Up at 5.30 to go and watch the sun come up on Uluru. You get to drive round the other side of the rock to stand with 300 other folks all with cameras at the ready waiting for the sun to come up. It felt like being a paparazzi and was quite a noisy experience, not the tranquil “at one with nature” event you would wish for.

We found a path to a quieter area a bit lower down and found a spot clear of trees the gave us a good view. This was much quieter except for the Australian woman loudly slagging off aboriginies who have terrible toilets apparently. So another move away from the bigoted bitch.

Finally found our spot that was quiet and enjoyed watching it come up. It’s not that magical, it doesn’t do much but get lighter and you spend more time looking at it through a view finder than actually seeing it.

After the sun had come up and the rabble had got back on their smokey old coaches we headed for the visitor centre. This was ok but all it did was tell you three legends of what some bits mean on display posters then it tells you the same again on a really badly made video, least I learnt a new dance move or two and saw some really large droopy breasts. Highlight of the holiday for me.

We headed out to a car park near the base and came close up to the rock for the first time, it was here that we got a real appreciation for the wonder and magic of it, it’s absolutely huge with some amazing caves and markings. Problem was, every post told the same three stories, one was about a man catching someone else’s emu and eating it and then denying it and then the other folks realising and not being happy. The other was something about some blokes having a party but being invited round to the neighbours for another party but refusing to go cos their own party was ace. So the neighbours weren’t happy so cooked up a large monster to frighten them off. Can’t remember the third one. I don’t believe that in 60,000 years only three things happened at the base of the rock.

Then they ask you not to climb it as it’s sacred to them which is fair enough but then have a sign up telling you whether the climb is open today AND provide a ladder for you to do so.

In the most sacred spots they also ask you not to take pictures as it takes it out of context and is therefore wrong but they provide you with viewing areas few hundred yards away to take pics of the rock as the sun sets. Figure. Wouldn’t this be the same as asking people not to photo Stonehenge?

Oh and they charge you $25 each to get access to the park.

After walking round the base a bit we headed for the Olgas another rock formation in the middle of the outback and did a long and arduous walk in near 30 heat to an outlook point. That took us a about 3 hours to do 5km but it was great to be really out there. Tho you weren’t that far out there as every now and then there’d be a drinking water tank or an arrow pointing the way to go. Was a bit steep tho.

Got back to the Camels toe and had a lie down for a few hours. I thought I’d gone brown, turned out to be the dust stuck to the sweat on my legs. But did manage to slightly burn our calves. Hurrah colour at last.

Got 26km left on the car. Phew.

Tea was barramundi and chips and nelly had salmon pasta. Another $60 done with.

Flying to Sydney tomorrow and then no more flying for 10 days. Picking hire car up fri and heading for Melbourne.