‘Everything you would expect and more’. The final long coach journey of the trip took 21 uncomfortable hours; you never get used to the cramped neck feeling and swollen ankles. The only notable thing we saw on the way down was at a roadhouse just outside Alice Springs where we had an opportunity to stretch our legs for a few moments and came across a large male kangaroo. He hopped enthusiastically over to the fence and wanted to be patted as he shoved his nose through the meshing. You could see his battle scars on his chest from fighting with other males in the current breeding season but this chap was very friendly to us and curious. He even followed us along the path like a loyal dog until we were out of sight.
The town (Alice Springs) is significantly bigger than most of the West coast places we had been and had a slight charm to it. We checked into the YHA (reliable) which is one of only 4 hostels in the entire place. We got 2 night’s accommodation included in The Rock Tour package costing $406 for a 3 day tour of Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon which was a really good deal compared to other touring companies charging triple the price.
DAY 1
The first destination was Kings Canyon (Watarrka National Park). Standing over 100m tall at the highest point, the sandstone domes previously formed the seabed millions of years ago and you can to this day still see the fossils. The 6km walking route led us along the cliff face and down the tight passage ways displaying a collage of light and deep red colours. The trek lasted a few hours and the highlight was walking through the oasis at the bottom of the canyon which had dried up due to the intense dry heat in the summer season. One of the guys on the trip walked the entire way with a large cargo bag which I thought was slightly bizarre. I said ‘do you have a tripod in there?’ To which he responded ‘no he just likes to be carried.’ I had no idea what that meant but flashes of a dead body sped across my mind and the alarm bells started ringing. Fortunately at the lookout point he pulled out a large stuffed lion called Monty. I can reveal that this toy had nearly seen 100 countries over 13 years and he has a Facebook page to prove it. The guy spoke to him like a person and they seem to have formed an unlikely bond over that time.
In the evening we slept in old school swags that didn’t have insect lining so we were open to any creatures joining us in the night. We collected wood for our own fire which we cooked on using the hot ash to prepare a chilli with beer bread. Our lion friend decided to add more logs to fuel the flames when we were all wrapped in our swags despite the guide telling him otherwise and we got covered in ash sleeping down wind which smothered our clothes with a charcoal smell, great!
DAY 2
Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) is where the men of the surrounding Aboriginal tribes used to meet. Women were completely forbidden from this area and still are for their ancestors today. The sandstone domes form a striking skyline spanning across the horizon where we walked between the towering formations along the basin and up the side of steep walking routes. The red soil is full of iron which rusts over time and creates the appearance in the sediment. In the afternoon we arrived at the cultural center at Uluru where we found out more about the Anangu people and the 70,000 year history of the aboriginal tribes around the country. When the first white settlers started to farm the landscape and keep livestock they expanded further and further inland to the sacred sights and destroyed the natural habitats of the animals which the Anangu tribe hunted. Today you can still see the history in the art works which the local women paint for a source of income and if I wasn't travelling on the road I would have definitely bought one, they were stunning. Unfortunately you couldn’t take pictures so you will have to use your imagination of the dotted canvases illuminated by streaks of colour.
Day 3
I woke up at 4am to hear the girls talking about the large spider they saw moving amongst the swags last night, what a lovely way to start the day!
We ate breakfast whilst watching the sunrise over Uluru. It was a pinch yourself moment being at such an iconic place. Our final activity was to walk around the circumference of the rock with our guide pointing out the spiritual markings and their meanings. There were a few pieces of cave art but the majority of ‘teachings’ can be found at Kakadu National Park. I had a conception that Uluru was one large rock with a smooth outer surface but this was far from the truth with the rock being divided up into many different ridgelines and was hollow in certain places.
The highlight of the day was visiting the camel farm where we could get as close as we dare without being spat on by the animals. They were very well looked after and were quite funny. One was trying to reach a lush patch of grass outside the enclosure placing his lips either side of the metal bars. I decided to give the guy a hand and tore some grass for him which he seemed grateful for. He was the most photogenic camel I have ever seen and stood perfectly still and smiling when I took a photo.
On our final evening we watched the sunset on Anzac Hill and we treated ourselves to an ice cream at Uncle Edy’s. The scoops were massive to my relief and the banana & caramel went down a storm.
Overall, I am glad I did a tick list trip to the Red Centre, especially to see Uluru. If you are interested in geology then it is fantastic or trekking but there are no lagoons or waterholes that I know of to jump into. This leg of the journey has finished off my round trip and down the centre taking 9 months. Now to find some work in Melbourne…
