19th Nov - Chill in Melbourne with Buddies and Dinner at the Yatch Club

Slept till 11 having woken up many times through the night as it was really cold. The air mattress had gone flat and I had a really bad nights sleep. Me, Kim and Mike had a chilled morning and lunch out on the patio. Spent most of the time catching up with Mike as I had not seen him in 6 months and also washing all of my clothes and putting my bike back together again.

Liesel got back from work and we left Mikes at 3 to go and met Russel (an old friend of Liesel's) at 3.30 to talk about his biking trips through India and China. He was a very interesting chap. It was good to find out what I am likely to expect: China will be fine, India I will be bothered and harassed no end - especially in rural India in the middle (where I am for 1 month). I really need to cover up. We had a couple of rounds out in the sun at a chilled Melbourne bar and then got the tram to the city about 6ish. The tram network in melbourne is really cool.





We went to the Royal Melbourne Yatch Club to meet Linda (the Vise Commodor and an old friend of Mike's). We had a lovely meal. Linda said that if I came down to the club tomorrow for 11.30 that I could get on a boat for the days racing! Awesome. I am missing sailing.
Headed back on the tram for about 11.30 - lovely chilled day. Good to see old friends and chill in Melbourne.

18th Nov - Fly from Alice Springs to Melbourne

Woke up at 6ish with the light - so used to getting up early now. I am tired but I could not get back to sleep. Up at 7.30 and packed up etc. Cooked beans and eggs on toast for me and Kim.
To the airport for about 9.30 and packed up bike etc. I had to wait for 30mins to load bike in at over-sized baggage and then I was not allowed through security with my bike locks in hand luggage (even though I have been allowed on every other flight!) so I had to go back and check these in. I only just managed to get through security to board on the final call for the flight. This is a pattern now - it takes at least 2 hours to get me, my bike and all my kit through check in and security....

Flight was at 11.15 and I arrived in Melbourne at 15.30. Mike (a good friend from Oxford who has now moved to Australia) picked us up at 4ish. I forgot to go to Qantas about my broken bag so I will have to try and find the part in Melbourne. We went back to Mikes house and chatted and pottered for a bit. Liesel (Mike's wife) got back about 5. We decided to go out for a Vietnamese rather than eating in. The meal was good. Good chat when we got back.

Melbourne had a very different feel to it to Sydney - which I can't quite describe. The houses are mostly long and thin. It feels more cultured than Sydney. The architecture is older.
It is really cold here in comparison to where I have been for the last month.

17th Nov - Watch Sunrise over Uluru, travel back to Alice Springs

Up at 4.30 again to get ready and pick up Kim at 4.50 at her hostel. Drove to the sunrise spot to view the sunrise over Uluru. We were there about 30mins before sunrise (5.51am). It was cold as there was not a cloud in the sky. It is lovely to see so many stars.

There were several hundred people there again (maybe even 1000). There are 2 areas - one for coaches and the other for cars. We walked to a part closer to the rock but not so high up to get away from the crowds. There were several hundred people all at the viewing gallery. I found it funny how many flashes there were coming from there! The rock was a few miles away and flash works only up to 12m away..... Seeing all of the people was an event in itself. Hundreds of people all getting up at 4 to go and take photos of a rock in the middle of Australia lighting up. However, having seen how amazing the rock is up close I can understand it far more. The rock is nowhere near as impressive from a distance unless you have seen it close up and walked round. It really does have something magical about it.

The sunrise was much better this morning than yesterday. The rock did light up with the sunrise but nowhere near as bight as last night. The land around the rock was much brighter than last night and so there was not as striking a contrast.

We went round the cultural centre for an hour or so and learnt about the Aboriginal Culture and the geology of the rock etc. We also saw some pictures of snakes around the area and can now name the ones we have seen. :-)

Packed up the tent etc and got on the road for 10. Kim drove the first bit and I had a nap. When I was driving, I asked Kim to read in an Irsih accent rather than Canadian as I found it easier to translate when she was reading out about the geology of the area to me from a guide book. We did the video diary for the past week and Kim said everything in an Irish accent. It will be very funny when I come to listen to it in 10 years from now....
We decided to go out in Alice Springs tonight with Kim talking in an Irish accent and see if anyone could tell. She said that she would only do it if there were no Irish people in the bar. It turned out that both of the other 2 girls in the dorm in the hostel that we were staying in were from Ireland - so that put a stop to that! :-(

I did a bit of shopping for things in Alice Springs and then failed to get on the net at McCafe. Cooked left overs for dinner and had an early night. No sleep has now caught up with me - must sleep now.....

Awesome week in the Red Center of Australia!

16th Nov - Uluru and the Olgers

Up for 4.30 to pick up Kim from her dorm at 4.50 and then drive to Uluru to watch the sunrise with all of the other gazillion other tourists. It was a spectacle in itself.

It was really cloudy and a rubbish sunrise! The rock did not change colour at all. Most people left really early on. If I had paid hundreds of pounds to go on a coach trip and see the sunset and then the sunrise over Uluru and I had chosen to do it last night and this morning, I would have been cutted! Fortunately we are staying a couple of days and so have more opportunity (and we could stay later last night and watch the storm).














I had a nap for an hour in the car while we waited for the guided walk to start at 8. It was well worth doing (and included in the price of the entry fee to the park - $25 for a 3 day pass). The Ranger was really good at explaining. He explained about the Aboriginal culture and some of the stories about how the rock was created and also the geology of the area.







While we where all standing there I pointed out a snake slithering towards the group. The ranger very strongly said not to move anywhere and stay still while it passed. It turned out that it was the 5th most deadly snake in the world!

After the guided walk (2km round the base of Uluru) we walked back to the toilets and then we did the 11km walk around the base of the rock. It was cloudy and cool which was great for Kim as otherwise she would not have wanted to do it. We took our time and I really enjoyed just taking in the atmosphere. The urge to climb the rock was really strong but the Aboriginals view it as sacred and ask people not to. I respected their wishes and decided not to. As we were walking round this Dingo just walked right past us - about 2m away!

We then drove to the Olgars. This is a set of hills about 50km West of Uluru. They were formed differently to Uluru. The are the same colour though. It was strange as they had a completely different feel about them.









As there as been so much rain in the last few month there are loads of flowers and it is very green. I did the valley of the winds walk. I was a bit disappointed that it did not go up very high even though the guides make a big deal out of the fact that there are two high up look out points! I wanted to climb to the top of a dome but it is not allowed as it is considered sacred (like Uluru). It was cloudy all afternoon and not too hot. Again a 4 hour walk easily completed in 2 hours! :-)

We drove to Uluru for sunset. It was an evening similar to last night: very cloudy. As we approached the rock the cloud started to clear on the horizon and 10 mins before the sunset time we were still not sure if we would get a good sunset or if it would just get dark. It turned out brilliantly. The cloud lifted on the horizon as the sun came down and Uluru light up like a light bulb for about 10mins. It was amazing. People were gasping as it went from a dull red colour to bright all of a sudden. Everything else around the area was still dark and so the contrast was incredible. The sky behind us lit up a fantastic pink. Very happy girl!!!





We stayed till 8.30 chatting with an Iranian guy we met there and then went back to the resort and had I cooked a lovely Chinese. Excellent day. Starting to get a bit tired with sleeping in a tent for several nights and getting up at 4.30 everyday..... Ready for my bed by 10.

15th Nov - Kings Cannon, Drive to Uluru, Lightening Storm over Uluru

Slept pretty well in my tent and up at 5 to drive to the Canon to watch the sunrise. I did the rim hike while Kim walked up through the valley. The first part of the walk is called Heart Attack Hill because it is steep and tourist keep on collapsing on the way up. I am getting very fit these days and just walked up it without stopping in 10mins.



If I can't compete with other people then I will compete with myself - I'm ridiculous. When ever there is a time given for a walk/hike I have to do it in half the time suggested i.e. 4 hour walk I need to complete in 2 hours..... I'm so silly!




The walk was really pretty. The top of the cannon looks like a cross between how I imaging Mars and the Moon would look. There are these cones on top made of bright red rock. I was doing my video diary and a Kangaroo came jumping past - cool.




In the middle of the cannon is an area called the Garden of Eden. It has some unique species as it has been protected from the rest of the area for so many years. At the moment, as they have had so much rain (5 times as much this year as normal), everything is lush and green and flowering.





There are lots and lots of flies round here and insect repellent does not work!











When I got down off the rim walk, I did the walk up through the centre of the Cannon and we then set off for the 500km drive to Uluru.
There is only one place that you can stay close to Uluru National Park - Yularu (the Uluru Resort). The resort with accommodation ranging from camping to 5* hotel. It really was very touristy with hundreds of people staying there. I put my tent up at the campsite ($17) and Kim checked in to the Dorms.

I then drove the 20km to the base of Uluru and ran round the base while Kim went to the pool in the resort. It was a great run. I had to stop every now and again to take photos. When I first saw the rock from a distance I did not find it very impressive - it just looked like a big red rock. However, when up close it is amazing. I was not expecting to say this at all, but there is something special/magical about it. It is not until you see it close up that I think you can really appreciate it. It was one of the best runs I have ever done. It was pretty hot as the weather had cheered up. I had to run quickly so that I could drive back to the resort to pick up Kim in time to get back for the sunset.

There are 2 areas set aside for people to watch the sunset, one for coaches and one for cars. We got there in plenty of time but is was really cloudy with a major storm coming in. The sun did not really set as it was too cloudy to see. Most people left but me and Kim and a few other people stayed to watch as the storm came in. It was the most fantastic storm I have ever seen! They do not have electrical storms like that in the UK. We sat and watched as the sky lit up by sheet lightening and fork lightening. It was awesome. I got some footage of the storm on video and then played around with different settings to get shots of the lightening illuminating Uluru. By the end there was only me and Kim and 2 Japanese guys left watching the storm. It was great as the storm was going on all around us but did not actually get wet as it did not get to us. We were in the middle :-)

It was great to see it without so many other people - it was surprising to us that they all left. I am so glad not to be in a tour group and to be doing this independently instead.





Went back to the Resort about 8.30/9 and cooked noodles and chatted with Kim and then went to see if my tent was still up after all of the wind and the rain. Fortunately it was still up and dry but it was a very noisy night. The wind got up and it rain heavily - good test of the tent :-) Not the best nights sleep ever though.

14th Nov - Alice Springs to Kings Cannon

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Up early again and I made some personal calls etc and then we got on the road for 9. We drove South on the Stuart Highway and then turned off for Alice Springs. It was a beautiful sunny morning without a cloud in the sky when we left Alice Springs. As we were driving a major thunderstorm arrived....

In the desert areas in central Aus they have major flash floods and every 1km or so they have flood ways and creeks crossing the road. Most of the year it is all dry and desert but in the wet season they have to close the roads. We were in a tiny car. As we drove along we saw loads of bigger cars than us that had broken down next to creeks as they had got water in their engines. We just went really slowing and I got out and waded through them first to check if they were too deap. Never-the-less at one point we were aqua-planing and water was coming up through the engine and on to the windscreen. Each time we went through a creek we were giggling and praying that we would get through. Very scary and also very much fun.



This picture was taken just before a creek. The guy had tried to go through the creek too fast and his bumper came off. Oops!







We arrived at Kings Cannon and went on the short walk up towards the centre of the Cannon. We had to turn round as the creek was over flowing on the path and Kim was not comfortable continuing. On the walk back to the car the storm arrived again and we just got back to the car before we got soaked.




When we got to Kings Cannon Resort Kim checked in to a dorm and I put my tent up just before it started raining heavily again. Kim was desperate for a beer having driven through the water for the last couple of hours. We went to the Thirsty Dingo Bar and got chatting to the staff that were having a major drinking session on their day off. After the first drink it was still raining really heavily so we decided not to head back to the Canon for sunset.



We had an awesome afternoon/evening in the bar.








Photos:

13th Nov - Western McDonald Ranges

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Up at 7, cooked eggs on toast for breakfast. Packed up car again and made Fajiatas for lunch. Called a few friends in the UK to catch up. We left Alice at 9 and got on the road out to the Western McDonald Ranges. There is a road which goes out to Glen Helen from Alice Springs with various stops along the way. We stopped off at all of the places we could visit which you could access via sealed roads as we do not have a 4X4.

Simpsons Gap: A nice little stop off point.









Standley Chasm: There is a walk from a cafe to the chasm. It is privately owned land and so it cost $6 to get in. Fortunately the sun started to come out when we where there. It is one of the most photographed places in the area and is beautiful. The walls of the chasm are really high and they light up a firey red when the sun is high in the sky (when we were there). It felt like we were in an Indiana Jones movie. As it is coming into the Wet season there are much fewer numbers of tourists than normal. It is great to see all of these places on our own or with just a few people. It is like we are discovering them ourselves.



On the walk back to the car (about 3km) Kim spotted a large golden spiders web (about 2m across) with a big spider in the middle eating a fly. It turned out that it was a golden orb spider - a deadly spider. When the sun caught the web it glowed an amazing gold colour. Cool.





Ochre Pits: The ochre pits are where the Aboriginal people of the area get their ingredients to make the different colours for painting their bodies and also cave walls. The pits were very impressive. There was ochre of all different colours which would easily break off in your hand. It would easily be turned into a power. The different colours of the rock was certainly worth seeing.



Ormiston Gorge: This is a big gorge area about 1km from the car park. The water was cool but certainly not too cold to swim in. Me and Kim went for a swim from one end to the other to cool off and I then did the 8km rim walk/run round the top and back. The views were great. The rock round here is bright red when the sun hits it. On my run I nearly ran into a snake. I saw it's whole body and when it saw me it just put it's head under a rock and pretended not to be there. With the rest of its body (1.5m) across the path I was not sure how I was going to get past. Fortuntely after a few minutes it slithered off. It turned out to be a Western Brown - a pretty poisonous snake. I don't like snakes.....

As there had been a lot of rain fall over the last the gorge was higher than normal. The walking signs were suggesting that in order to do the full circular walk I would have to swim the last bit back - rubbish! They meant wade.....

Glen Helen Gorge: This was another beautiful gorge.


We had planned on staying at Glen Helen over night but changed our minds as it was earlier in the day when we arrived than we had thought. We decided to do the drive back to Alice tonight rather than tomorrow morning, which would mean less of a drive to Kings Cannon tomorrow.
On the drive home the sunset was amazing. A wild dingo passed in front of us across the road. Tick - we have now seen a wild Dingo. Kim took me out for a lovely Thai meal in Alice. We were going to go out for drinks but we decided to get up early tomorrow instead and head to Kings Cannon.

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikenz2uk/sets/72157625344754717/