On The Rocks
A long while after we left Coober Pedy we turned off the Stuart Highway and headed towards Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. We saw what we thought was Uluru (Ayers Rock) in the distance but it was actually Mount Connor. According to my guidebook it is a very common mistake. It was still an amazing sight although we could not get close to it whatsoever (due to Aboriginal law) and were limited to a lookout point. I was intrigued by the color of the sand at this lookout. It filled the spaces between my toes and made me feel like I was standing in a giant pile of paprika. I was so interested in the sand that I took a picture of my feet in the sand (check the photo on Facebook). A short while later we arrived at our campsite, dropped our bags, then loaded in and headed to Uluru for the first time to watch the sunset. It was really nice although it was a little too cloudy for it to create the usual magic. There were throngs of baby boomer American tourists sitting in thier fold out chairs (which sagged to the extreme under their weight if you know what I mean) as they drank too much champagne and talked way too loud. I got some great photos and enjoyed the experience nonetheless.
We woke up at 4:30 to watch the sunrise at Uluru and I have to say that it was not as impressive as sunset. After the full sun hit the rock we left to do the base walk which, as the name suggests, goes around the base of the rock. It was over 9 km, so it gave me a real appreciation for the immensity of the rock. All the while I thought of how there is 90% of the rock extends, unseen, below the surface–it’s like an iceberg of sorts. I walked the trek with Nick form London and we were surprised by how much of the areas were blocked off because they were considered sacred sites by the Aborigines. It was not at all smooth rock but has tons of crevices, caves and indentations all along its circumference. Tucker told us some of the Aboriginal stories of the Ancestral Beings and the creation of the rock. For the Aborigines, every feature of the land is evidence of their ancestor’s existence and their interaction with the land. The Anagnu (original Aboriginal owners of the park) follow a strict set of laws based on ancestral wisdom. It is passed on not by written documents but by word of mouth from generation to generation. The Anagnu withold some of the stories and ancestral knowledge from visitors and only some of the wiser, older Aborigines are allowed to know the stories and pass them along. The Aborigines are against people climbing the rock because only a few senior members ever get to climb it and that is only after they have worked their entire life gaining the necessary knowledge.
It was too windy for any of us to do the climb anyway, so we did not face the cultural dilemma that many face when trying to decide whether or not to do the climb. They strongly encouraged us NOT to do the climb because over 35 people have died attempting it. We opted for heading back to the campground a bit sooner to go swimming since it had gotten up to the 90s by the end of our walk. Tucker knew another guide from a different company that was traveling with dingoes and snakes for an animal tour. He brought them out to us (just about 9 of us) and some put a python around their neck and took photos. I decided I’d rather pet some dingoes however and he brought them out on leashes. They were just like dogs only not as friendly and responsive.
Later, we walked to a secluded lookout to watch the sun set one more time over Uluru. Shockingly, Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) stole the show. I kept looking to my left to see if Uluru was getting better in the waning light but I kept turning back to my right to watch the sun cling to the rounded domes of Kata Tjuta.
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