Australia's Red Center

We weren't sure that we really wanted to see Uluru (well, that we wanted to spend the time and money to go see Uluru...we want to see everything). But, since it is THE symbol of Australia, and a site of Aboriginal significance, we figured that we ought to see it while we are here.

We flew out on Saturday, the 26th, and were able to catch planes all the way to Uluru where we picked up our rental car, somehow scored an upgrade and 1200 extra free kilometers (really nice guy working at the counter), and headed to Yulara. Yulara is an alternate reality. When you fly into Uluru there are beautiful views of the rock, of the Olgas, and of vast expanses of red desert. Then, out of the sand, pops Yulara. The entire town is either resort or housing for people working at the resort. There are about 6 hotels/hostels/resorts and a campground. You never see the housing for the workers - apparently hidden behind the cheapest hotel. There is a "mall" at which there is a supermarket, a deli, a restaurant, a post office, and souvenir shops. All very surreal.

After we set up our borrowed tent, courtesy of one of the doctors at the Children's Hospital, we headed out to take some pictures of Uluru. It is just a rock, but what a rock.


It is special because it is all one stone. Walking around Australia, I have come to realize just how rare that is. Most large "rocks" are actually conglomerate rock, or made of several stones together. This is just one large piece of sandstone, and it actually extends under the earth for kilometers. By comparison, the relatively nearby Olgas (Kata Tjuta) are made of conglomerate rock that was laid in a different time period than that of Uluru.



Then we headed out to the Sounds of Silence Dinner. We were told that this was pricey, but worth it because you got to eat dinner watching the sun set over both Uluru and the Kata Tjutas at the same time. Alas, this was not so. We did get to stand on a dune with a glass of champagne and watch the sun go down over both sites, which was nice. But dinner was a very chilly affair, and we could only see the Olgas. The company was good, though. We met a French Canadian couple who were happy to let me practice French, and they practiced English, and the guy wanted to talk stocks. Paul was a happy camper.
The food was pretty good for being prepared entirely out at the desert, though cold by the time you got it back to your table. I did discover that crocodile is pretty good! The didgeridoo player was amazing. He was a white guy, which is not to say that non-aboriginals can play the didgeridoo, but did re-emphasize the lack of Aboriginal involvement in the resort, tours and pretty much everything having to do with Uluru.

We had a chilly night camping and the next morning were up bright and early to head to Kata Tjuta, where we did the Valley of the Winds walk. It was a pretty amazing 2.5 hour hike through rock formations with amazing views. Scrambling up some of the "paths" was a good challenge. There are always really pretty flowers in the desert, and this was no exception. Most impressive, though, were the huge expanses of sand dunes, rocky hills, and no human influence.




From here we headed back to Uluru to go through the cultural center that describes the Aboriginal connection to Uluru/Kata Tjuta and it's spiritual significance. Then we headed down the Lasseter highway towards Kings Canyon. The drive is quite beautiful, with red sand and dunes all around that put PEI to shame.


We had quick stops at Mounth Conner (frequently mistaken as Uluru when people are driving from Alice Springs to Uluru) and Curtain Springs for the toilet and a gawk at the emus.



We spent that night at the Kings Canyon Cattle Station, a reasonable option for those tired of resorts (the only other accommodation around, including camping, is at a place owned by the same people who own Yulara). It's a working cattle station with millions of acres of land, and they operate the front as a tourism business. I liked out little permanent safari-type tent. Actually, I really liked the atmosphere of the whole place. We watched sunset from a place called Tank Hill and then made dinner on the bar-b-que.

Next morning we were up bright and early to walk around Kings Canyon. The hike was supposed to take 4 hours. It only took about 2.5, but was one of my favorites in Australia to date. It starts with a bit of a brutal climb up to the top of the table, and then involves a hike around the rim of the canyon. But it isn't just a straight walk looking down into a canyon the entire time. You weave in and out of rock dome formations, with amazing views alternating with sheltered expanses. It felt a bit surreal, but in a magical kind of way. Anyone going to Uluru should definitely take the time to go north to the canyon.











After our hike, we headed back out to the highway, and on to Alice Springs. The coolest thing about the ride - we saw a group of 6-7 feral horses as they ran across the road. Even more surprising was the camel we came across eating from the top branches of a tree. Crazy!

We stayed at a charming little B&B in Alice Springs. I had booked it because of the promise of seeing animals, and we weren't disappointed. In this lady's backyard are Kangaroos and the most beautiful cockatoos called Gullahs. I spent part of the morning while Paul slept in our little sunroom just watching the kangaroos (including 2 moms with joeys). Definitely a trip highlight. The animals are all wild, and you can't get close to them - they are super-wary of humans, but are still happy to come into her back yard when she leaves out food!