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Shaking The Tree 2005
Sunrise Sunset and Swags
Caroline and I are now in the Northern Territory back in Alice Springs after our 3 day camping safari to Uluru and KIngs Canyon. This is my first visit to Alice and part of the trip I had most looked forward to.
I had a romantic notion of Alice all dusty roads and quaint little country houses. But it is a modern town with a Woolworths and a Coles and lots of Internet places - an absolute must of you have lots of backpackers descending on you !
The Moyley/Ashby luck with hostels continued as we arrived at Alice's Secret hostel, only to be told that they were fully booked and the girl in what should have been our room was sick. They had booked us in round the corner in Alice's Lodge. So we got into their mini bus and headed with the Staffy dog to Alice's Lodge. There was noone there to greet us but the key to our room was left out. The room stank of stale sweat and the sheets were still dirty from the previous occupant although the fresh laundry was on the top! Caroline looked at me I looked at Caroline and we booked a cab straight outta there to Aurora and clean sheets !
The next day was a 5am start for a 6am pick up for the tour. Bleary eyed we were collected by Jess at 6am and boarded the bus that was to be our home for the next three days. The bus filled with a variety of ages and nationalities. Australians, Brits, French, Croatian, Danish Korean, Japanese and a lone Irishman called Mike. Jess our tour guide made sure that we were not strangers for long and the laughter that was to accompany us on our 1500km drive over the next 3 days started.
Alice Springs is the nearest major town from Uluru (Ayers Rock) but it is still over 4 hours drive away. So we settled in for duration with games of who wants to be a millionaire. We stopped to refuel at Eldunda as close to the dead centre of Australia as you can get. We passed Mt Ebenezer population of 6 with it's own art gallery !
We passed Mount Connor, or as Jess called it Fooluru! It is a huge table top mountain that looms out from the desert landscape. Most people think it is Uluru but that delight lays further down the long straight desert road.
After stopping to collect fire wood, we arrived at Yulara and our camp for the night. Permanent Tents set in a circle with a basic kitchen fenced in to keep the flies and dingos out. Lunch was prepared by all and we got on our way to Uluru as soon as possible.
Nothing quite prepares you for the your first glimpse of Uluru, she rises from the desert in spectacular technicolour. Framed by the blue sky the red seems to pulsate. One large sandstone monolith in the middle of nowhere.
The Anungu - the aboriginal people that own Uluru have a cultural centre wish is worth the visit. They revere the rock and have sacred sites dotted around it. The water that lies near the rock has helped sustain them in the arid desert for generations. This is their temple and many of the laws that govern their lives are told by stories relating to the rock. As the rock is so sacred to them they ask you to respect their wishes and not to climb the rock. Unfortunately, many people ignore this and still use the hand rail to scales the 260 metre climb. Some die onthe way, as the heat in the summer that can climb above 36 degrees. When anyone dies on the rock, the Anungu feel great sorrow, for the person and their family. They cut themselves once, called a sorry cut to demonstrate this sorrow. So please please if you come to Uluru respect their wishes. Anyway it is a really hard climb almost vertical in places. The Anungu call those who climb the mountain Minga Minga. (Many Ants).So if you do not want to be a Minga don't climb !
The base walk is 9.2km, and this was the option Caroline and most of the tour opted for. The rock takes on shapes and hues as the sun moves in the sky and you are taken to a spiritual place as you gaze at nature's cathedral in stone. Where the water flows down the rock it is striped black. Large holes appear in the rock, and caves remain as sacred sites. Words cannot adequately describe how beautiful this place is - especially if you view it from the limited knowledge you have of Aboriginal culture. Serpents and shield, Eggs and Sorrow Cuts tell a story around every corner.
After the walk which we did in about 1 hour 40 minutes it was off to Bustastic Sunset City. This is the viewing area for all the tour buses to watch the sunset over Uluru. Whilst other had white table cloths and glasses of Champagne in the car park, we hauled our eski up to a great vantage point. Opened the sparkling wine and drank from yellow plastic cups. I would not have had it any other way. The rock changed colour as the sun slowly set. Magical!
Then back to camp to light the fire, prepare dinner and decide on whether to sleep out in the swag under the moonlight or in the tents. Keeping in mind it will be 2 degrees as the skies are clear. Swags it was for a few of us hardened fools. After lots of campfire games and glasses of red wine it was time to brave the swag.
God it was cold! The stars were amazing and you could see the milky way and shooting stars all over the sky. But in between the Dingo's howling, (yulara means place of the howling dingo) and the drunk aboriginals shouting I hardly slept. I just shivered and thought longingly of duvets and hot water bootles.
We were up at 05.15 to get to see sunrise over Uluru. Jess took us to one spot to see the sillouette form in the sky and then we raced over to catch teh sunrise. Agin this is bustastic but we managed to squeeze ito a good spot. My bistered feet could not fit into trainers so I was in sandals and socks. This was a source of amusement. Vicky and Simon watched the sunrise with us and we laughed and giggles until the rock did start to glow with the warmth of the sun. I cannot explain this but will post photos that will show how the rock glows like the embers of a fire absorbing the new mornings sun.
No rest for the wicked on we then headed for Kata Tjuta (meaning many heads) otherwise known as The Olgas. These are sandstone formations that lay in the same national park. These are still active aboriginal sacred sites, and many ceremonies are still practiced there. Therefore there are only 2 walks that can be completed.
Unfortunately the blistered heels did not allow me to be able to climb to the valley of the winds, but by the puffed and excited faces that returned the strenous walk was worth it. Even from the base you could hear the wind talk to you as it rushed through the different formations.
Back on the bus and then over to Kings Canyon and the next camp. Clouds gathered in the sky and the Moyley ability to break droughts looked likely to happen again.
I bought a beany hat at one of our stops in case it was as cold as the previous night. It was decided in mutual agreement I did look like the love child of Benny and Miss Diane from crossroads.
We reached our new camp through a rocky road, with out tour guide wearing a pink crash helmet and Road to Nowhere on the stereo. It was similar to the first but it had a HUGE fire pit and dinner was cooked in billy cans on the camp fire. Jacket potatoes, chicken veggies and veggie curry. Then the decision swag or tent. Caroline and I opted for the tent and realised we had made a good choice when the rain poured all night. Most people retired to the tents. All except Mike from Ireland. As a soldier he slept soundly through the rain until his alarm clock woke him at 05.30.
The days plans were put on hold whilst the tour guides assessed whether we could use the road to get out of the camp as the rain had been so heavy during the night. We managed to get out of the camp but the main walk was to dangerous to attempt in the wet. So dressed in kagols and bin liners we set off for Kings Canyon creek walk. The canyon was beautiful in the rain and Kestrel Falls was flowing, the first time even our tour guide had seen this. This area of Australia had not had rainfall for nearly 18 months ! With the walk completed in less than an hour we headed back to the resort for clean clothes.
Then the long drive back to Alice, singing Alice Alice Who the x#@! is Alice. It continued to rain as we stopped for lunch at Mount Ebenezer and stopped to see Dinky the Singing Dingo. This dingo stands on a piano and sings in time and tune to whatever is played. Mesmerising.
The rain continued and when we arrived in Alice water lay in the Todd River that runs through Alice. This river is usually just a dry creek bed, and in September they hold the Henley on Todd Regatta. Boats with the bottom cut off are raced up the River. This has had to be cancelled once as there was water in the creek bed. The locals say if you see the Todd River flow 3 times you are a local, 6 times and you'll never leave.
We rounded off the trip with a fun night at the local backpackers, drinking, dancing on tables and cementing the friendships formed over the last 3 mad and fun days. As the news filtered through from London of the bombings your heart sank and your stomach churned but we refused to let this stop us from celebrating our highlight of our trip.
I just ask that you all take care and let me know you are well.
Love to you all
Lynne "I have slept under the Stars" Moyle.
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