Had to see the sunrise of course, did I mention 'ants' in a previous blog. It is sooo.. cold out here we're wearing winter gear most of the time - beanie, gloves, jackets and boots (most stuff is getting a faint tinge of red dust now too). We met our bus at 6.15am to catch the first rays on Uluru - the colours weren't as spectacular though I think it depends on weather conditions and the time of year.
Had a great breakfast at the Cultural Centre then headed off on our tour with an Anangu elder - Sammy. He taught us through an interpreter how to make bush glue by grinding acacia leaves then melting them in the fire, how to make and throw spears, and cutting tools. Sammy also told us another Tjukurpa story: the panpanpalala and lungkata (bellbird and blue tongue lizard). Its a moral tale about the birds hunting an emu that escapes them, then the lizard kills the emu and takes the meat for himself. In the end the lizard is smoked out of his cave by the birds and falls to his death. Sammy related this to the white visitors to Uluru who take things or do things that are not right by their laws. He said that many people who had taken souvenir rocks from Uluru have returned them to the park rangers with 'sorry letters' because bad things had happened to them. The interpreter said that there is another small Uluru building up at the back of the Cultural Center from all the 'sorry' rocks!
After lunch hired our 4wd and headed out to the amazing Kata Tjuta (Olgas). They are an awsome collection of large red domes the Aboriginal people call 'many heads'. One of the mountains stands 546m compared to Uluru's at 348m. At this stage the flies were bothering the kids so they were wearing their fly nets which they thought was fun. We headed off on our walk through Walpa Gorge a rocky but easy path to the joining of the two mountains.
On our last day after a panicked car key search we headed out to the Cultural Center again at Uluru and bought some Aboriginal art. Any thing sold in the art center ensures that after expenses the artist receives their income so it goes back to the local community. With new laws now royalties have to also go back to the artist which is great and prevents them from being ripped off. So I'm pleased to have purchased something from Annie, Beryl and Lydia who's beaming faces on the authenticity certicicates will benefit from.
Finally drove out to the airport with little time to spare to catch our flight home. We had a fantastic holiday would recommend every one particularly on the east coast to venture west and as they say "Get Centered!"
We met one older couple who take each of their grand kids on their 10th birthday to show them the real Australia - its certainly been an eye opener for us.
Palya!
from the Petersen mob
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