Day 87: Leaving Alice Springs for Uluru

Tuesday 1st March

Big water hole

Driving from Alice Springs

Uluru!!!

Distance:

Total Distance:

I'm writing in the bus right now. Here's the view

And that's most of today!

Though first we had a quick trip down to the big water hole near to Alice Springs. A series of rocky hills divides the country near Alice Springs. One of the reasons the town is there is due to the small divide in this range that sits nearby. Here a dry river bed, rail track and highway all allow movement from one side to the other. Other than this the only other accessible pass is hundreds of kilometre's away.

However about an hour up the road a small divide is evident in the hills. A small creek passes through this point. Where it hits the rocks it has warn a small pond which is filled with brown, tannin laden, water. Here we went for a cool morning swim. A beautiful little place for a little exercise and bonding before our 7 hour drive down to Uluru.

The rest of the day involved watching red desert and a few bushy shrubs roll past the windows. We'd see a few more hills, rocks, and trees. There was a service station next to an Emu farm- that didn't serve Emu! Very disappointed. I got a lot of writing done, did some reading, many of us slept. This is Australia. It's the size of Europe, bigger than the USA, we have thousands of miles to cover. The day after tomorrow we're set to do even more!

Finally, though, we made it to Uluru, the original name for Ayre's Rock. We were there just in time for sunset. I've put many more photos of Uluru on my brand new Instagram account name is Dr_ama_dinosaur there's plenty of photos on there and I'm trying to add to them as much as possible.

 

That night we slept in swags again, under the desert stars.

Day 61:Goodbye Kiwis, G'day Aussies

Thurday 4th February

Flying into Sydney and finding Chris

Distance: Bus, 6km, Plane 2227km, Bus, 10km, Walk, 3km

Total Distance: 8874km

Today began at...well, everyday starts at midnight, technically. I was up at midnight still packing. But eventually I got some sleep.

I woke after 3am, made breakfast including lots of coffee, and headed out for the bus. There were a few of us on the wee shuttle with me as the last to be picked up. Everyone else looked to be in a blurry state like me. Awake on too little sleep and knowing rest wouldn't come soon. We sat in silence. The dark was punctured by the odd monument or sculpture, lit throughout the night. I took a last glampse around Wellington. 

At the airport I tried to reclaim a wakeful state, aided by Smaug. Apparently he'd just smashed through the wall to say Goodbye to me. I then found a giant Golem hunting giant trout. Around the corner Gandalf sat atop one of the Giant Eagles, with another near by. All made by Weta Workshop. Amazing to see before I left.

And that was that. I flew out of Wellington. Goodbye New Zealand. It's been great.

Hello Australia!

Immigration was easy enough, but customs required a bit more. All that tramping in New Zealand made me a potential risk for the ecosystem- so I handed over my beloved boots for inspection and cleaning. Too easy (that's Aussie for...something)

9am and I'd been awake for hours. Time for coffee, juice, and wait for rush hour to end. And for the rain to stop.

Yes, it's raining. That's not normal here. Apparently they've had their wettest January in 30 years. It's green!

Eventually I got a public bus out to near where one of my university flatmates, Chris, works. The rain continued lightly as I walked down the road. I was just a street away when suddenly the heavens opened. I had to run, with everything I own on my back, round the corner and through the door. 

Chris had left his flat key for me at reception. I put on my rain coat and bag cover, preparing to walk to his flat. As I began the rain stopped. And my first experience of the boiling February Australian sun began.

I'm in Sydney! Sweaty, tired, and dehydrated. Time for a shower, tea, and bed.