Day 7 - Uluru

Sorry about the lateness of these! We have been out of range for a while and havent had a chance to post...

So 5.45am… Sunrise viewing of Uluru… Thank goodness we had both gone to bed pretty early the night before.

It was quite spectacular, although not nearly as amazing as the sunset we saw the night before. Cloud cover had now moved over us and there was only a little bit of sun piercing through the scattered cloud to illuminate the rock. By the time dawn had fully broken the clouds had now built up quite rapidly and the temp was still a chilly 10degrees… I remember telling Nic the day before that both times my mum had come out here it had rained… Fingers crossed it wont happen to us as well.

After breakfast at the Uluru cultural centre we then went off on a guided tour around the base of the rock with Cassidy Uluru who gave us a little taste of how his culture lived and survived before the white man came. We learnt about the Anangu early creation stories - about how they believe Uluru was created. He also showed us aboriginal survival skills, how they made their tools and lived together, the men and women carrying out two very different roles in the community. Nic learnt how to throw a spear and I learnt how to carry a ‘pitti’ on my head to transport food and water (I love it how the women always get the boring jobs…)

It was uber interesting listening to Cassidy speak in his native toungue. We had an interpreter, a small, smiley Asian girl who spoke to us about their language and how she came about learning to speak it. She said it was not such a complex language itself but it was difficult interpreting the meaning of how things are said more than anything. For example, the Anangu have one word for ‘fire’ – “Waru”, that is used widely to explain lots of different things. An oven for example is also called ‘waru’ as is a lighter, microwave, campfire, matches etc. English must be a complete mission for them to learn in comparison!

After a quick look at the base of Uluru, we were back on the coach to the resort. We were told by our driver that Cassidy was actually one of the senior traditional owners of Uluru and that we were ultra lucky to have had him show us around his land…

After a quick coffee stop we then trekked off up to see Kata Tjuta (more commonly known as the Olga’s). We went on a quick walk for a couple of km’s up one of the gorges and took heaps of awesome photos. Not quite as spectacular as Uluru in size the large rocks are still amazing to walk around. We were both totally overwhelmed by their size.

They are like massive red giant Pebbles which look like they have been dropped out of the BFG’s pocket!

That evening we then splurged out a bit and took ourselves off for a ‘Sounds of Silence’ dinner. This involves being driven out onto some red sand dunes I the middle of no-where and sitting down and having dinner under the stars, an a’la’Carte dinner at that.

Even though it was cloudy it was a fabulous night. We sat at a table with some really interested people- 4 friendly Americans as well as a lovely couple from Spain who are travelling out here around the place on their honeymoon. Copious amounts of alcohol was drunk, stories shared and laughs had. It was a fabulous night indeed.

Seeing as it was still early when we returned to the resort we choofed off to the Pioneer bar to check out the nightlife at Yalara…

Of which there was none.

It must have been around 9.30pm on Friday and the pub was practically deserted in Sydney terms… (or even William Creek terms!) We sat and chatted to two Brits who have just driven up here from Perth. They told us some pretty shifty stories about getting harassed by some miners at a small town in WA where one of their car windows got smashed in while they were sleeping in the back of it. One of them had to jump in the front seat and reverse very swiftly out of there before they got mugged… or worse! Fingers crossed this doesn’t happen to us!!!

AAAaah Wolfe Creek… Getting WELL nervous!

=.)

z


 

At the base of Uluru

Kata Tjuta (the Olgas)

Walking through Kata Tjuta

We walked up here through these Gorges.

Chillin on the way back...

The closest thing I have seen to a snake so far...

(see cuz... Australia isnt totally full of dangerous beasts!)

Pre-dinner

Champagne on arrival! Nice!

Not such a bad view huh?

Chinky chinky

The next few shots are of everyone who was at our table with us. A great mixed bunch from Europe, the US and us Aussie's

Our spannish buddies

The nice american chaps

And the ladies...

Cant see much here but soak up the atmosphere...

Dessert buffet... yum yum

Mari-lu, they dont make apple crumble quite like you do but it was still delish!

Friday night at the pub with the Brits...