GIRL TAKES ON WORLD!!!!!: The Rock

Our second re-location was from Alice Springs to Adelaide in a Britz camper van. We were given enough miles to be able to visit Ayers Rock and Kings Canyon on the way south. We left Alice Springs with a camper full of food and supplies. Our first stop would be Ayers Rock National Park. There is a full resort 30 or so K's from the Rock. We arrived at the resort and booked a spot in the campsite.

Our second, slightly more upmarket camper.

Yes me and the Rock, and yes I always drive like this.

We decided to watch the sunset at the Rock, but arrived in time to have dinner first. We enjoyed a meal, so much that we almost missed the sunset, we were busy doing the washing up.
It wasn't quite as we imagined as the sunsets behind the viewing bay, so you don't get a shot with the sun going down, but rather with the colour of the rock changing in the setting sun. I felt rather bored and found myself looking around, at first I thought this is just the result of seeing too much in the last eleven months or so, I've become jaded. Then I noticed Sian, in an attempt to entertain herself was trying to create the illusion of holding the rock in her hand. It seems that not only I, was bored.

"She's got the whole wide Rock, in her hands..."

The Rock

Once back at the campsite we were treated to another beautiful starry night. We set our alarms for the ridiculous time of 5am, so we could pack up, watch the sunrise at the Rock and then be on our way to Kings Canyon. However as is often the case with early starts we slept in. I mean it wasn't like we'd travelled thousands of kilometres to see the sunrise at Ayers Rock or anything....
After finally waking we decided to spend an extra night at the resort and try again in the morning for the sunrise. It actually worked out well, we had time to hike around the base of the Rock and make a stop at Kata Tjuta.

Me at Ayers Rock.

From the information booklet provided we thought the base walk would be 4k, instead it turned out to be much further and I'm still not sure how this happened. Up close the Rock looks completely different, there is visible scarring and colour changes and at one point the outline of William Shakespeare.

The Bard.

Prepared for the sun.

It was a gloriously hot day, something that we hadn't expected. A few days before there had been rain, a very rare occurrence. Although since arriving in Australia it has rained almost everyday, I'm tired of locals telling me how unusual this is. So much for a drought.
I think the base walk took us about 2 and a half hours, there's very little shelter on route, so we arrived back at the camper exhausted. The great thing about travelling in a camper is being able to eat where ever you want. Once again we had a great view of the red rock while we ate and drank.
We decided to head to Kata Tjuta, more rock formations with special significance to the Aboriginal community. We took the short hike to a beautiful oasis.

Classic Australian Signage.

We decided to stay to watch the sunset, and of course eat another meal. The next day when our alarm went off at 5am we did manage to get up and packed. We were disappointed to find the sunrise viewing point doesn't give the opportunity for a photo with the Rock and the sunrise, but rather the changing colour of the Rock. I'd recommend to anyone visiting in the future, watch the sunrise at the sunset car park, and the sunset at the sunrise car park.
So there was only one thing to do, eat a cooked breakfast.

No we didn't have salad, but I couldn't find the right photo.

It was a whole lot cooler as we drove to Kings Canyon. We intended to do the short hike and then get back to the Stuart Highway that dissects the centre of Australia. We hoped to make it to the Northern Territories/South Australia border before night.