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Published: September 1st 2010
Hi again,
Sorry to bombard you with two entries at the same time but A) We actually wrote the Alice Springs blog on Monday but couldn't add photos again so thought we'd save it until we could; and B) We've probably taken too many photo's at Uluru/Ayers Rock to put it in a blog with anything else!
So yeah we went to Uluru yesterday - WOW what a day! We started out at 6am and then took the five hour/275mile drive out to the National Park. We went to see Kata Tjuta first, which are 36 dome shaped rocks about 50km from Ayers Rock, called The Olgas in English. Everything out here has two names - one is the original Aboriginal name, and another for what the English decided to call it when they discovered it. The Olgas were quite something, and we took a walk through one of the gorges which was really pretty - but we were too excited about Uluru to really take it in!
Next we went onto a Cultural Centre to learn about what these sacred rocks mean to the Aboriginals, it was really interesting actually and we learnt loads. Our two tour guides were really
good as well and were telling loads of different stories, although they were quite the jokers too! Seeing Uluru from the coach windows was awesome, it really does look so much more impressive than any picture you've seen of it can portray. We went right up close to it and did a few of the walks around it, to see the waterholes, and to learn about all the Aboriginal stories. It was so interesting because all the little nooks and crannies on the rock are related to stories that were told to Aboriginal kids to teach them right from wrong. But we weren't allowed to know the whole of these stories because we're not 'initiated' Aboriginals. Some of the group climbed to the top of the rock, but if the 35 deaths didn't put you off enough, it was very much discouraged by the tour guides and the owners of the Park because to the Aboriginal people it is sacred. Hence we didn't climb!
Highlight of the day however has to be the BBQ and champagne we enjoyed whilst watching the sunset over Uluru. It really was spectacular, and the rock actually changes colour before your eyes as the light
changes. The pictures we have taken on our budget Kodak camera really don't even begin to put across the beauty of the place. Breathtaking! It was also the most incredible sunset we have seen in our lives - orange and purple and blue, amazing.
All in all it was truly one of the best days to be remembered forever!
Love to All,
The Bears xxx
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