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We motored on, (it's a fair distance from Alice to Uluru you know!), and finally arrived for our days walk around King's Canyon, taking in the Lost City domes, the Garden Of Eden and the Winds walk. I had had high hopes for this place as people had told me it rivals Uluru in 'spectacularness'. The 'difficult' 3 hour walk was a piece of piss and 'Heart Attack Hill' a mere Hobbit hole of a mound. Though the canyon itelf was pretty large and contained some fantastic geology, I wasn't all that impressed.
Driving, post-walk, we reached our destination: Ylara 'Resort'. It's a funny place, a bit like the Milton Keynes out of town car park just off the M1, built soley as accomodation for the Uluru sightseers and hostpitality workers. During the drive the whole bus woke up as we caught the first glimps of The Rock in the distance. It was magnificent. A huge choc-ice in the middle of nowhere. I felt strangely calm and exhilerated all at once, that is, until Nat, (our guide), stopped the coach and informed us with a smile that we were oggling at Mount Coner, commonly known as Fool-uru for obvious reasons.
Nevertheless, it was pretty cool.
....
We finally reached the rock. The pinnicle of my Aussie travelling, and yes, it was pretty God-damn special. I wont bother trying to describe it or expect the photos to do the job, (photos of thoses bits of the rock you aren't forbidden from photographing, that is), I'm pretty certain this is one of those places you just have to visit in person.
...
A good six or so of our tour group decided to climb Uluru, despite reading the local Aboriginie's reqests not to, since it was sacred ground.
I was really shocked and saddened at the sheer numbers of people clambering up. Kids as young as 6 charged up the ridiculously steep slopes, barely holding the chain, their parents completely disregarding the local's request and warning sign translated in 7 different languages, not to mention those 'responsible adults' who carried babies strapped to their chests. 35 people have fallen off Uluru to their deaths since records began in the fifties.
Yes, I'd really, really love to climb this crazy freak of nature and see what must be one of the most amazing views in Australia, but
decided if anyone had the right to
ask me not to - for they could simply forbid it - it was the local owners: the Anagu.
Saying this, I did manage to get a couple of rock-hugs in, just to soak up the monolithic power....
Will no doubt have the usual post-tour piss up in Alice when we return then I fly back to good old Sydney, although no one is there so it's going to be quite sad I imagine.
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