Uluru

Another slow pack down in Alice Spings yesterday. Mark had been having more car troubles this time with the cooling system losing fluid on the long hot days. Every morning we were having to fill the system, carefully bleeding the air which was becoming time consuming. There was no obvious sign of a leak, so I suggested it was most likely a radiator cap problem.

The day before during our trip to town, Mark stopped at Repco and grabbed a new one. With the car so hot, he decided to put it somewhere “safe” and change it in the morning… problem was where he put it was a little too safe and couldn’t remember where that was!!!

So, we paused our pack down, jumped in my car and shot back into Alice for another one. At least when he finds his safe location he will have a spare!

The good news is after a day of driving yesterday there was no loss of water, so another problem solved 🙂 Mark was relieved that this time it only cost him $20 (2 x $10 Radiator caps!!!) to fix!

Anyway, we returned and packed down, finally pulling out of the caravan park just before 10am. At least we only had 400 odd kilometres to go today, so no real rush.

First stop 20 minutes down the highway was…. the side of the road as we continued our urination of the nation tour. I think the drought has finally broken in central Austrlia thanks to our families efforts!!! Second stop was for fuel in Erldunda where they charged the criminally high price of $2.08 per litre!!! Guess you can charge what you want in the outback. We certainly had no choice but to pay 🙁 At least they took fleet card this time!

While Mark and I filled our cars, Kate and Fi (on the way back from another toilet run) took the kids to see some Emu’s next to the servo. Unfortunately Fi had left her phone in the car, so no pictures… hopefully Kate got some??

Back on the road again, we turned off the Stuart Highway onto the Lasseter Highway towards Uluru (AKA: Ayers Rock). Was about 150km out when we got our first glimpse, a mammoth ghostly shape that could be seen in the distance through the dessert heat haze… man is this thing BIG!

Stopped briefly about 140km from the rock for a photo. As you can see below, it didn’t really look like the pictures I had seen before?

We snapped a few quick shots then continued through the dessert to the little resort town 20km before the Uluru National Park. As we approached the caravan park, we finally got to see Ayers Rock as we know it as the globally renown picture postcard appeared before us. It really is a magnificent rock, and you have to see it in real life to truly appreciate it.

While in Alice, Fiona and I got talking to the people in the caravan behind us. The lady had told Fi that at the back of the caravan park is a little unmarked track up a sand dune which had the best viewing of Ayers Rock. So Mark, Zac, Matthew, Jess, Clare and I all headed off to explore. We quickly found the location and managed to get a good photo of the rock. This is where we would return to watch the sunset across the rock.

Af course a central Australia trip wouldn’t be complete without the shadows in the red sand photo, so I made everyone line up as I took a shot.

The rest of afternoon was spent relaxing around camp as the kids played on the playground. Just after 6pm, I rounded up everyone with “get a hat, a drink and a chair…” and we headed back up the sand dune to watch the sunset.

We were a little late (no one ever listens to me!!) and the shadows were already half way across the rock. I liked to sit and watch it change colour in the sunset, and the colours in the sky were amazing. A photographers dream!! Bet my Aunty Fiona would have loved to be here with her camera!!! Not sure that my iPhone was able to capture the effect, so I’ll just upload a bunch and see how they turn out.

I also tried to capture the Olgers to the west in the setting sun, but I don’t think my poor iPhone camera was up to the task.

I loved watching the sunset in the outback but I don’t think anyone else was really interested. The kids all played in the red sand making castles and snow angels… there goes another set of clothes!!

Of course the kids couldn’t help but knock each others sandcastles over, or flick sand resulting in a lot of loud screaming from the kids. I think half of Australia could hear our kids playing!! I did notice that a few people who were on the hill when we got there didn’t take very long to relocate to a quieter more peaceful location.

The playing all ended as the mean Mum’s had their fun, running over and jumping on the castle resulting in tears from the tired kids… geez Mum’s…so mean!!

So as I said, I liked watching the rock in the sunset, but I don’t think anyone else did, and it was pretty much as soon as the sun had dipped past the horizon that Mark announced “Right… seen it… lets go!” Everyone packed up, grabbed their stuff and marched off down the sand dune…. except me!

I quietly just waited on the dune, watching the amazing changes as sunset turned to dusk and the night began rolling in. Finally the rock did begin to change colour developing a purple haze in the fading light. I stood there about 20 minutes watching and would have love to stay as night rolled in and the rock turned black, but I realised that I had the caravan keys in my pocket and the kids would be getting hungry.

So, reluctantly I grabbed my thongs from the red sand and retreated down the sand dune back to camp. Maybe I’ll have to try to get back up there tonight.

Anyway, hopefully today the wild wind of yesterday will ease and we will be able to climb the rock. Wasn’t open for climbing yesterday which is a shame seeing as we have had such great weather lately, and the only two really windy days are the ones we are here!! Cross your fingers and we will see how we go…

PS – I think you are right Ian… Mark’s age now he is an old man is slowing him down… he has been a bit slack on the posts lately!!