Australia Overland—Day Two—Tuesday, February 28, 2012
With our stomachs full of a delicious breakfast our group assembled for the next Outback adventure. Today would begin learning about the natural and cultural environment of the center of Australia by visiting Alice Springs Desert Park. Forming the backdrop to the Desert Park are the magnificent West MacDonnell Ranges. The mountains are the perfect location to showcase the red kangaroos, many birds, plants and animals we observed. Also, a nice way to walk off our breakfast going up and down the hills!
On we went to Anzac Hill, just north of town, providing superb views of Alice and the surrounding MacDonnell ranges.
Then Alex, our guide, announced we would begin our six (6) hour motor coach trip to Uluru-Kata Tjupa National Park! On the way to our destination, we were surprised with a stop not on the schedule - a visit to a Camel Farm and the opportunity to ride the camels. Australian camels are dromedary (one hump), very hardy and some roam freely throughout the desert. What fun…. but I sure did feel sorry for the camel with both of us onboard!
Along the approximately 300 miles to Ayers Rock (Uluru, to the Aborigines), we stopped for lunch at the Mt. Ebenezer roadhouse, owned by the Imanpa Aboriginal people. Inside was also a gift shop featuring local artifacts and paintings done by the Aborigines. Along the road between Alice Springs and Yulara (the village where tourist visiting Ayers Rock stay), there are only 8 working cattle stations, some providing necessary services to travelers.
We arrived in Yulara, dropped our luggage at the hotel and proceeded another 45 minutes to view and hike the Olgas (Kata Tjutas, or “Many Heads”, to the Aborigines). These 36 rock domes are large and magnificent, are just as old as Ayers Rock and in our estimation, more beautiful. They reminded us of Sedona!
Now to the highlight of the trip – sunset viewing of Ayers Rock – or so we thought….
But first, Uluru or Ayers Rock, is a pretty breathtaking sight, a 650 million-year-old sandstone behemoth, rising 1141 feet above the pancake-like surrounding plain (and it is supposed to be twice as big beneath the surface). It’s dimensions are impressive – 5 ½ miles around the base, 2 ¼ miles long and 1 ½ miles wide – but the most awe-inspiring feature is the glow and amazing colors it shows at different times of the day especially at sunrise and sunset, or so we were told and have seen pictures.
Arriving for our sunset viewing, we were treated to champagne/mimosas and canapés. Just as we were about to toast the Rock the skies opened and the first downpour began. We all scattered for the bus. Between the rain showers, the group posed for a photo, the sun set and we headed to the hotel. It rained all night. Ayers Rock is beautiful in the rain and not many people see it with lightning bolts in the sky!
