for them to be brought up in a White family was still going on in the early seventies. Although huge efforts are now being made to protect the Aborigine culture, and their people, the sad truth is that as a result of being treated terribly for a very long time, there are now serious alcohol and drug problems within the community. 

We did two short walks later that afternoon – the park rangers are very strict on forbidding longer walks on days where the temp is above 36 degrees. Paul was brilliant at telling us the Aborigine legends of how the different faces of the rock were formed and there was good information all around with geological explanations as well! We saw aborigine drawings in the caves and were taught about why different areas were only for women and others for men, as well as seeing favourite hunting spots.

Painting on the rock...

Wave cave

Mes Dames with our guide, Paul from Wayoutback

Wave cave

Very hot...to keep the girs cool we poured water onto their heads only for it to dry 10 minutes later....we soon got used to drinking warm/hot water as even adding cool water to our bottles it heated up almost instantly!

Sunset Ayers Rock

Back to the camp just before sunset. We grabbed some nibbles and a few bottles of bubbly and headed up the hill from which there was a brilliant view of Uluru. The girls were really good getting stuck in to handing out drinks and nibbles to everyone. They were the only children on the trip and most people were very friendly to them – guess who wasn’t!

Dinner was bolognaise made with Kangaroo mince and cooked by me and a German girl who was a  chef. Paul then gave a demonstration of how to use our swags. They are basically large canvas bags which have a foam mattress in them. You put your sleeping bag inside this and then zip the canvas up around you – incredibly comfortable and we all passed out pretty quickly! It was a bit cloudy when we first went to bed, but waking up in the middle of the night was incredible, just being under this amazing ceiling of bright bright stars. 

Sunrise Ayers Rock  The following morning we were woken by Paul at 5am. Swags were rolled up – coffee was made (by us) and drunk (by the Swiss), and we headed off towards the Olgas.

Amy and Grace getting ready for bed in their 'swags'

Camping out in the bush...

About to hit the hay...stars were amazing!

Track to campsite

Loo with a view......

Getting ready to walk around the rock

Roasting!

The rock is made from sandstone...

Grockles.....Ayers Rock, Gracie not happy about the heat at all......she improved with water on head!!

Lunch at the campsite - roasting

A wee rest

The outback!

The Olgas/Kata Tjuta - Day 2

About a 40 minute drive from Ayers Rock lies the spectacular landform nicknamed 'Many Heads' where we walked for 4 hours, thankfully in a much more respectable late 20's heat, through the 'Valley of the Winds'

The Olgas you can see from the photos, they are pretty spectacular. The temp was only forecast to be 30 that day and only really reached late 20s, and so we headed off on a fabulous walk of around 7.5kms. Paul told us briefly what the plan was; mentioning that we would be having ‘morning tea’ at a certain point. Having reached the point, he handed out cookies and apples. Amy went up to him and said ‘ can I help you make the tea’. Poor thing was absolutely baffled when he said ‘what? There is no tea’.Picture taken from Ayers Rock view point...

Grace

Off for a stroll....

Morning Tea - but where is the tea, Amy wanted to know?

Walking...

Amy with Paul our guide..

Having finished the walk, we returned to the park centre where lunch was prepared and the girls were able to have a swim. Again, sandwiches for a late lunch and then off to our camp spot for that night. As the temperature had dropped, we knew that we would be allowed to have a fire that night and so Paul took us off road to collect wood – again a team effort whilst the Swiss took photos of each other!!

Sunset Olgas We were far further out in the bush this time and it was really wonderful. We were shown the loo with a view and the shower which was heated by the sun. Chicken stirfry was prepared mainly by the girls and the German chef and Paul  made damper bread on the fire – Delicious!!

Falling to sleep that night was one of the most magical things; with the fire glowing and the night as clear as clear could be – our five swags lined up next to each other; we were all very very happy.

The Kings Canyon - Day 3

We drove for three hours to kings Canyon Station for another 4 hour walk....an early rise to be back in before the heat. Again every corner you turned produced the most fantastic scenery. The rock was all once sand dunes.  

Water hole half way round - time for a swim!

We stopped at one of these brilliant places which seem to be all over Australia in the Parks. A swimming pool and gas BBQ as well as preparation area, showers, loos etc. We were all absolutely famished after the walk through Kings Canyon – I am not sure if a burger has ever tasted so good! To our complete shock, the Swiss man prepared the pineapple for pudding – I would challenge anyone to find a more precisely peeled and sliced pineapple!

Mount ......? On route to Alice Springs on last day

Nuff said........

A very long drive, partially on dirt roads followed. Scenery was gorgeous, but I made a real mistake by sitting in a seat directly over the rear wheels. Finally put one of the children there after 3 hours and felt Much better.

We arrived in to Alice Springs where we were staying in ‘a luxury 5 bedded villa’. In fact it was a portacabin with a double, a single, bunks and a shower and a corrugated tin roof. We all absolutely LOVED our shower that night; just watching the red muck run off down the plug. A hotel next door did a delicious Thai dinner and fabulous Mojito for me and cold beer for Charlie – bliss!

All in all an incredible experience and great fun for Charlie who is getting seriously in to his photography. I do not think any of us will forget the incredible colours and sheer scale of what we have seen on this part of the trip.