It seems a bit surreal . .

. . . to touch the solid surface of the biggest - and I mean BIG! - rock in the heart of the Australian continent. Uluru (Ayers Rock) is certainly impressive even from a distance as we first saw it during sunset last night (Sunday, 7/21). And then to get up close and personal... Wow!

Dave, again...
We jumped right in not long after landing the flight from Sydney. Following registration and check-in, a large bus soon took us to a dune quite a distance from the mammoth rock where, to the deep buzzing hum of a didgeridoo, about 80 people gathered to watch (and photograph!) the changing colors and shadows of Uluru in the fading sunlight. It was then just a short walk down to dining tables prepared for a feast accompanied by aboriginal dancing and a later presentation about the stars in the southern sky. The bright nearly-full moon made some things a bit difficult to see, but I can now tell you how to find the southern pole in case you are lost in the bush in Australia!

Dinner was a well-done repast of native and more common foods. Of note among the things we ate are a crocodile Caesar salad, kangaroo, and barramundi (a fish). No, none of it tasted like chicken!

Today, Monday, we got up early to be out at another viewpoint to watch the sun rise on Uluru. The light and the colors are amazing. On seeing this, one can really understand why this rock has engendered spiritual awareness among the aboriginal people and many others as well. We continued with a cultural walk around about half of Uluru led by a guide who explained how particular beliefs and teachings of the aborigines are based in various features of the rock. We saw rock paintings from ancient times and learned about the food sources of the native people as they have always lived off the land.

It is winter here. We were very aware of that as the temperature descended to about 7 deg. centigrade during the dinner and star talk. Later during the night it reached a low of 1 deg. centigrade, making the morning sunrise exercise another chilly experience until the sun rose and warmed things to a balmy 17 deg. C. (about 55 deg. F.) by mid-afternoon. It has been a lovely afternoon to wander around the resort community facilities and ponder all that we are seeing and experiencing.

We went to a local cafe for our evening meal.  Becky had a cheese and tomato pizza.  I had a burger... Australian beef, of course!  The burger was a pretty standard concoction including bacon and pickled beets. Very tasty.  I'll have to ask for the beets the next time I have a burger in the US.

What would this place be without the unique sound of the didgeridoo.
Drinks and canapés included kangaroo and crocodile.  Yum!

We've only been here a few hours and we know we are in a different place!  Can you tell it is winter here?

The dinner was delicious.  We were cold. 
As darkness descended fluffy ponchos were available to those who needed them.

Sunrise, the next day!  We didn't stay out all night... came back for a morning tour.

The rising sun brought out wonderful colors in Uluru and the surrounding landscape.

Yes, we were there taking it all in from the viewing platform and surrounding trail.

The Australian bush.  This park is not desert.  It is semi-arid land.  It is surrounded on all sides by deserts.

Our tour group walking along Uluru.  This massive rock also extends several kilometres under the ground!

Ancient cave writings have been literally "washed out" by early photographers who threw water on them to enhance them for B&W film images.  Still, fascinating.

The Mutitjula waterhole.
One of a number of waterholes along the base of Uluru, depending on the season.

One of a number of caves carved out by wind and water.  Some, like this one are still used for aboriginal ceremonies.

From inside, you get a better idea of the size of the cave above.