The Red Centre

---

There is a rock in the middle of Australia. Its called Uluru. That's not strictly true. There are lots of very bigs rocks in the middle of Australia that look like Uluru. Tour Guide's have great fun stopping their buses for people to get out and take lots of pictures only to be told that it isnt Uluru. The most photographed fake is Mt. Connor, also known as Fooluru.

Bastards!

We got into Alice Springs about 9am after an all night bus from Katherine. We booked on a tour leaving the following morning to Uluru, The Olgas and Kings Canyon. The daytime temp was about 45C and the climb up Uluru was closed due to high temps (they close the climb when its too hot, wet or windy. Consequently the climb is only open about 4 days a year. On those days the aboriginies ask you not to climb it out of respect. fat chance - if its open I'm up there). We had to settle for a 9km walk around the base of the rock instead.

Next day we had an early start and a 6km walk through the Valley of Wind at the Olgas. Starting the walk at 7am the temperature was a balmy 33C (about 45C by the time we finished 2 hours later). It would reach about 50C at midday. That night we camped under the stars at Kings Canyon ready for another walk the next morning, this time a 6km walk up and down the canyon. Again we started the walk around 7am to avoid the midday heat. After that was the 5hr drive back to Alice Springs and civilisation.

But not for long: after a day to catch up on things it was on a bus down to Adelaide. This journey was split into 2 days with a stop at Coober Pedy overnight. Coober Pedy is famous as an opal town, producing approximately 80% of the opals found in the world. If you have ever seen the mad max films, they were filmed here. It is a desolate place with a history of the inhabitants blowing up things they dont like (police stations, bars, tourists etc). The vast majority of abodes are bulit into hills which is a very good way of maintaining a constant temperature all year round. We had 4 hours awake here and it was enough.

Finally we got to Adelaide, home of the greatest cricketer ever to play the game, and a chocolate factory....

---

Photos

What rock?
The annual blind convention visit to uluru

Fooluru
Mt Connor, many photos are taken before the toorguide points out that it ain't the rock