Arose at 6am this morning and drove out for sunrise at the rock purchasing a 3 day pass ($50) on the way in. Sunrise was at 7.17am this morning and by the time we got out to the sunrise viewing platform there were many people and about 3 tour buses already there. It was first in best dressed for the best viewing spots. I even had one lady tell me that spot at the rail was reserved when I stepped in to take a photo! As it was a cloudy morning the sunrise probably wasn't as spectacular as it usually would be but it was still pretty amazing and awe inspiring. I understand now what people say about this place being special. It certainly has a presence about it that is hard to describe. After taking photos we had our breakfast at the carpark that we had prepared earlier and a coffee and drove around to an area called the Mala carpark for the free guided walk which was very informative. The walk took around an hour to complete. The Mala carpark is where the climb starts. You can see the chain going up the side of the rock and it is straight up.The traditional owners the Anangu people regard Uluru as a sacred place and they do not wish people to climb it. It has not been ruled out completely yet but by 2020 no-one will be allowed to climb it. There has also been quite a few deaths that have happened to people while climbing Uluru so it can be very dangerous as well particularly when it is windy. There is a 10km walk around the base of the rock which is supposed to take 3 hours but I did it in an hour and a half. A pleasant walk as long as it's not too hot.
THE OLGAS KATA TJUTA - 21ST MAY 2014
This morning we took a 50km drive out to the Olgas or the Anangu name Kata Tjuta meaning 'many heads' was formed by cracks caused by weathering and erosion over the years. This wore away the rocks above the cracks to produce the rounded domes of the Olgas. The Olgas has 36 domes the highest rising 546m above the plain. The main walk here is called 'Valley of the Winds'. It is advertised as being a difficult walk taking approximately 4 hours to complete. We ended up just going up to the first lookout which afforded really good views where we could take photos. Then we went to Walpa Gorge which is just a short walk nearby.
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