Dinky 39

As we rode to Uluru two days ago a vast shape appeared on the horizon. I squeezed Jeremy with my knees and pointed, 'we're there, we've nearly done it!' it was immense, it was awe inspiring, it wasn't Uluru though. That must happen to a lot of people on the Lassiter highway. But why isn't Mount Connor a tourist destination? It's beautiful with it's big flat top and sloping sides. I've a photo of it in my post a few days ago. Uluru was another 150km or so to go and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) which are equally amazing with their lumpiness, like a child's drawing of a made up landscape.

We decided to stay put yesterday, even though the campsite was twice as expensive as others we'd been to. But it was pleasant, with soft grass and after all, this was the main destination of the whole trip. So no Norman yesterday, instead we rested in the heat of the day and at three fifteen took a bus tour to Kata Tjuta. They really are amazing. So vast in size it's difficult for your eyes to fully take it all in, quite dizzying. It was hot too, around about 35.

On the bus back we stopped at the uluru sunset viewing spot and waited the colours change through a spectrum of oranges and reds to brown as the sun setted. We felt a bit one of many, rounded up and herded through the sights, but I guess it's got to be done.

This morning we decided to get up really really early so we could walk a bit at the foot of Uluru before it got too hot, then pack our tent up and get on the road as today was to be a hot one.
We reached the base of the rock at 7 but already you could feel the strength of the sun. We walked the short walk into Kantju Gorge seeing different caves that the aboriginal people used to live in along the way. The men's cave, the boys cave where they learn how to hunt and become men and study the rock paintings, the women's cave, and the kitchen cave where you can see smoothed areas of the rock where flour was ground. In the gorge itself is a pool where after rain the water comes falling down the side of the orange rock staining it black with algae. It is known as a place of quiet reflection and you could really feel that, as if the silent calm thoughts of thousands of years seeped into you as you sat and absorbed your surroundings.

Uluru is such a familiar sight from a distance, but it takes standing at its foot looking up and walking round to really appreciate it. I loved this morning.

I didn't love this afternoon. Tent packed, Norman saddled, off we go, temperature rising. By mid afternoon it was 39 degrees. Bike jacket zipped up high because if it was left open the wind just heated you up all the more. Luckily I had been sucked in by a gimmick in a camp shop a few weeks ago. It was a neck scarf that you soak in water and it keeps it's moisture so when you wear it it keeps you cool. I don't think I could have managed today without it. Poor Jeremy, I think he was more worried about my reaction to the heat than his own ability to cope with it.

We rode a total of 450km today in that ridiculous temperature. The last stop before the 90km on to Alice Springs was a place called Stuarts Well. We got off the bike and I was in a foul mood. (I get extremely grumpy with the heat) we went in to the road house and bought some cold drinks and sat down, hoping my mood would improve From where I was sitting I could see through to the back room where the sun light was shining in through a doorway onto a light brown upright piano. The scenario looked so familiar I stood up and said to Jeremy "this is the place where that dingo lives, that dingo that was on tv with Martin Clunes" we had watched a charming program all about dogs a year or so ago and this was one of the locations where they filmed, the star being Dinky the dingo who stands on the piano and howls When we went up to pay I said to the guy that I recognised his back room from the Telly and he asked if I wanted to hear Dinky sing. Of course we did! We left Stuarts Well with restored spirits and the last 90 Km into Alice felt cooler and quicker then expected.

We're going to stay two nights here in our grotty but air conditioned motel room. Tomorrow is to hit 40 degrees, Norman will remain in the car park and we will find some nice cooled museums and plenty of iced chocolates.