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Published: December 5th 2008
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The Olgas
Hope you like the hat - Crocodile Bill ! Tuesday 2nd December, up at 5.30 to get some breakfast before being picked up by a big 4 wheel drive coach, to start our 3 day tour of Uluru/Red Centre. It was about a 450km drive to our campsite, we stopped on the way first at a camel farm, (we declined the camel ride) then another stop at Mt Ebenezer cattle station where we saw some Aboriginal art work. Finally we arrive at our campsite at Uluru and have to unload coach with all our food and equipment before setting up for lunch in camp kitchen. The campsite is a permanent site so no tents to erect thank goodness! The tents had beds with matresses and a sheet and sleeping bags which were not used as temperature in tents was probably over 40 degrees!
After lunch we were taken to The Olgas and went for a Gorge walk. The Olgas are huge rock hills. Took some great photos, and a good taste of things to come later on.
Then its time to go over to Uluru (Ayres Rock) to see the sunset over the rock. It was a bit cloudy by now but it was amazing how the rock
changes colour as the sun goes down. We had drinks and snacks sitting watching the sunset. An incredible sight and many fantastic photos.
Time to go back to camp and help cook barbecue for our evening meal. Everyone was extremely tired so off to bed early into hot tent to get some sleep before being awoken at 4am to start next days activities.
Left camp at 5am after breakfast to watch sunrise behind Uluru, fantastic sight and worth getting up early for. Once the sun had risen we were taken to walk around Uluru. The walk was approx a 9km flat easy walk, except for the very high temperature, about 40 degrees and took about 2 hours. All walks are started early before the sun gets too hot. Uluru is so big close up and amazing red colours. There are lots of holes and marks on it and there are many Aboriginal tales about how these came about! It is also a very sacred place for the Aboriginies, with areas you are not allowed to enter, or even take photos of.
A close escape for Bill & Gaz, both of who wanted to climb to the top of Uluru before the trip. We looked at the climb from the base, and it is very steep on sheer rock (no steps). After the first 100m there is link chain for some safety, but not much use if you slip. The first 100m are not chained, probably to discourage climbing. There are also Aboriginal cultural issues as the climb cuts across one of thier ceremonial routes. Luckily the climb was closed the day we went due to the extreme heat otherwise bravado might have got the better of common sense, as 35 people have died trying to climb in recent years!!
After Uluru its a big drive (450 km) to another campsite near Kings Canyon. Time for a quick dip in the pool, dodging the pool bugs that bite, before Bill, Jo & Gaz take out quad bikes into the outback for a hour. We traveled about 16 km, without mishap, except Bill ended up in a bush once ! Then back for wood fired barbie & beers.
Next day, up at 4.00 again and off to do the Kings Canyon rim walk. Its only 7km but took us 3 hours! A steep climb up
rock path/steps with long drops on either side (someone fell the week before and almost died). The walk is rated Moderate, which if you ignore the steep start and extreme heat and lots of broken rock and sheer drops is probably aussie humour! But it was well worth the effort, with fantastic layered rock formations, great views and a water hole where we stopped for mid morning cake 😊. And Jo tripped and fell - not serious, but it would have been expected that our guide had a first aid kit with them instead of back in the bus😞.
After the walk it is back to camp to pack up for the 5 hour drive back to Alice Springs and the $5 dinner special in our hostel - the beers cost more than the food. We then went out and met Jo & Gaz in Bojangles - an old fashioned saloon bar with guns, bulls horns and boots on the ceiling - i'm sure you get the picture. When you see Jo ask her how much Ned Kelly's nuts were!!
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