Ayers Rock

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Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Ayers Rock -- October 16th

There are definite advantages to having your own chartered plane, as we approached Ayers Rock the pilot dropped to a lower altitude, used partial flpas to slow the plane down and flew a figure 8 formation over Ayers Rock and another rock formation ‘Olgas’ so that no matter where one sat they got a good aerial view of the rock formations. Upon landing our luggage was forwarded to the Sails in the Desert Hotel while we went on a bus tour out to Ayers Rock circling the Rock to see it from all sides. In the evening we ventured forth to an outside barbecue, maybe this is not the correct definition, since we were met with glasses of champagne and different finger food including kangaroo and crocodile. I enjoyed both but the farthest I could get Mare was to try the kangaroo. After dinner they turned off the lights and guide using a laser explained the southern sky’s star constellations. The next morning we were up at 4:00 am out of the hotel by 5:00 am to witness the sun-rise at Ayers Rock. Our experience was that we wished we had grabbed an extra 3 hours of sleep. The sun rise was like any other sun rise and the effect on Ayers Rock was a gradual lighting rather than any bright colors being reflected by the rock.

Two other comments (1) You have never experience flies until you have been to Ayers Rock, landing on your face, hands etc. (2) The other came as a surprise to me Mare poured some water on the pavement and suddenly there were about 12 small quail like birds materialized. The lesson is that although it appeared that the country was inhospitable there were animals about and in this case a little water brought them forth.

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Photos

Ayers Rock Australia
A view of Ayers Rock from our plane

Ayers Rock
A more typical shot of Ayers Rock

Ayers Rock
Sunset in the desert at Ayers Rock

Ayers Rock
Some idea of how smooth and steep Ayers Rock is. There was a rope attached that would permit one to climb yo the top. People came down on their backside.

Comments

[Beata and Tomek]

wow hard to imagine;-)