We are still in the Twlight Zone trying to make the best out of it we can (I forgot to tell you, Ayers Rock is 30 minutes different, what’s up with that? A 30 minute time change?). Thank goodness for that space heater, it saved us, because it was cold out. It’s a weird feeling to go to the toilet and look out to see the full moon. It’s an isolating feeling in that the telephones, cell phones and internet are out throughout the entire Northern Territory (and God forbid the credit card machines and atms weren’t working either). My mother would hyperventilate to be that disconnected, but I kind of liked it.
Today was our big day --- three tours to see the whole area.
Got up at the crack of dawn again (what day will I get to sleep late on this holiday?) to become a camel jockey. Michael from Bega (a cheese area of Australia) picked us up at 6 a.m. It was still dark out as this was a sunrise tour.
At the camel yard, our trusty steads were saddled up and waiting on us. For some reason our cameras were catching a feedback of some kind and it made it look like it was snowing (maybe it was just the desert ghosts).
We got Lazy Daisy, who was a racing camel -- yes, they race camels in Alice Springs. She was a good one. The saddles were double and we only took our cameras with us. About 8 camels were tied together as a camel train and Damon, the head camel drover looking smashing in his Aussie cowboy outfit, was leading us. We mounted and held on leaning back (as camels arise with their front legs). As third from last the phrase holds true (especially if you are tied together) “If you aren’t the lead camel, the view never changes”.
It didn’t matter, as the scenery was great from any location on the train. And just being up that high gave you a very different perspective on the world (I am short by the way). The sun was coming up now and the colors of the outback transformed in front of us. And our little cheese guy kept us entertained and informed of the wildlife and flora of the area (thankfully we didn’t see any of the wildlife).
As the ride was a little chilly, we ended up back in the paddock area and the office. They gave us coffee, hot tea and milo (aka hot chocolate) and feed us hot beer bread and vegemite (I had the marmalade instead). We got to hang out with the camels while they were unsaddled.
Back at the Twlight Zone, aka the Lost Camel Hotel, we caught our next bus for our Anangu Tour (an Aboriginal tour company) of Uluru/ aka Ayers Rock. Our first stop was the Cultural Center (where because of religious reasons, you couldn’t take photos). It was a very nice set up, with history and religious aspects. I respect their views but don’t understand how they cannot adapt more to the modern world -- progress comes whether they like it or not.
We went to the big red rock and met up with our tour guide, Ashley, (they don’t like their photo taken but he said we could as we were on a tour) who was a very soft spoken man with the nastiest blue jeans I have seen. He walked us around the rock and in some areas we couldn’t take photos. There were people hiking up the rock (it’s not encouraged but it is allowed -- Aborigines don’t like it) - definitely not for me. These people were hanging on to a chain on the way up a steep face. People have died on this climb.
He told us stories in his native tongue and Mark the helper translated. It was a story of the locals being invaded by an evil spirit that ran them off to other parts of the country. Cynical me was thinking, what is Ashley really saying to Mark -- “what time shall we go to the pub, mate?” “check out that cute girl in that ugly pink shirt?” “what was that guy thinking wearing high white socks with hiking sandals?”.
On our lunch break, we ran into our new friend, Paivi, at the pool while she ate her lunch. Then we caught our Seit tour, with Damian. He is from Victoria and was living up in Darwin until last week and looked like it.
We went out to Kata Tjuta (aka the Olgas) and I think it looks better from far away vs right up in it. After hiking up the Walpa Gorge, we took lots of photos. The landscape in this area is unusually very green right now due to all of the rains this area got over the last few months. It just made it all that more colourful for us. I can see how painters and photographers go nuts here. There is no way to capture all the different hues this place has to offer. I love the US Southwest but this area tops it with the reds/oranges.
The sky was so brilliantly blue today and the red rocks up against it just intensified the colours (Aussie spelling). The weather was warm, but we wore jeans and short sleeve shirts and were comfortable (and wore our Best Purchase Ever). My tennis shoes are very red after all the hiking we did.
On our way to the Town Center, we encountered our first and only Dingo - thankfully its master was with it and it wasn't wild.
That night we ended up at the overlook taking stupid tourist photos and watching the sunset again with Sgt. Pepper and his bride, Julie, from Brisbane, two of our dinner companions from last night. They are great people. She was a supervisor in a home health company and he was with the government in the Army and Probation Service. They were so much fun and asked us to dine with them at Geeko’s Restaurant. We did and Paivi jointed us as well. We learned what “entree” in Australia means -- it means appetizer - they brought my meal out as an entree and then brought it out again as the meal. As we had a very good looking young man, Ross Andrews, from Victoria join us -- he got a free meal. He was entertaining and had good stories too.
Our day was packed with great experiences, but the camel ride was the best and so was hanging out with our new friends looking at yet another amazing sunset. I liked hiking around Uluru and into Kata Tjuta, but could have done without the flies.
Let’s go back to the Best Purchase Ever -- a fly net for your head/face --- starting with Uluru I wore mine every time I was outdoors as the flies were BAD. It looked stupid but it is the Best Purchase Ever as I didn’t have flies in my nose, ears, or mouth.
Also we found out today that the resort area was being turned over to the Aborigines on April 30, so what would be the incentive to update or fix on it (the beach chairs were missing parts to sit on even).
PS If Julie is reading this please re-email me I might have deleted your message if you emailed me before :) Ta.
Agreed! That really was the best purchase ever. After having one Christmas trip essentially ruined by flies, I am the proud owner of four now :-)
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