Uluru

While Alice Springs isn't a very exciting town, it certainly does have its own little share to offer.
I had two days before my departure for Uluru, so I decided to book a tour to Palm Valley to make the most of my stay here. Actually I wanted to go to the MacDonnell ranges, but as my travelling luck goes, there were no departures in the next two days. Thus Palm Valley.
I am not a big fan of tours, but in the outback there's not much choice. You certainly can go out alone, but there's 90% chance you'll get lost and die. And rule no1 in the outback is "don't die".
So the tour took us first to the historic town of Hermannsburg. Now this is a quaint sight! This town is basically a result of German-Lutheran colonisation of the Australian centre. Honestly, I didn't expect to see anything German here. As a matter of fact I am meeting way too many German things and folks on this trip. Take it easy, Deutschland!

Palm Valley itself is not really spectacular if you ask me. Ok, rare cycads in the middle of the desert. I get it. I still wasn't blown away.

Day no3: Alice Springs sightseeing. Got up early to beat the heat. Climbed Goat Hill in honor of my Goat family (long story). Visited the museum of Royal Flying Doctors Service. This was awesome,  everybody visiting Alice Springs should do it. These guys are fucking amazing and are saving lives in the outback on a daily basis. By paying admission fee you contribute to the functioning of RFDS; if you can't go there, but would like to contribute, they always welcome donations. Day was getting hot so I needed to hurry. The Residency is a nice colonial house, where you can learn about the early days of the Red Centre colonisation and you can make your own tea for a small donation. Nice! Final stop: didgeridoo workshop. In the Sounds of the Starlight shop a nice man Andrew shows you how to play this magnificent and ancient instrument. 10$ fee is well worth it! Going back to the hostel in 43°C. Alice, you get a 8/10.

And now, FINALLY, Uluru. On an early Friday morning I boarded a van presided by Mr Nick, the Dane. We rushed towards King's Canyon and then we rushed a bit more. I still couldn't get over the fact that Oz is so big. It takes HOURS to get anywhere! Eventually we would get to the canyon. Blazing heat. And we were to walk up hill. Due to the extreme weather conditions we weren't allowed to do the big track, so we walked just to the best lookout. It was great! You can really see the layers of sediments in the rock and how it transformed over centuries.

This night we would be sleeping under the stars. Literally. We got some beer and cider out of a small gas station and headed towards the real outback. We gathered the wood and started the fire. A part of the team was chopping veggies meanwhile. We cooked our dinner over campfire and drank our ciders. Our beds for the night were swags, basically open air foam mattresses in a canvas bag. All you had to do was open your eyes and gaze at the magnificent starry sky. Too bad I don't see shit without my lenses. And btw, there were actual dingos howling around us over night. Insane.

Next morning we visited the Olgas or Kata Tjuta as Aborigines call it. These are round, dome - like rock formations of stunning red colour. We did the big walk and it was well worth it, for the views. In the evening we visited Ananga cultural centre, where we learned about the importance of Tjukurpa, which is a complex set of beliefs, morals, rights and rules in Aboriginal culture. This is why I decided not to post any photos of Uluru. I have taken many, but I wish to invite all the interested parties for a private viewing, where I will explain the meaning behind each photo and the significance of Tjukurpa.

On the final day we did the Base Walk around Uluru and headed towards the airport where I got off. I way flying from Ayers Rock to Sydney, which made me all excited as I'll be able to see the Rock from the air. Of course, I was on the wrong side of the plane. FML.

Anyhow, this trip to the Red Centre was truly amazing and a definite must for any Australian experience!

Yours truly,

Ajda