i love a sunburnt country
the long stretch of highway towards nothing but a rock
Going to Ayers Rock was a spontaneous decision. I had never been to the outback before, and as I was approaching my 30th birthday, I wanted to experience something that was big, romantic and memorable. Ayers Rock is situated in the heart of an isolated desert in northern Australia, a perfect place to seek adventure.
I went with a tour group called Emu Tours. Group tours can sometimes be dull as you get the touristy version of the scenery, rather than experiencing it for yourself. But considering how far away everything is in the Northern Terriority, a group tour was the best option for me.
Happily, the tour focused on exploring the outback on our own two feet. Our first stop after I got picked up from my hotel in Alice Springs was a huge canyon called Kings Canyon. From there our group went on a 6km hike around the canyon, navigating our way over rocky terrain, scaling hills and looking over sheer cliffs.
the beauty of kings canyon
The colours and sheer vastness of Kings Canyon is spectacular. In September the sky oozes a deep blue, and the cliffs are adorned with rich reds and orange bands, a birthmark from its millions of years of evolution.
The next day as we continued our journey towards Ayers Rock, we stopped at another curious rock formation called the Olgas. At this point in the journey we got a lot of tourist commentary about the legend of the Olgas, but I guess tour guides have to keep themselves entertained while driving along those long stretches of highway! The Olgas were indeed impressive natural rock formations, and makes you marvel at the sheer capacity for nature to build its own empire. But of course, the highlight of the trip was seeing Ayers Rock.
shimmering pond
We arrived at Ayers Rock by about 3pm and were taken on a guided tour around the base. You realise very quickly that Ayers Rock is not a solid mass of rock (like a giant pebble), but rather an overlay of rock planes, cavities and secret caves-within-caves. As we entered the belly we were enchanted to find a shimmering pond; an important water-source for kangaroos and other wildlife.
Ayers Rock is incredibly photogenic (as one would expect from a national icon) and literally glows in the sunlight. In that afternoon, as the sun went down and we drank sparkling wine, we watched the rock changing from one beautiful colour to the next, from deep reds and browns to a striking golden colour.
an afternoon at ayers rock
An outback sunset is equally stunning:
outback sunset
Ayers Rock is something that I remember as a great photo opportunity and a chance to see a different part of my homeland. If I were to visit again, I would fly directly to the local Ayers Rock airport and make my way over there, maybe by car, or perhaps on the back of a camel! I think I would love to spend a few hours by myself or with a close loved one contemplating the unique intricacies of the rock, and taking it all in with the innocence of a humble observer.
