Sunday September 22, from Cairns

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Hi Everyone,

We have had a very exciting but tiring week. Last Monday we flew from Sydney to Uluru (Ayers Rock). - a 3 1/2 hour flight and like Newfoundland we put the clock back 1/2 hour. It is really red country like PEI. You can pick out the Rock from the plane. It looks like a large rock just sitting on flat land. We went to a "Sounds of Silence" dinner. Met a couple from Wales and two gals from Sydney sat with us at dinner. Tried crocodile on cucumber as an appetizer.(not great) Ken tried the kangaroo on a cracker. He liked it. It is a dark meat and there are so many kangaroos in Australia that they are now selling it in grocery stores. It is on many of the restaurant menus. Didn't bring jackets and we should have (I now have a horrid cough!) Food was very good and Ken talked to the chef to make sure what he could eat. (even dessert - a local pudding - delicious!) They were very accommodating! Barramundi fish is yummy! We had an education about the stars. We forget that this is the southern hemisphere. They do not have the North star or the Big dipper nor the little one. They have to follow The Southern Cross.

We were up at 4:30 to see the sunrise and our tour turned out to have only an other couple and ourselves. A family with someone in a wheelchair could not be accommodated. We were out in the wilderness and we were fed a egg and bacon bun (tasted very good) Coffee in Australia does leave a lot to be desired! Even when you ask for a Long Black it is strong! (although we are at the RSL club right now - free internet and they had a chocolate on the saucer to add to the coffee. It does help!) Outdoor biffies are much like ours, however there were no flies there.

Sunrise was nice, colourful! Then it was off to see the Rock up close. It has religious significance to the Aborigines. They discourage climbing to the top although it is permitted on days when it has no poor weather days. (It was closed on our day) Holes or caves in the rock and there are the old hieroglyphics. Our guide explained the meanings! And there was a pool - unexpected in the heat. They hope the camels don't find it. Australia also has an overload of camels and apparently the meat is delicious, but we have yet to see it on a menu.

On our return, our guide stopped so we could take a picture of a Dingo. They look like a golden lab, but very shy and loners.

The afternoon was another tour (we won't do that again 2 tours in 1 day!) Temperatures were about 32 (not 40 like you Barb) degrees. They took us to Kata Tjuta (The 3 Olgas) This is where the men have their special ceremonies! And then a BBQ in the evening. Very international. Beside Ken was a couple from Switzerland, across from us were 6 Italians - lawyers - some spoke English. There was an empty seat beside me and the guide came and sast there. She was a vivacious young gal, from Melbourne, but loves Ayers Rock, misses her rugby. Actually flew to Sydney to see some of the finals. And she told me about both Sydney and Melbourne having hockey teams!! That was really a surprise!. And on the other side of her was a gal from "The Midlands" in England. Steak was soso! but they had kangaroo and chicken and fish!! We are not starving!!

And off to Cairns in the morning!!

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Comments

[Barb]

Hi Jean and Ken, Happy to hear all is going well as you begin your adventure. Great the mist cleared and you were able to actually see the Blue Mountains and it was not tooooo hot at Ayers Rock. Envious reading about the Sounds of Silence Dinner (want to be there again!!!Hope your cough clears up Jean and you enjoy South Pacific at the Opera House. Take good care, Barb