Exploring the Outback

We had our last campertruck for six days and wanted to spend three of them in the Outback exploring some of Australia’s famous natural landmarks.  First up was Kings Canyon; it is a beautiful and rugged terrain, a much, much smaller version of what I imagine the Grand Canyon to be like. 

We headed there straight from Bo’s in Alice Springs and, after the harrowing drive across the unsealed road, arrived at the caravan park just in time for sunset so we had to wait until the next day to explore.  The next morning we were up early and set out first thing 'cause we wanted to do the full canyon rim walk, 6km, so we needed to get a jump on it to avoid the midday Outback sun.  The hike started with a relatively steep climb up the canyon wall and once we got to the top, it was like we’d walked onto a movie set.  There were sandstone domes everywhere that looked like the huts the Sand People had in Star Wars; it was a red craggy landscape that could have been Mars, it was so unusual. 

We hiked for an hour or so before reaching the ‘Garden of Eden’, a green oasis in a small valley.  It was amazing to see so much life in full bloom in a hot desert that had not seen rain for a record 150+ days. 

There wasn’t a cloud in sight the whole morning and it was close to 10am when we finally completed our loop.  From there we jumped back in the campertruck for the 300km drive to Uluru (aka Ayers Rock).  Uluru is its aboriginal name and Ayers Rock the name the ‘white man’ gave it.  Australia originally kicked the aboriginals off the land but returned the rock and surrounding areas to their aboriginal owners in 1985 with a 99 year lease for the Aussie govenment to run the national park.  The area around Uluru is one of the dry areas (read: no alcohol) I'd mentioned in a previous post so when we checked in we were given this alcohol permit, which we were required to show if we wanted to consume or purchase alcohol in our resort. 

It was hot and sunny when we arrived at the Ayers Rock Resort camping area a little after 1pm so we made ourselves lunch and relaxed in the shade for a few hours.  After Kings Canyon, Uluru was a bit of a let down – it’s just a big red rock rising out of the red desert – but we were excited to check out the famous landmark anyway, and set out on our walk a little after 3pm.   (This photo was taken at sunset, not 3, but I wanted you guys to see Uluru before I rambled on about our walk around it.)

The views were pretty much the same the whole way around but Alex was amused at this section where he felt it looked like the rock had a mouth and wanted to eat the ‘malteaser’ rocks below (yes, the man has quite the imagination).  He asked me to take a photo to share with everyone with the caption ‘Ayers Rock says nom-nom’ so here you go.

One of my favorite things we encountered was this lizard print in the sand.  You could make out its whole body and so clearly see where the little guy had crossed the sandy path.

It took us a few hours to trek the 11km in the blazing sun so we were back in the truck just in time for sunset.  Climbing on the rock is discouraged by the aboriginals, they consider it disrespectful, but the government allows it and by the time we’d made our lap of the rock, it had cooled down enough for the climb, which was closed when we’d started, to be reopened.  We elected not to do the climb out of both respect for the natives’ wishes and our desire to get to the sunset viewing area in time.  Others were not so sensitive and, since it is very likely that one day this will no longer be allowed, I took a photo of the people making their way atop Uluru. 

Unfortunately our sunset was blocked by clouds so we didn’t get to see the vibrant red glow that Uluru is famous for but I think we still saw something quite beautiful. 

And before we left, while everyone else sat facing east staring at the rock with cameras poised, I happened to notice that the real beauty of the evening was happening behind us to the west. 

On our drive back from to the campgrounds, we got this gorgeous view of Kata Tjuta (aka The Olgas), the sight of our next day’s adventure, in the distance.

We got up early to see sunrise over Uluru but once again we were foiled by the clouds.  We gave up sooner than the rest of the large crowd that had gathered for the photo op and moved on to Kata Tjuta, 50kms to the west.  Out there we stopped at a viewing platform and, when we turned back towards Uluru, got this amazing shot.  It is not photoshopped or altered in any way, the clouds seriously looked like they had eyes peering down at Uluru.  It was crazy and within a few seconds of taking this photo the wind shifted and the eyes were gone. 

My pictures and description are unable to capture the magic of Kata Tjuta.  It was eerie but beautiful all at the same time and there was just something about it that I can’t put into words.  Alex and I both agree that it was our favorite Outback spot but the photos just don’t convey the emotion of the place. 

 

From afar it just looks like a pile of rocks, but once you walk into the Valley, it's like a private world where it could be today or could be 5,000 years ago.  Aboriginal legend says that the spirits of their ancestors live there and you can speak to them in the Valley of the Winds, and while we didn’t hear anyone speaking to us, there really is something powerful about the place.  

I may be a bit biased though because, as most of you already know, Alex proposed there so it will forever hold a very special place in my heart.  We’d gotten an early start and it was overcast most of the morning as we’d walked along making our way through tour group after tour group when, halfway into the valley, we were finally alone and it looked like the sun might come out.  Alex asked me if I wanted to stop and see the valley in the sunlight so I turned to look at the clouds, right as the sun came out, and when I turned around he was down on one knee and asked me to marry him.  Obviously I was thrilled and said yes.  Neither of us knew instinctively which hand to put the ring on so in this photo, our first as an engaged couple, you can see I’m wearing it on the wrong hand, hahah.

Alex proposed with an Australian black opal that we picked out together in Cairns (after looking at every opal in town more than once over the course of weeks of searching for the perfect stone) and had set into a custom ring by a local artisan.  For those of you who did not know, Aus is famous for its opals (95+% of the worlds opals come from two mines here).  I absolutely love it and think, again in my totally biased opinon, it turned out stunning.  I can't stop looking at it on my finger; it's very surreal. 

Sorry for the delay on this post, we wanted to share the good news with family 'in person' via Skype before we posted it to the blogosphere and have been on the move with our travels :)  We are both very excited, perhaps me a bit moreso, and can’t wait to celebrate with all our friends and family when we get back home!