Kings Canyon

Our last 4:30am start, thank goodness! Today we visited Kings Canyon and it's a three hour trip from the resort. The one good thing about these early starts is the sunrise.

We stopped fof breakfast about two hours into the trip at a place called Kings Canyon Station. This started out as a cattle station owned by Ian and Lynne Conway. Australian Story produced a show about Ian a few years ago. Ian and Lynne decided to moved toward camel farming in order to control the wild camels roaming the Australian Outback. This has been a successful move for them and they are now in a position they have been able to create a foundation to educate indigenious youth from the area. The baby camel below is one the found that had been attacked by dingoes so the rescued him and called him Nibbles. 

When we got to Kings Canyon we had a choice of two walks, one long the rim which is about 500 steps up to the top the would take about three hours to complete in about 41° heat or a leisurely 1 km stroll through the base of the canyon. No prizes for guessing which one we chose. The other temptation for doing the riverbed walk was that there was time to do a helicopter after the walk. That was a no brainer for me. The climb below is what we chose not to do

The stroll was no disappointment. The dry creek was beautiful and looking from the bottom didn't make me regret our decision. Our guide explained the creek bed and the various plants and the types animals that could be found.

The walk was very easy as they created a path using the stone from the area. I can see why people are so attracted the the native dry creek bed gardens. The look is lovely and very peaceful. 

When you get up close to the rocks, the colours and layers are stunning and you can see the formation over millions of years.

You are not able to walk all the way through although it is possible. At the end of the track there is a viewing platform that you can appreciate the height of the canyon. By the time we got to the platform the sun was really hot and I'm really pleased I didn't try the climb.

After the walk we were take  to the resort where we had the opion of a helicopter flight. As I enjoyed thefirst one so much I was pretty keen to do another. Bonus was that as this was my second flight I got a discount. I still couldn't talk Terry into trying it...not even the very short eight minute flght. The views are spectacular...it is so worth it! 

From the air you can see a number of waterholes that still have water in them after the recent rains. There is one waterhole called the "Garden of Eden". It is a suspended waterhole just below the canyon edge that because of the rock type holds water all year round.

The amazing thing about this whole area is none of the rock formations are made the same. There was nothing that looked like this back at the Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park. 

On our way back back we stopped at Lake Amadeus. This a salt lake but the just below the thin salt layer is a thick layer of mud the is almost impossible to cross. You can see footsteps in the salt crust where peolple have tried to get out to the island. They don't get very far. The distance to the island is quite deceptive. This was the lake that stopped the early explorations are the area.

Looking back in the opposite direction is Atila (Mount Conner) This is on private land and is no longer accessible to the general public. In the past the only rules to visiting it was to sign in on arrival and sign out when leaving. Unfortunately everyone would sign in but then not all of them would not sign out. The poor owner spent a lot of time looking for people who weren't on his property anymore. The last straw came when the owner visited his wife's grave and it had been desecrated. I cannot understand why someone would do that...it's no wonder he stopped people from entering. 

We arrived back at the hotel about 5:00pm exhausted!

Well that's it, another trip over. We have had and great time and seen so much. We've discovered it's not just a rock...it's an incredible area that offers so much beauty and culture. For anyone who comes to Australia (or anyone living here for that matter) it's a must see. Although it does not typify us as a nation, it is another amazing aspect of this beautiful country we live in.

Uluru

Today started at 3:30am ... you're probably wondering why anyone would get up at that time when they're on holidays. Only one reason...to watch the sunrise just outside the Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park.

Lucky for us there was some cloud because this makes for a better sunrise. We chose a small group tour that only had 11 people. We were taken to one of the higher sand dunes where there is a campfire area and also a deck with a big table and chairs set up.

Up here we were firstly offered tea or coffee and it was lovely because it was real pot tea and coffee. The colours in the sky were beautiful when the sun was just below the horizon. It's ridiculous how many photos I took of this but it was slightly different every time I took one.

Our next stop was another viewing platform that is in the National Park. Fortunately we were the only group there so we didn't to jostle for a good position. This time the rock was only a few kilometres away.

Our transport for the tour was a very impressive all terrain bus. The tour guide nicknamed it the "Starship Enterprise". Much more comfortable than the minibus we were on yesterday. 

From here we were finally taken right to where we could actually touch the rock. It's here that you really start to appreciate the enormity of it and we walked along toward a waterhole you actually feel like you are getting drawn in.

Our guide took us to see some cave drawings an explained what some of the symbols mean. It was a shame that the images have been damaged over time. Apparently long ago when the people came to view the rock the would throw water on the drawings to make them more vibrant for the black and white photos. Of course with these paintings being water based, the colour has faded significantly. Typical of those in the past to blaze in and not think about the actions for the future. It no wonder the indigenous community are so protective of their land.

As we left the cave the guide told us the story of a Liru (the venomous snake)who went searching for the Kunya (the carpet snake) that had killed her nephew. There was a battle a between Kunya and Liru and there a spilts in the rock that are where Liru cut Kunya. There are features on the rock that is said to be where Liru knelt down and drove her stick into the ground. The next photo is said to be the head of the snake

After hearing this story we head for the waterhole. You can see where the water runs down the rock to fill the pool below. This is another place the people take great care of. It's never to be used for anything but drinking water. The woman come in to clean out any debri to ensure the water stays pure.

What a great morning. The weather was perfect and it didn't start to heat up until we were leaving. Quite a magical place that every Australian should visit. This has definitely made me appeciate the indigenous culture so much more. When you learn how they have managed and protected the land you start to realise we have much to learn.

Late in the afternoon we went back to the town square (we seem to spend a lot of time there...I think I'm starting to understand the whole idea of the meeging place) to see Putija Dancers. They told us a number of stories through dance. Luckily they explained the dance beforehand. They were very good and had great senses of humour.

Another great but we need another early night for another 3:30am start. We're off to Kings Canyon tomorrow and it's a three hour bus trip there. Hopefully we can snooze on the bus.

WOW!!!

Wow...is about all I can say about the start to my day today. Firstly, I woke to see the sun shining through the curtains and when I got up to have a look I was greeted with the most spectacularly vividly coloured sky. 

Secondly, Terry bought me a helicopter tour of Uluru and the Olgas for my birthday and it was amazing!  The day was overcast but the pilot told me that generally makes a smoother flight...and it was very smooth. I've never been in a helicopter before and wasn't sure what to expect. I was surprised that it almost felt like I was floating. It actually didn't really feel like I was up high except for the fact that everything below me was tiny.

Lucky for me I was travelling with a woman who was a nervous about flying so she happily let me have the front seat. What a treat! I had great view out the front as well as the side.
We took off from the airport and flew back over Yalara (that's where all the resorts are). You don't realise how big it is until you see it from the air.

Then we headed toward Uluru. It's hard to believe that it's 15 km from our resort. It looks so big from our window you think it's only a few kilometres away. As you get closer you start to realise how big it actually is. Apparently they had a big storm here a few days ago and the area is looking pretty green.

Uluru is spectacular from the air and although we didn't fly all the way around you can still appreciate it's size. The cars and buses looked tiny against the rock and now I can't wait to see it up closer later in the week. The pilot told us the rock was originally upright and you can see the sediment lines run vertically. Can you imagine how massive it would be if it were upright? Terry's comment when I told him this was "Imagine the noise when it fell"

After Uluru when headed off toward Kata Tjuta (The Olgas). It's about 30 km from Uluru and they are slightly higher. As you look around at the horizon you can see that mountains that would have formed the inland lake that was here millions of years ago. As we fly across the desert you can see how the spinifex inspires the indigenous dot paintings.

Kata Tjuta is as equally impressive as Uluru and is 36 dome shaped rock formations spread over 20km. This too was once one rock. You can see the gorges and the dry creek beds that occasionally fill up during rainstorms. I think a storm out here would be amazing to see.

As we head back I am amazed at the colours. The vegetation, ranging from dark to light green and the greyish green of the spinifex, really stands out against the red sand. There are also lots of dry creek beds that wind through the landscape.

Look what I spotted on the way back to the hotel...the water treatment plant. I see all the great sites. It seems work is never far from my mind.

When I got back we went to one of the free activities offered by the resorts. It was a performance at the Arkani Theatre. It was performed by two actors that told the story of Walawuru (the eagle), Kakalayalya (the cockatoo) and Kaanka (the crow). It was a clever performance that used 3D lighting effects.

About 6:30 we headed off to the "Sounds of Silence" tour. For this we were taken by  bus out to a viewing point to watch the sun set over the Uluru.To be honest watching the rock was not that much different to what we see from our room, but when we turned around toward Kata Tjuta the sun setting was beautiful. 

After the sun had gone down we were taken to an outdoor dining area set beautifully with white linen table cloths and full fine dining place settings. Here we enjoyed a lovely meal and chatted with other guests that came from America, England and Zimbabwe.

After the main meal all the lights were turned off so that could see an incredible night sky a young Scottish guy told us about the various features of the stars and constellations. It was a great evening but we have returned to the hotel exhausted. I'm so glad that we don't have anything planned tomorrow morning. I think I've had about 8 or 9 hours sleep over the past two days. Holidays are exhausting!

Kata Tjuti (The Olgas)

Today started off slowly as we enjoyed not having anything to get up early for...nice change. We wandered down to the town square to get some breakfast. They have cafe that is used for training young indigenous people who want0 to work in hospitality. Over half of the staff that work at the resort and in the businesses are indigenous and they are all lovely. They all seem to be happy in their job. 

As it was after ten we thought we would stay around the square to wait for the "Bush Yarns" that's another free activity that's available. While we were waiting we noticed a couple of woman rode in on camels. They work at the local camel farm and rode into town to pick up a few things from the supermarket. They obviously do this so they can promote the camel farm because they were very happy for people to come up and chat with them about the camels.

The timing was good because we didn't havet wait long for the bush yarns after going over to see the camels. While we were waiting, Terry thought he would have a cup of tea. He realised that while the fly nets are good for the flies it does make eating and drinking more difficult. We realised this is not the place for a high fashion look. It's all about keeping cool and keeping the flies off.

We both thought the bush yarns would be someone telling us traditional stories but no.... it was Leroy (not sure this is his traditional name) telling us about aboriginal weaponry. Needless to say it was entertaing and informative. Mind you there was a lady sitting behind me that I don't think appreciated Leroy telling us there is "man's work" which is the hunting and there is "woman's work" which are the gathering and never the two shall mix or do the other's role. I don't think she picked up on the fact as he kept talking about why their culture is structured this way that it's very much the women in the cultue that often call the shots.

Later in the day we went on a tour out to Kata Tjuta (The Olgas). Kata Tjuta is formed differently to Uluru. It's made up of cobble stones and boulders that are kind of cemented with limestone. They are a series of massive dome shaped boulders. They don't look that big in this photo but this was taken from a few kilometres away. Trust me when you get up close the are huge.

The area is surrounded by acacia trees and mulga gums and there is a path the leads from the carpark into the Walpa Gorge. The walk is about only about one kilometre but as you you head into the gorge the tempersture can increase by about ten degrees. It was about 33°C outside so you can imagine how hot it got.When they have rain it pools form in the gorge and the black you see on the rocks is where lichen grows after it has rained. It had rained a few days ago but there was one tiny puuddle left. Vegetation grows up through the gorge and it's surprising how much diversity there is in the colour..

The walk finishes at a platform because beyond the gap appears to get very narrow and it also covered with scrub.

They view on the backout of the gorge was pretty amazing tooAnother great day but it's back to the resort for an early night. We have a 4:30am start to watch the sunrise over Uluru tomorrow. We will also get a chance to get up close and personal with the rock. Should be great! 

I've just looked back at the photos and am amazed by the colours of this whole area. They are so beautiful and vibrant.

The Great Aussie Outback Day 1

After a very very early start we arrived safely at Ayres Rock for short five night stay. As I said, our day started early at 4:00am in order to get to the airport for our 9:40am flight. Unfortunately because of where we live it meant we hit peak hour traffic as we approached the city. We got to the airport exits at about 7:30am...plenty of time I hear you say...but as always with us there's more to the story.

We were flying out from the newly opened Terminal 4, but they haven't quite worked out all the kinks. Our directions to the parking named exits and roads for us to take, but none of them were clearly marked. When we finally found a road that was listed, we weren't sure if we were to turn left or right. Poor Terry was getting very frustrated as there were signs showing parking but for some reason they had tape over what we think was the direction arrow. For a while we felt like the Griswolds in Paris going round and round the Arc D'Triomphe.

I'm happy to say we did make it in plenty of time and the new terminal is very nice.

The flight was good and I was surprised to see quite a bit of scrub below and occasionally spotted the odd patch of what was almost green. I think I expected to see only bare red earth. 

Flying over the salt plains was pretty spectacular too and I am so glad we flew on a lovely clear day to be able to see this.

  

We are so lucky to live in in a country with such diverse landscapes.

Our descent to the Ayres Rock airport was great as I got my first glimpse of Uluru ("The Rock"). I must say it didn't disappoint. Unfortunately the pilot wouldn't turn the plane around a bit more so I could get some good photos from the plane...how rude!!! 

Checking in was a breeze and our room was unexpectedly ready. We booked a room with a view of the rock and as we approached, I didn't think they we going to deliver. Well, I should never have doubted it because there is a very clear view that we can sit on the bed and see. We have been treated to an extra special feature as we look out toward the rock.  As I work for a Water Authority, look at what we see below our room. The lengths the Australians go to make you feel at home is quite amazing!

All the resorts (about five or six) are run by the Voyager Indigenious Tourism Group and the set out is great. Everything is within about 10 to 15 minutes walk. The restaurant we ate lunch at was in a lovely setting and the food was delicious.  As we were eating lunch we were comparing it to Stonehenge (which was a big disappointment for us) to Uluru.  I think it's because there's a lot more here than we expected and we expected too much from Stonehenge. Oh, and the size of Uluru is far more impressive!  You can't really compete with nature.

We spent the afternoon booking trips and tours for the rest of the days we are here. I'm taking a helicopter trip over Uluru and the Olgas (on my own again) tomorrow morning and I'm pretty excited about that.  We have also booked a sunrise tour around the rock and the national park and and also a sunset dinner. 

We are also going to book a tour to Kings Canyon for Saturday. It's going to be a few early starts but I don't think we will notice it too much as the Northern Territory is 1 1/2 hours behind home. When the clock is showing 4:30am I can tell myself it's actually 6:00 (a far more reasonable time to depart the hotel for a tour)

So with our bank account looking a lot less healthy we returned the to room at about 3:30pm and both fell asleep.  Oh no...maybe we are getting old!!! In our defense, we had been up since 4:00am and it's hot, and we had a late night the night before, and...well I think that's enough excuses.

We're having a quiet one tonight and going to watch the sun set over Uluru. Ah, it's a hard life!