The Rock Tour

After a lovely morning watcing the world (now definitely more Red) whizz by I stepped off onto the ground in a warm & sunny Alice Springs.

Stopped by the Rock Tour office to check in for tomorrow and then headed over the bridge to Alice's Secret.

The first thing that struck me about Alice is the Aborigones. After the tour I learned that they live out on the river bed and surrounding bush (mostly in tents from what I could see) and then they have a school and communtiy centre that they use. There were a lot of middle aged and older dressed in 'normal' casual clothing and just sitting, wandering around and generally seeming quite without purpose. It gave me an odd feeling and as the days went on here I began to understand more of their culture and more about why things are the way they are now. I did see some younger guys heading out to play basketball - an you wouldn't really have been able to distinguish them from the white guys (they refer to each other as black & white over here - no anonimity meant).

The hostel I was staying in had been taken over by new owners and didn't have my booking - however all was sorted very quickly and it's a nice quiet place. Went for a wander into town and had Camel for tea. Very tasty - like beef.

Next morning I was up at some un-earthly hour (again!) and waiting outside with an Austrian couple, for the Rock Tour mini-bus. It arrived complete with trailer with the Swags on top (these were to be our beds for the next 2 nights) and, after picking up a few others we set off.

It took somewhere in the region of 4 1/2 hours to get out to the Red Centre proper. We passed the time sleeping, reading and listening to Sam's (our guide - Little Sam/Kiwi Sam) impressive iPod playlist.

I also listened to the whole of Bleak Expectations Seasons 2, although had to remind myself that there were others around and laughing out loud to myself was probably not the best way to convince people I was sane!

Kings Canyon was the first stop. Walked up 'Heart Attack Hill' and then along over the top admiring the stunning views of the flat land, the gorges on either side and learning loads about the geology and cultural significance of the place. Sam's knowledge is incredible and he certainly has a deep respect for the local Aborigones. He taught us about the different plants and that most of them have 2 uses - food & medicinal. He showed us fossils that indicate that this area was once underwater and about how the are was formed. Also taught us how to cathc an emu - just in case.

Stopped to watch the sunset over Mt Connell and the Salt Lake.-

Back in the bus and off to our campsite for the night. Stopped to collect firewood out in the scrub and then onto their campground. Campground consists of a firepit, an area with a plastic shelter in case it rains, and a dunny in a shed.

We all pitched in to cook an amazing meal of Chiili, roast vegetables & rice. All cooked used the coals from the fire that I was a marshal of.

Settled down to sleep around the fire in our swags staring up at the beautifully clear night sky. Rained in the night so we moved under the shelter but other than that amazing!

Next morning up at 5:30am and on our way to Kata Tjuta (The Olgas). These HUOGE Boulder looking formations are actually made form much smaller rocks stuck together with mud. We did the Valley of the winds walk and at times it really lived up to its name - even though we had a stunning blue sky again - so blue infact it was almost painful to look at it against the glowing Red Rocks. Again Sam explained to us about the vegetationa dn the loval beliefs. This place is sacred because they belive that these rocks are the heads of their ancestors. It is also a sacres place for men - women could be killed for coming here. He also showed us how the ochres are made for the body paints and explained, both goelogically and mythically, how Uluru, Kata Tjuta, Mt Connell and the Salt Lake were formed. Truly and amazing thing to hear and take on board.

After lunch (and some fun with a Red Bull ant nest and a golden Orb spider in the toilets - which clearly though it had the best deal of any spider in Australia, having spun a web covering the entire toilet block) we headed over the main event - Uluru.

First we ducked into the cultural centre to get in the mood and then out to the rock. Sam sat us down and talked us through our option of climbing. We were divided into people who didn't want to climb because they knew it was disrespectful, and people who didn't know you could climb it. This was good and made things much easier! Sam explained that climbing is not good for 2 reasons. One might even venture 2 bloody good reasens.

1) It is disrespectful to the local people. Uluru was used almost as an entire home to them up until about 100yrs agoand today is still the most sacred site. 13/14yr old boys would go walkabout. This means they go into the bush, by themselves, and have to survive fior 3-4 YEARS. When they return they are considered to be ready to become men and be intitiated into the tribe. They come back from walkabout and meet their grandfather at the foot of the climb. He talks to them and explains a few things - then they have to do the climb and walk around to a cave (the actual Uluru) and under go initiation to became a man.

When you rock up in an air conditioned bus with lots of water, and then, because it's a hard climb and you've eaten, need to go to the toilet up there that is highly disrespectful. Not only that but all the 'stuff' (including sanitary items) left up there are not brought down and so as the rainwater has run off it has contaminated the 2 waterholes making the unuseable. It would be as if someone went into a church and decided that the altar was a perfect place to uload.

2) It's unsafe. They really don't do Heath & Safety out there and when you see how steep the climb is, how high the rock is and how easily you could slip - and the only thing to hold onto is an old link chain fence, you really have to be an oddball to want to go up. The last person to die there only did so a month ago - just slipped and fell. People die from heart attacks from the exertion in the heat as well. If someone dies the Aborigines believe it their fault - their law says that if something happens to someone on your land it is your fault, therefore they have to perform a massive ceremony and it upsets them deeply.

All in all I can't see why anyone would want to go up there. If they want to see lots of flat nothing from a great height - go to Kings Canyon, it's not much shorter.

[/rant]

We did a short walk to several caves and sites, Sam again explaining the significance of each one and some more about the symbols and folklore of the local people.

Then we headed off to the sunset watch point. Sam cooked us dinner while we took many photos and enjoyed some chill time. Slept in swags again but at a regular campsite. I had a cold by this point (and was beginning to panic about diving....) so me and others who suspected rain opted for the laundry room. About 5 mins after settling down the rain started and everyone else swiftly followed!

Next morning we went back to the rock and did the base walk unaccompanied. Every time you turned a 'corner' there was something Else to see, a changing rock face, a small waterfall, a differently formed cave, different stages of vegetation, holes in the rock like Swiss cheese - so much it was hard to take it all in.

After this it was tine to head off. We dropped a few folks off at the airport and hostels and then headed back for the long drive.

That evening we had a quick meet up in the pub, but by this time I was feeling pretty bleugh with cold-ness so went home for a long sleep. Not until taking a shower with a Red Back watching me though!!