Uluru - Part 2

23.04.12

So I got up early and went on the Uluru sunrise tour today. It was cloudy so it wasn’t really as amazing as it could have been but it was still good. There were some clouds over Uluru when we came and instead of watching the sunrise we got so see the clouds slowly lift.

 After the “sunrise”, we drove around the base of Uluru, before stopping and going for a short walk along the base. It was amazing and I still can’t believe I’m actually looking at Uluru.

 After the walk we went to the Cultural Centre. We weren’t allowed to take pictures in there, but it was really nice. It had lots of history about the Aborigines in the area and art made by them. I also found the cheapest postcards (for the Uluru area) in there. Only $1, in Yulara they were $1.50! It’s amazing how expensive things are here, just because there is nowhere else to go.

As we were walking along the base I started talking to a guy from England that has just come over to Australia to work for at least a year. We chatted for the rest of the tour and when we got back to the hostel we went for a walk together and looked at the camels before his next tour.

Super cute and cheeky 8-month-old camels!

 When we got back to the hostel after our walk I decided to sign up for the tour that the English Guy was doing as well. He was doing the Kata Tjuta gorge walk and Uluru sunset; I figured I might as well see as much as possible while I am here.

Kata Tjuta was amazing! The look of it changes SO much depending on which angle you see it from. The gorge walk was estimated to take 30 minutes to the lookout and then 30 minutes back, but EG and I made it back to the bus with 15 minutes to spare. I’m really glad I went on that tour; it was just amazing to see. In the gorge I also saw the greenest plants I’ve seen in this area, I guess the water coming down from the Kata Tjutas just stays in that gorge and helps the plants grow. It’s a shame that people seem to focus on just Uluru when they come here (as I was going to do), because Kata Tjuta is brilliant as well.

Kata Tjuta Gorge

View from the Kata Tjuta Gorge

Kata Tjuta seen from one angle....

Kata Tjuta seen from a different angle. Looks completely different, doesn't it!

When we went to the viewing area for the Uluru sunset we got free drinks, wine, champagne, beer or juice I think it was, and nibbles. The clouds had lifted a tiny bit in the horizon so we saw a little bit of colours, and it was beautiful, although I can imagine that it would be even better with a proper clear sky.