Hello from the Red Centre
It’s been a wonderful couple of days. Flying out of a very dark, cold and damp Monday morning, and with a brief stop in Sydney to change planes, it was great to be airborne and heading west north west to Ayers Rock Airport (the official name). We flew over snow covered areas well out of Sydney, and as the sun rose higher in the sky, the colour of the earth started to change to the glorious red that is Central Australia.
The textures were fascinating – patches of red and muddy greyish-brown, and ripples of earth shaped by wind and rain. Old river-beds snaked their way across the landscape, trees running alongside, and “veins” of smaller rivers feeding into larger ones. Yes, we were at 33,000 feet, but the clear dry air made taking photos easy and fun!
As we started to descend, Uluru appeared at the front edge of the window – if only the pilot would bank just a little. But there was no need, we flew right by Uluru with the enormous “mounds” of Kata Tjuta also very visible in the distance.
Ant, Sarah & the boys had arrived at about the same time. While I waited for the bus to take me to my hotel, they were waiting to check in to the camp ground after driving about 200km that morning.
Our catch up was fantastic – Oscar isn’t taller than me just yet, but will be by Christmas! Charlie is as inquisitive as ever, and Toby is a cheeky (almost) 5 year old. What a journey they’re making – so many adventures – so much exploring – and their very impressive 4WD and caravan. Simply wonderful!
Yesterday was Uluru day for us. It’s only a 20 minute drive from where we are – in fact as I write this, I can see it from my window, the sun rising on its eastern end.
Fortunately the crowds are not too bad at all, and soon we were at the base at the Mala carpark. They all walked the full 9km – I did the shorter 2km walk to Kantju Gorge. It was glorious – the colours and roughness of Uluru’s surface, small caves with paintings and signs with explanations of their stories. Arriving at Kantju Gorge was surprising. It is cool and shaded at the base, surrounded by gum trees, and the massive burnt-orange rock face shoots up to the bright blue sky.
Last night we went to the Field of Light – an amazing installation that suddenly appears out of the darkness. It’s beautifully done, and delightful to walk through watching the colours change along the way. The sky was sparkling with stars and a very bright moon – a beautiful evening in the centre of our fabulous country!
Photos can be seen at this LINK