The Uluru Excursion

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So Steve and I decided to roll into Alice springs and use it as a jumping off point for our trip to Uluru, and after some 'careful' planning and number crunching we figured we could do this as our own roadtrip instead of going on a tour. We were hoping that it would cost roughly the same but we'd end up with a very different story than most tourists who went to Ayers rock and the Surrounding area, we were right.

So to make this trip as cheap as possible we decided to only buy canned food, and instead of staying in a hostel or camp site we figured we could just sleep in our station wagon for three nights, I mean come on we're tough enough.......aren't we?

Day 1
So we pick up our rental car at 1pm on the first day, we rush to the grocery store pick up our 'supplies' and haul ass down the Stuart Highway. The first day we figured we'd drive to Kings Canyon spend the night and do the walk the next morning. So after our 5 hour trek we arrive at Kings Canyon into the wait wings of thousands and thousands of flies, basically it's unbearable to be outside because of the heat and flies. But once the sun goes down the temp drops and the flies bugger off. So We decide instead of getting a camp site we'll just sleep on the side of the highway, at about 11pm the Ranger finds us and tells we can't do that and that we have to go to the camp site. So we go 'camp' in the camp sites parking lot (again trying to be cheap).

Day 2
After very little sleep (who knew that it was uncomfortable to sleep in a car in the desert?) we both wake up and get ready for our trek up Kings Canyon. At this point I realize that my camera has either been stolen during one of our stop or I left it somewhere and can't remember for the life of me where. To this day I have no idea where my camera is, so I doubt they'll be anymore pics in these blogs (If you want to see pics just google the names I put out there and you'll get some good photos from other people). We also notice that our rear tailight is broken, and neither one of us can recall if it was when we left the car rental place so we figure we may be on the hook for it. Putting all that fun stuff behind us we get to Kings Canyon and start the 7.6 km hike up, around, and down it. There was some amazing views and scenery that I just can't describe, or show you, so just google it. After a long 2.5 hike we get back t the car rest for a bit then decide to drive the 2 or 3 hours to Uluru and spend the night there before doing our hikes there. About an hour into the drive our rear passenger tire blows and we have to change the tire on the small shoulder of the very hot road. I'm gonna say this again, the flies here are freakin terrible. And again we don't know how much the car rental place is gonna charge us for this, Great! after all that fun stuff we finally catch a break and find a place to camp for free (an actual camp site at a cattle station). So day 2 started of crappy got crappier then we finally caught a break, yay!

Day 3
After another night of very little sleep we both wake up at 5 and start the 1 hour drive to Uluru. The plan here is to stop 'The Olgas' first and do the 7 km hike in the morning then do another 2 km hike in the late morning then head to Ayers rock to do the full 10.4 km walk in the afternoon, which we did. We saw some amazing sights that you wouldn't have gotten on the tour that made most of it totally worth the drama to this point. But after a long day of walking (20 kms) in the desert heat (ranged from 40-48) we were completely drained and made our way back to our cattle station camp ground for some beers and food. Now this may not seem like it was so bad but until you walk for an extended period of time in Desert heat with thousands of flies bothering you, you'll never understand.

Day 4
After another night of terrible sleep, we wake up early again and haul ass home. After that trip a hostel seems like a 5 star resort. But all in all after being able to see just how incredible those sights were and how valauble of learning experience this has been, it was totally worth it.

I'd totally do this again, but I'd be alot more prepared and wouldn't be such a cheapskate.

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