The Red Centre: Yulara and Uluru, Northern Territories, Australia - 8th October 2004

Following Melbourne, and a day in Sydney, it's off to the middle of the desert for a scope at Uluru and a stay at the Ayer's Rock Resort backpack digs - the Outback Pioneer. The whole trip was a bit of a last-minute thing: the Australia trip was primarily for work, but there are a few days extra were tacked on the end for holidays. However, local mate Trotsky had people around until Tuesday, so something else needed to be done for a few days. And so a quick trip to the Flight Centre on Circular Quay in Sydney led to a trip to the Red Centre, especially after it was discovered that the resort at Ayer's Rock had dorms and wasn't too expensive. The flight was fairly empty too, so it gave a chance to bagsy a seat on the emergency door row. The hostel prove to be comfortable enough, and is well equipped with a shared kitchen, plus a bar with some live music. On the first whole day, a car is hired, enabling a bit more of a wider roam around, which is followed by a helicopter flight around Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Prior to walking around Uluru itself, there's the chance to learn a bit about the local Anangu people and their culture, or Tjukurpa.

next album: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia - 10th October 2004
previous album: A Couple of Days in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia - 5th October 2004

The path leading to an Uluru lookout

A self-timer shot of Nosher's gnarly legs

The first close-up of the rock itself

A selfie with Uluru

The verandah outside Nosher's dorm room

Nosher in the sunset

Eucalyptus tree

A starry sky over the Ayer's Rock Resort

Miles of road with almost no traffic

More lonely trees

Kata Tjuta - many heads

Nosher's hired car

Kata Tjuta in the background (formerly The Olgas)

On the boardwalk, where it's about 38°C

The entrance to Kata Tjuta

The Docker River Road - 800km of dirt track

Kata Tjuta

There's no o petrol for 815 kilometres (509 miles)

A quality cliché road sign

Curious holes in Uluru

A bite from the Woma Python

A stop near the Anangu Women's sacred Woma site

A burnt tree

Vertically-stacked sandstone

A respite from the heat and sun

Uluru in the sunset

Bikers watch the sunset

A photo in front of Uluru

A flash of deep orange

Uluru briefly flashes purple as the sun sets

There's some music at the backpacker's resort bar

At the bar of the Outback Pioneer hostel

The well-equipped resident's kitchens

There's a moth the size of a bird in the dorm

The Outback Pioneer Lodge

Time for a flight around Uluru and Kata Tjuta

The pilot comes around

The many heads of Kata Tjuta

The pilot is an ex-Rozzer from Oxford

Uluru from the air

A view of Yulara

The shadow of the helicopter on spinifex

Back on the ground

A windsock and a pile of barrels

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