We headed north again before dawn, aimed for the Northern Territory & 400km later reached the border. After stopping for a break & the obligatory photo we continued on, arriving at Erldunda Roadhouse & the turnoff to Uluru. We planned to stay the night at a nearby free camp but realising it's a further 35km to the north, deemed it a waste of time and resources, instead preferring to continue the 250km to Uluru. On the way we spotted a large Ayers Rock-like structure only to find with closer scrutiny it was not Uluru but Mt Conner. About 40km out of Yulara we had our first glimpse of Uluru, an imposing landmark amongst the mostly flat terrain.
It was well into the afternoon when we reached Ayers Rock Resort at Yulara. The traffic was heavy, not surprising for school holidays in the middle of peak tourist season I suppose. Reception was under the pump & I waited half an hour before reaching the front of the queue. Tomoko had hoped for a powered site but at $50 a night I didn't share her enthusiasm. I read that if all campsites are booked there is an overflow site (read 'dusty paddock') where you can stay unpowered for just $10. I was secretly pleased when told that all sites were indeed booked out & it was the overflow paddock for us. There was no space left on the periphery so we picked the first vacant plot we could find in the middle. If I had thought it was almost full on arrival then I was quite mistaken as more & more vehicles claimed every available patch of dirt. There was not only a great multitude of vehicles but a great variety as well. It was like a camping expo with every available rig on show - camper trailers, wicked campers with rooftop tents, caravans of every shape & size, camper vans, tents, swags & even people simply sleeping in the back of their cars. More often than not these mobile homes were accompanied by a powerful 4WD vehicle with loaded roof racks & a multitude of accessories that would bring a smile to the face of any TJM or ARB investor.
Tomoko & Shaka were left to their slumber when I arose before dawn to view the sunrise over Uluru. I didn't know the route but figuring everyone else up at this time in the morning had the same idea, swept along with the general flow of traffic. Not far into the national park, I was met with a ranger station where I purchase two $25 1-3 day passes for Tomoko & myself (though hindsight would show one pass to be sufficient). In the early light Uluru loomed mysteriously & it was a challenge to maintain concentration on the road without glancing up at the monolith. Arriving at the track to the sunrise viewing area I was confronted with a difficult decision - left or right? I chose right which led me to viewing area at ground level. Some people were already positioned here, interrupting the view so I walked on a little, finding a unobstructed view of the rock just a short distance away. A glance behind me revealed a raised viewing platform teeming with people & I was pleased to have found a relatively isolated place to take in the view. I was joined by a man who I had noticed at a petrol station earlier in the day, notably for his two large Bernese Mountain dogs. A Russian bloke by the name of Michael, he was travelling with his wife & daughter- the more appropriately named Natalia & Anastasia. We shared some banter while watching the show & it was quite a show. The rock didn't change into a myriad of colours as I expected but was impressive nontheless. Uluru is an Australian icon. I have no doubt seen countless photographs of it & had to make a conscious decision to really concentrate on what was happening. I tried to put all those pre conceived images to the back of mind, be in the moment & see it with a pair of fresh eyes so to speak. It worked to some degree & felt it enhanced the experience for me.
I returned to Yulara for breakfast & afterwards we all checked out the resort. However with 4 hotels, IGA supermarket, petrol station, news agency, souvenir shops, travel agency & post office it's more akin to a small town.
Having experienced the sunrise earlier in the day, I encouraged Tomoko to take the afternoon shift & view the sunset. She showed no enthusiasm at all and flat out refused to go – a far cry from the stereotypical Japanese tourist of the 80’s. Despite being a little mystified by Tomoko's attitude, I seized the opportunity to revisit the rock in the afternoon for closer inspection. A dilemma presented itself at this time – to climb or not to climb? Upon arrival you are given information on Uluru politely requesting that you do not climb (capitalised in bold typeface no less) & there are strategically placed and similarly worded signs as well. Prior to arriving I was under the mistaken notion that climbing was prohibited nowdays & thus never entertained the thought. It was now something I had to consider & I was toing & froing between the two options. My head was in favour (it would be a nice accomplishment) but in my heart I felt it wasn't right & heart ruled over head on this occasion. In the end it was an easy decision & I felt not even an inkling of dissapointment.
Instead I decided on the base walk, a 10km trail around the circumference of Uluru. With the afternoon sun lowering, I took on the trail by pushbike. Up close, Uluru has many nuances. Every now and then a shallow cave would appear where the traditional owners would shelter from the elements. Apparently, they were quite segregated – a separate cave each for the male teenagers, adults & retirees. It gives new meaning to the term 'man cave'. I never found the ladies caves but some sections of the path are culturally sensitive where photographs are strictly banned so maybe they were around there.
More than half way around, I came across Michael & Natalia who I had befriended in the morning. They were walking in the opposite direction & a little envious of my wheels. A quick chat & we parted ways in our respective directions (I was later to learn they stumbled upon Nicole Kidman doing a photo shoot for Vogue!!). The sun had lowered considerably by the time I finished & on the return trip home, pulled into the sunset viewing area. It's basically a long car park with angled parking offering each vehicle an unobstructed view of Uluru as the sun sets from the rear. As long as no trees get in your way that is. By the time I had arrived the place was already congested with other travellers & all the prime positions taken. I was only able to find a tree obstructed spot. Being the resourceful bloke I am, I reversed the ute into the space against convention, where I sat on the top of the ute canopy. This gave me a clear view of the rock, free of annoying things such as trees, grass & other people. The sunset show definately outperformed the mornings matinee. The colours changed tone by the minute & their was a collective gasp by all as a rising full moon emerged from behind the centre of Uluru. Superb.
With Tomoko ignoring my recommendations to visit Uluru, I planned another pre-dawn raid on the local attractions – next in line Kata Tjuta (KT), commonly referred to as ‘The Olgas’. I was one of the first through the national park checkpoint just after the gates opened at 6:30am. After a 40 minute drive, the signposts guided me to the ‘Dune viewing platform’. I was a bit surprised to discover I was far from first out the gates though. There was quite a crowd, among them Michael, this time accompanied by Anastasia. I was expecting all eyes to be on the first rays of sunlight hitting KT but instead all attention was focused on a distant Uluru. The first light of the day behind a siloutted rock was simply awe inspiring. I took many a photo with my trusty but antiquated IPhone 5 & managed to get one shot I was particularly proud of. Plans to enlarge & frame are already firming in my mind. KT in contrast was a little disappointing & further searching was needed to understand it’s allure.
A makeshift breakfast of dry muesli & I was soon on my way. The ‘Valley of the Winds’ may be an apt description of Tomoko’s underpants after a curry but it’s also quite a nice stroll through KT. It was still very early in the day when I set off on the 7.4km trail. There were just a handful of fellow hikers and I soon come across a small tour group of international backpackers. We crossed paths several times as we had alternative rest breaks. I would linger on occasion to eavesdrop on the guides giving their spiel on the place. One snippet of interest was that in the height of summer when it rains, the water often evaporates before it has a chance to even reach the ground. I reached the Karingana Lookout & enjoyed the quiet solitude until it was interrupted by the tour group. I watched as the guide pulled out a packet of Arnotts Assorted Creams & was quick to advise the first of the group to get into the Kingstons & avoid the Monte Carlo's. The group & I departed ways here as they returned the way they came & I descended into the valley. From here the path provided my favourite views of KT & a lone dingo howled mournfully in the distance, adding to the atmos. Nearing the conclusion of the walk I bumped into the two Russians again. They had just began the walk having already been to Walpa Gorge but Anastasia was suffering from fatigue & I accompanied them back to the car park.
At this stage there wasn’t much left of the morning and I was feeling a little shagged myself. Realising Walpa Gorge only involved a short walk, I stopped by and had a look. The steep walls were most impressive. Back at camp I rested up for the afternoon. I hadn’t given up on my encouragement of Tomoko to at least see the sunset that afternoon, all falling on deaf ears.
That was my Uluru sightseeing done. The next day was a rest day and preparing for departure. Fearing she might be ridiculed for coming all the way to Ayers Rock without actually looking at it, Tomoko eventually acquiesced to my pleas to at least have a look & visited in the afternoon. Later at sunset, all three of us found a lookout just outside the national park where we could watch together.
The following day we were on our way to neighbouring Kings Canyon, although in this case 'neighbouring' equals a 300km roadtrip to Watarrka NP. We arrived at Kings Canyon Resort around midday. Not surprisingly, all power sites were booked & we settled for a $40 unpowered site in another dusty paddock. The receptionist warned that dingos sometimes enter the camp & advised to keep food & shoes inside (hey... they are dogs after all & which puppy doesn't love a shoe to chew on). We all drove to the Kings Canyon car park late in the afternoon & thats where Shaka stayed while Tomoko & I did the Kings Creek Walk, a 2.6km walk along the dry creek bed at the base of the canyon. It was a pleasant stroll but hardly worth the hype in my opinion. Here we bumped into me old Russian buddy Michael & his family. I got the uneasy feeling I have a stalker on my hands.
In the middle of the night as is his custom, Shaka insisted on going outside for a toilet break. Half asleep, I stumbled outside with him but was instantly wild awake when I spotted a lone dingo staring at us from just a few caravans down. Equally concerned of each others presence we continued to eye each other off while an oblivious Shaka did his business. I turned away for a moment & when I looked again it was gone. Later in the evening they made their presence known with a cacophony of howls.
The main attraction here is the Canyon Walk, a 6km, 3-4 hour hike around the rim of the canyon. Tomoko was a bit concerned about the fitness requirements of initial steep climb so I was first up while Tomoko slept in with Shaka. My headlamp lit the way in the early darkness as I tackled the steep ascent. There were already a few walkers & I met up with three ladies from Darwin. We shadowed each other until reaching a side track to Cotterill's lookout. I was surprised to find a tour group of backpackers already here as well as guess who...that's right Michael & Natalia. This place was superb, a great place to watch the sunrise. The group soon left, as did the Russian duo & I spent 20 minutes here in perfect solitude while I breakfasted.
Eventually smatterings of walkers began to arrive, disturbing the serenity and signalling me to continue on. Reaching the main track, I noticed an increase in tour groups. If you were to rest for any period of time they would pass every 5 to 10 minutes. I descended a steep flight of stairs into the valley & the 'Garden of Eden'. It's a shady pool dwarfed by sandstone cliffs & a haven for wildlife & vegetation. I had another 10 minutes of cool solitude here before the masses arrived. The highlights of the walk completed & I hot footed back to the car park, finishing the walk within 3 hours.
I gave a detailed report of the mornings efforts to Tomoko and we decided she would do an afternoon walk. The midday heat was a bit of a concern though & we changed the plan. We would leave before dawn the next day, drive to the canyon car park, Tomoko would do the walk while I looked after Shaka & we would continue from there. With still plenty of light in the day I was surprised to see a dingo trotting casually through the campground. I returned to the van to tell Tomoko and she vented her disappointment of missing the sighting. We took Shaka for a walk & Tomoko spotted the dingo coming from the direction of the pub. She was excited but a little wary at the same time.
The next morning, I was met with the usual difficulties in getting Tomoko out of bed but for the most we were on time. Tomoko left on her walk & was back in 2.5 hours. A little puffed and a bit sore she was in otherwise good health & we were on the road again. Until next time...adios amigos.