In Awe of this bit of Rock

I am starting with what would be the ending of yesterdays story , on the basis that it is hard for me to describe just how good a feeling it gave Lynda and me to be able to say that we were standing at Ayers Rock or Uluru as it is locally known, roughly in the centre of Australia , in a place that is held in such regard , both culturally and symbolically.

It is hard to imagine but this Rock was only found by westerners in 1873 by a William Gosse, who clearly was currying favour when he named it Ayers Rock after Sir Henry Ayers , who was Chief Secretary of State, of the region.

The trip started in Coober Pedy and was to be our second longest drive of this Australian trip-- around 800 kilometres and which Lynda pitched in with the driving.

You see these deep Ocre colours from time to time -- almost blinding when you come across them

We also saw 30 miles worth of minings for Opels and these were only what we could see from the road.

This is the only damned Skippy we see regularly by the side of the road apart from the roadkill victims and am starting to get my letter to the Aussie PM regarding this lack of the live version of this aussie symbol.

We stopped for a sandwich at a great place run by two guys who could have been drovers with the bar and garage work being a part time role-- but anyway , in Kulgara, this is what supports the locvals with a place to get a beer and to leave their bull--it.

Thought about leaving my Chelsea cap for hanging on the ceiling but thought that it might be waisted

Lynda had to get a shot of the DUNNY--- bit of aqn outside space-- but improved I guess since this door was last used.

Signage becomes a real necessity to keep an eye on as this is going to dictate the need for fuel and water.

Some shots of this amazing place-- to simplify what kind of feelings it generates there was a moment where Lynda visibly shivered hard  and bearing in mind the temperature was 36 degrees it was one that was very noticeable

 Some erosion going on on what is after all sand stone of a kind and of course actually saying that you touched a piece of this monument is pretty cool as well

The Boss below , playing it cool---

We went into the art cultural centre, in the park and I have mixed feelings about having a whole bunch of indigenous people on show--- ok so they are producing art for selling that I am sure help the local community in a number of ways-- but I have to ask myself if this is real art from the history of using art for recording stories and history or is this just a production line of prints/paintings that don't have any real significance to the Aboriginal peoples culture.

If everyone accepts that this is what it is then fare enough.

So here is our reception and it was a pretty good nights sleep and dinner was pretty good.

Apparently there are Camel farms around here and there are tours with them but we are gonna give this a miss this time.

 

 

 

Here is Lynda getting to touch a large piece of the Rock.

 

Nice photo of me and the missus, with the Chelsea hat of course--

 

And finally a shot of her new best friend -- Punk Pigeon

 

Punky Pigeon dot com

And very finally a word from the writer

 

Thanks