Dreamtime at uluru

Trip Start Oct 22, 2007

103

Trip End Mar 01, 2008

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Flag of Australia Uluru, Australia
Wednesday, January 9, 2008

gps 25 14.716s
130 59.851e

call it what you will, uluru (if you want to be pc) or ayers rock - we will just call it awesome- because it truly is - not a word we use often but here you just cant help yourself - this is AWESOME! most of you will know that we arnt really rock fans (remember the pinnacles) so why bother taking the 5 hour drive from alice springs - we thought it would just be a quick peek and off we would go again - but uluru is spellbinding and we are hooked. many people we have spoken to recently have thought us a bit bonkers for wanting to come here , for a number of reasons - the heat at this time of year, the long drive , the empty desert, the cost etc etc - now we think theyre the mad ones! yeah ok its all of those things they said it would be but its so much more too - wait till you see the photos - we took350 of them - you will be soo bored! the awesome one isnt the only natural wonder in this part of the world - we pass mount connor on the way- that place on its own should be enough to draw the tourists anywhere else but here its definately one to just pass by on the highway because it doesnt have the same resort facilities you get at yulara, the purpose built village closest to uluru - and the only place to stay overnight within miles... and, maybe the sun got to us today because we end up in the best seats in the house - a deluxe hotel room and balcony that overlooks the rock - still 15km away but with only a few trees between us! the scare stories of how expensive this place is ($400 each was the last quote) are piffle - the hotel is virtually empty and ours cost about 100 quid in total for us 3 for the night - the same as an ordinary motel room anywhere - and this is deffo not ordinary! theres a variety of different styles of accomodation here to suit all types but we only got to come to this part of the resort because of a power cut - when we first arrived we went to the budget end but they couldnt check us in - so we went to see how the other half lived and realised we would be better off here! best power failure ever! thats because of the heat apparently- according to the evening news this is the hottest place on the planet today at 44 degrees! hope the power wont be off for long though - we need the aircon in the room! after much deliberation we decide to get a closer look at the rock at sunset - another money making opportunity - you have to pay to enter the national park just after the entrance to the resort and we were told it cost $25 per person.

Are you jealous?

with the view from our room we nearly didnt bother but our guide book tells us its only over 16s that pay so we go chasing the suns last rays on the rock - you can drive right around it and the different colours and sides that the rock reveals at this time of day are wonderful - we are so glad we came! not too many other people around and no sign of any aborigines anywhere we get to really enjoy the magnitude of the rock and feel as though we really have seen australia now! back at base camp just after nightfall we get fish and chips at the cheap end - only $9 each so not expensive as thought - we watch a bit of live entertainment and the go home to a bath -yes BATH - white fluffy towels and bathrobes! the power cut is over but so is the day - what a shame - wish it could have gone on and on ... bit like this blog - sorry but told you it was awesome!