MYSTICAL ULURU

There were 2 articles about the mystical Uluru in Australia in The Star papers last weekend.
When I read them, I recollect my own trip to this iconic place in 2008.

July  2008, a group of us went over to Melbourne to attend the graduation ceremony of my nephew Wai Khuen, Bachelor of Civil Engineering from Swinburne University.  This was to be a joyous occasion and yet we all went with a heavy heart too as my mother was sick by then.  In fact Wai Khuen's mother had to miss her son's graduation (my sister  is a nurse).  She chose to return to KL as my mother had another heart attack while we were over there.

Before the graduation ceremony, May had booked us for a trip to Ayers Rock.  From Melbourne we took the internal flight to  the "Town of Alice" before going  to Ayers Rock.   The town of Alice Spring more or less introduced us to the desert.  Small quiet (no big shopping malls then) town and saw some  Aborgines getting drunk at night!

We were driven straight to the base of Ayers Rocks to witness the glorious  sunset!


In the backgrounds - the Olgas

A table has been laid out with finger foods and tidbits and wines for us as we sat/stand to watch the sunset.
The night had turned chilly as we waited for the sun to set and the darkness enveloped us.

One word - awesome! The pictures speak for themselves.

Here's a toast to The Rock of Ages!

We checked in at the Desert Palm Resort. It is a clean and modest resort which had its communal showers (different showers for men and ladies, of course) and toilets in the centre of the resort.   Though, it was not a problem in the day, it was quite scary at night to come out for a toilet visit!   The nights here can be cold more so as it was winter in July!  

 Clean and air-conditioned cabins.

Too cold to swim even though there is sunlight!

Next morning, it was a very early morning call and we were again at the base in the dark.
This time it is the sun rise that we were to witness!

Again a table with sandwiches, cakes and biscuits and hot coffee/tea were provided.  It was a very warm welcome as we can felt  the  winds were blowing around us.

Silently, slowly but surely a tiny dot of the light appeared at the horizon with the rising of the sun. It was so ethereal and for a moment  everybody quieten down to watch as the light burst out from behind the Rock. It was a extravaganza of colours hitting the facade of the rock.

All of a sudden, the sky is fully lit up- together with my sisters (Vicky my youngest sister did not join us).

It is going to be a sunny day!

Climbing up the Rock itself was discouraged as it is sacred to the Aborigines. We were also advised not to take anything -be it a rock or pebble from the place as it will bring us bad luck!

There is the walk around Kata Tjuta also known as Olgas, the Mala walk and its surrounding trails and gorge.

Hard red rock- hardly any vegetation here.  

The effect of sea waves

Aboriginal drawings on the rocks which tell of  stories from ancient times.

It was indeed a  wonderful and memorable trip.