Last Trip: Uluru
Day one:
melbourne to Sydney to ayers rock (Uluru). Warmer, dryer. Immediately reminds me of Utah. Red, flat.
Shuttle to hotel. It's on a resort, which is the only thing around for many many miles. Because of that, all the prices for everything: gas a, lodging, food, shuttles to the rock, are all ridiculously expensive. To spend the next three days at the rock and nearby katja-tutu will cost us over $300, just in shuttle fees. Fuck that. We go rent a car.
The resort is connected to the little town of Yulara. While exploring the town, I came across my first 'real' aborigines. I mean, we've seen aboriginals in Melbourne, but these were like the ones you see on tv: with ragged clothes, nappy hair, smell like haven't bathed in awhile. There's a racist joke Aussies tell: "I got a tattoo of an aboriginal on my arm, and now my arm doesn't work!"
Sunset in the Uluru-kata tjutu national park. Can't see much, cloudy. Sunset not too impressive with sky grey. Supposed to rain tomorrow
Day two
Meant to get up before sunrise, but just too tired since we had to get up at 5 the day before.
After breakfast, off to kata tjuta, about 50k past Uluru. Sky looks like maybe rain. In kata tutu is the Olgas, a range of 36 domes about 500 feet tall. A lit like some of the parks in Utah. We hike 7k on the valley of the winds walk.
Saw heaps of camels wandering, and some red grasshoppers.
Then back to Uluru, to check out an aboriginal art gallery. A couple of aboriginal people are in the gallery, creating art. Tourists ask them questions, and they just shrug. I find out later they an speak English but do not like to speak it.
I find a piece of artwork I love. It's expensive. I spend five minutes staring at it, trying to convince myself I don't need it.
We leave, drive to the rock. We walk around a few areas of it. The thing is massive Flies swarm everywhere like crazy. Always swatting.
After some discussion, decided not to climb to rock. So many signs advising of how sacred it is, we don't want to feel guilty about it later.
Back to the gallery. I splurge on the artwork. carpe diem.
Return to the lodge, dinner at the pioneer grill. There you buy the raw meat, and use a communal grill. We get emu, kangaroo and crocodile. Crocodile is terrible. Emu and grilled roo are both good.
Day 3
Wake up to the first clear sky. Walk up a dune for a clear view of Uluru in the sun. Bright red.
Now just have time to kill. Walk around, do some shopping.
next up, Queensland and the great barrier reef
melbourne to Sydney to ayers rock (Uluru). Warmer, dryer. Immediately reminds me of Utah. Red, flat.
Shuttle to hotel. It's on a resort, which is the only thing around for many many miles. Because of that, all the prices for everything: gas a, lodging, food, shuttles to the rock, are all ridiculously expensive. To spend the next three days at the rock and nearby katja-tutu will cost us over $300, just in shuttle fees. Fuck that. We go rent a car.
The resort is connected to the little town of Yulara. While exploring the town, I came across my first 'real' aborigines. I mean, we've seen aboriginals in Melbourne, but these were like the ones you see on tv: with ragged clothes, nappy hair, smell like haven't bathed in awhile. There's a racist joke Aussies tell: "I got a tattoo of an aboriginal on my arm, and now my arm doesn't work!"
Sunset in the Uluru-kata tjutu national park. Can't see much, cloudy. Sunset not too impressive with sky grey. Supposed to rain tomorrow
Day two
Meant to get up before sunrise, but just too tired since we had to get up at 5 the day before.
After breakfast, off to kata tjuta, about 50k past Uluru. Sky looks like maybe rain. In kata tutu is the Olgas, a range of 36 domes about 500 feet tall. A lit like some of the parks in Utah. We hike 7k on the valley of the winds walk.
Saw heaps of camels wandering, and some red grasshoppers.
Then back to Uluru, to check out an aboriginal art gallery. A couple of aboriginal people are in the gallery, creating art. Tourists ask them questions, and they just shrug. I find out later they an speak English but do not like to speak it.
I find a piece of artwork I love. It's expensive. I spend five minutes staring at it, trying to convince myself I don't need it.
We leave, drive to the rock. We walk around a few areas of it. The thing is massive Flies swarm everywhere like crazy. Always swatting.
After some discussion, decided not to climb to rock. So many signs advising of how sacred it is, we don't want to feel guilty about it later.
Back to the gallery. I splurge on the artwork. carpe diem.
Return to the lodge, dinner at the pioneer grill. There you buy the raw meat, and use a communal grill. We get emu, kangaroo and crocodile. Crocodile is terrible. Emu and grilled roo are both good.
Day 3
Wake up to the first clear sky. Walk up a dune for a clear view of Uluru in the sun. Bright red.
i crush your uluru!
Now just have time to kill. Walk around, do some shopping.
next up, Queensland and the great barrier reef
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