Majestic, Monstrous, Magnificent - Uluru (Ayers Rock)

The classic view of Australia
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Adjectives to describe Ayers Rock?

Majestic? Monstrous? Magnificent? Awesome? Spiritual? Magical? Exhausting?

We drove all around Uluru and saw where Lindy Chamberlain got her baby snatched by a dingo in 1980 - those were the days when you could camp next to the rock

This is the scarlet monster that lies at the heart of Australia. The Australian Outback is like nothing else on earth. The Outback gives off vibes that I could describe as primitive, relaxing and terrifying. Its like travelling back to pre-history when giant megalithic rocks rule the countryside and 2000 year old paintings are daubed. The only glass is the brittle sharp spinifex. There is a sense of real wilderness out there - real hardship. Mistakes in the Outback can lead to death the terrain out there is so hostile.

The contours of Uluru
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And the size of the country is amazing. Uluru/Ayers Rock is 400 miles from Alice Springs. 400 miles of unremitting bleakness. Seeing Uluru becomes an adventure - an expedition where you take your own food and camping with you. So it was at six this morning that I got the early morning wake up call and was waiting outside Toddys Backpackers for my pick up. I'm taking a bare minimum with me for the next three days and leaving my suitcase behind. My guide was Carolyn a thirty something Melbournian dressed in khaki shorts and thick boots. She was the epitome of fitness and energy. At another Youth Hostel we picked up another pair - a brother and sister combo from Melbourne and enjoyed a "billy" of coffee with them on ANZAC hill.

Walls of scarlet
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We are going to travel the Stuart Highway for the first two hundred miles. I enjoyed the spectacle of the Outback flashing before me. The heat even on this winters morning was climbing and you could see the sun bleach the surrounding desert. At Elrldunda we turned west and used the Lasseter highway the terrain was just blasted for hours. It was an unrelenting horizon of red earth, spinifex and sky. The only animals we saw were goannas, usually squashed at the side of the road. Carolyn told us about the striking red earth - millions of years ago the Northern Territory was under the sea and the redness is due to oxidation. We didnt used to encounter a motorist for tens of miles and when we did Carloyn tensed as if it was a major thing. The more speace you have to drive the more proprietorial you get I suppose.

The edge of Ulur
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At 1.00pm we pulled into the Yulara resort and got our first glimpse of Uluru. Flat, red and covered in indentations that was our destination. We then drove to Ayers Rock airport to pick up another Melbournian and her Italian friend. The campsite was in easy reach of Uluru and was pretty basic. After unloading we headed off to the rock which was looming up to the west. Up close it is stunning. Its red streaked side soar into the air and contrast with the icy blue sky. When you get up close, within touching distance, you realise that it isnt russet red but mad up of millions of orange pustules. Its also worth mentioning that the desert comes right up to its walls and the silence - ye gods, the silence is overpowering.

Our group at Uluru
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We drove all around Uluru and saw where Lindy Chamberlain got her baby snatched by a dingo in 1980 - those were the days when you could camp next to the rock. We also saw where the Anangu tribe made its caves and it is very sacred to the aborigines. In fact, we walked the entired circumference of Uluru whcih was about 8 kilometres and ended up with tired feet and parched tongues at a billabong on the southern side where Carolyn was waiting for us.

Finally as the day wore into dusk we went to the sunset viewing area wth the expensive tour parties and much to my surprise had a beaker (not a flute mind) of champagne. Uluru changed colour at sunset - bright orange, scarlet, dull mauve and finally black as the sun set behind.

Then back to the camp where we made a fire, Carolyn cooked us pasta and we rolled out our swags. Open air sleeping in the Outback - strewth mate....are we mad?