So...

Have travelled quite far since last blog but this one will be short at last! After Perth went to Ayers Rock. Not via Alice Springs but straight to Yulara, the 'Ayers Rock Resort' about 20km from Uluru (the rock we all know) itself. It was raining. But bright red mud is at least as interesting to experience as red earth and dust. The ground in the Red Centre really is terracotta red, but also does have a surprising amount of vegetation on it, so that from ground level the angle makes it look abundantly pale green. The second day I got up in time to see dawn from Kata Tjuta, another set of rocks about 40km from Uluru, the biggest of which is in fact larger than Uluru. a stunning, computer game style sunset happened, as did hundreds of blowflies! Did a four hour walk through Kata Tjuta that was brilliantly rewarding, looking like the Cradle of Civilisation especially because of its location in the middle of the desert. Lots of lush green plants tucked between the massive plasticine-like rocks and even a stream going through it all! It rained that day too.

The evening and next morning were spent bumming around the resort area, reading a avoiding the heat - at last! Bruce Chatwin's 'The Songlines' kept me company, telling about invisible pathways the run all across Australia, created by the creators of the land thousands of years ago. The pathways are also songs, as these ancestors sang everything into existence as they went, so modern aboriginals can follow these pathways to their kin if they know the songs! Helped explain things a bit when I went on an aboriginal-guided tour to Uluru in the evening, as they have lots of stories related to the rock (stories known as Dreamings) that revolve around these original ancestors. The tour was good and after we joined about 200 other people for champagne and nibbles at the sunset viewing spot. This was kind of indicative of the kind of comfort it was necessary to live in at the resort, which Ifelt was a big shame. I'd wanted a deserty, creation story-riddled couple of days there but had to settle for this. At least there was an all-you-can-eat buffet to get my money's worth from!

So now in Cairns and it's party town! I've been out to the pubs and clubs a bit and also lazed by the Lagoon, a man-made wimming pool by the edge of the sea, which unfortunately is so poorly serviced with water that it's mud flats more often thatn not. I went to the botanical gardens which were interesting - Alex/Heather/Ian/Tilda...can't remember if any of you made it here and to the gardens but you would have gone wild! Lots of rainforest plants growing wildly and beautiful in its own way. I've traded Bruce Chatwin for Charles Darwin (rebelling against the lack of culture in Cairns perhaps?) so will see how A Tale of Two Cities hits me by the pool tomorrow. I've also used a hangover day to watch a film, Crazy Heart, but today I went scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef! Had masses of time out swimming around with a fun crew and plenty of good food! Was a bit choppy so snorkelling wasn't very successful but under da sea I saw sea cucumbers, bright blue starfish, thorny blue coral, big round brain-like coral, angel fish, a large wrass, jellyfish and some lovely clown fish in their anemone. Lots of different coloured fishes and also coral and odd to survive underwater for such a long time. Was a great experience I won't forget and writing this I still feel like I'm swaying around!

So continuing to chill out in Oz and looking forward to going to Sydney on Monday, and not a little excited about seeing Isey and other friends in Christchurch after that! I hope you're all well and enjoying March. It's going to be beautifully sunny and a comfortable 30 degrees here tomorrow :)

Till next time...lots of love,

Dave