1 June – Thursday – flight to Uluru /Ayers Rock (pronounced “Airs”)

We're up early to catch the bus to the airport. Pam had booked the three of us flights and tours for Uluru and Alice Springs. Since we had checked luggage we missed the early pickup from the airport and had to wait two hours for the tour to pick us up at 2pm. There were two short guided walks around Ayers Rock, the famous red monolith in the heart of the Australian Outback. We were given champagne to toast the sunset, then a quick dinner of sausages, cutlets, stew, cole slaw and potatoes. We had booked an additional evening tour and were rushed out to see the “Field of Lights” an art installation resembling a tulip field at night. Pam, Fran and I spent the night in one of the permanent tents. It felt a little cold but not enough for me to get up and get my wrap out of the backpack.

2 June – Friday – Uluru and the Olgas

We're up at 4:45am to have breakfast and travel to see the sun rise between the Olgas and Ayers Rock. Then there was a walk at 8am. I skipped the walk to a gorge at 10:30am as it was getting too hot. We had hamburgers for lunch, then were driven to Kings Canyon. The bus stopped at a Salt Lake for folks to take photos. I didn’t bother to go out. One girl got her entire shoes soaked in the mud there.

In the evening, there weren’t any bunk bed tent sites. Pam & Fran shared one. I had a Chinese woman for my tent mate. We had chicken for dinner. Then our driver/guide played the billabong (an aboriginal 4ft long wind instrument). Some of the kids tried to play the billabong. I went to bed instead at 9pm.

3 June – Satuday – Kings Canyon

Up at 5am for the hike up “heart attack hill” began at 6:30am. Decided to not drag the big camera which made the hike easier for me. We made Turtle Point in time for sunrise and finished the walk by 10:30am. One issue with going on a tour with a group is that there aren’t many moments for quiet contemplation. I mentioned this to our guide at one lovely oasis spot. He actually asked everyone to be quiet for a few minutes to enjoy the sounds of nature. The King’s Canyon hike among the rocks was more interesting to me than Uluru. We had burritos for lunch. There were leftovers so we packed them for dinner to eat once we got to the hostel in Alice Springs.

4 June – Sunday – West McDonnell Ranges

We had a day tour from Alice Springs which started at 7:45am. Several stops: First was a visit to Flynn’s memorial, a famous Oz pioneer, then Simpson’s Gap, Standley Chasm, Ochre Pits, Ormiston Gorge, Glen Helen, finishing at Ellery Creek Big Swimming Hole. Our guide was a bit of a leg puller. He told us to be very quiet at Standley Chasm because the rock wallabys were terribly shy. He then proceeded to show us a rather quiet specimen -- it was a statue.

There was also the hunt for the koala in the tree during tea. Pam found it. It was a very tiny stuffed one.

This tour was very easy with many beautiful things to see. This was a joy after the two days of rather heavy hiking. We would recommend the Emu Run's McDonnell Ranges 1 day tour .

June – Monday – Alice Springs to Ayers Rock/Uluru

We’re up at 4:30am to catch our bus at 6am back to Uluru. Pam noted things that looked like tennis balls along the road. We were told it was a fruit that camels like to eat. Oz has the biggest population of dromedaries (one humped camels) in the world. Afghani’s bought them to Oz in the 1860’s.

We got back to Ayers Rock by lunch time and decided to just chill instead of bicycling around as originally planned. Found enough free food at the hostel to make dinner.

NEXT: Back to Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road