Red Centre

  Alice Springs, Australia
Friday, June 29, 2007

On the 24th June we caught a 2 hour or 2400km flight to Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. We spent our first night in Alice Springs at Toddys Backpackers, a not so great ex-motel. The next day it was an early start (6.00am). We got picked up by our tour guide ( The rock tour), then set off on the long drive. The tour normally has around 21 people however we only had 11 in our group. Unfortunately after about 1 hour driving we had a problem with the bus & so it was a change of plan . We stop at a camel farm (which we would normally do on the return journey) & also collected firewood whilst another bus was brought out to us, not losing to much time. Then it was onto Kings Canyon. Here we did a 9km hike, starting with 'heartattck hill'! through the 'Lost city', amphitheatre & north & south walls of the canyon & the 'Garden of Eden'.

Kings Canyon

We then drove to Curtain springs where we set up our bush camp. Here we had a camp oven dinner & slept in swags (a kind out water-proof sleeping bag).

Lucy in her swag

The temperature was about 20c during the day but it dropped to below 0c at night!! So it was absolutely freezing!!. It was another early start the next day at 6.00am, the stars were still out! We drive to 'Kata Tjuta' or 'the Olgas'. A set of amazing sandstone domes not far from Uluru. Here we did a 7.4km hike walk through the 'Valley of the winds'. A even more sacred site to aboriginals than Uluru. After this we head to Uluru where we firstly take the short Kuniya walk to the only water hole at uluru. Then we go to the cultural centre at uluru to learn about the Dreamtime (aboriginal stories). After this we take another short Mala walk where we look at various sites & caves at uluru & learnt there traditional uses & also saw some aboriginal artwork on the walls. That evening we watched to sunset (along with hundreds of others) whilst we had dinner. Then we headed to a spot to set up our bush camp.  On our final day, another early start as we go to watch the sunrise at uluru.

Sunrise at Uluru

Then we have the option to either climb uluru or do a base walk around the rock. It is preferred that the rock is not climbed as it is sacred to aboriginals, so we did the 9.4km base walk.

The big rock!

After this it is a long drive (4 hours) back to Alice Springs. In the evening we met the group at a outback pub for some food & drink. The following day we caught a flight down to Adelaide in south Australia.