Alice Springs to Uluru

The alarm went off at 05.15 so we were ready to be picked up at 06.00. We had packed our backpacks the night before and lodged our suitcases with the hotel for our return. The tour bus duly arrived on time and off we went, collecting the final few people in our group en route. Our expectations were confirmed, the average age of the other fifteen on the tour guessed at early twenties so we nudged it up a bit. Our party consisted of six Brits including us; two Austrians, one German, four Taiwanese and two from Hong Kong, Locky the driver and guide, plus Phil a trainee guide from England.
The weather was not good with frequent rain showers not boding well for the day. Before the first stop though, we could see a break in the cloud which soon turned into clear blue sky.
We stopped three times in the six hour journey (six hours including the stops) The first at a camel ranch where they are breeding camels and selling them back to Saudi Arabia. Camels are now wild in this desert area, having been introduced by the British to transport goods in the early opening up of this area and released when trains/lorries took over. The other stops were either comfort stops or for diesel, and we saw an emu and a rock wallaby at one of the stops.
Uluru was sighted in the distance although not confirmed by the guide. We stopped briefly at the resort area of Yulara were rooms can cost from £180 to £1,000 per night - our whole trip for the three days was only £200. Having passed this accommodation we moved on to the camp site which formed a remote part of the same complex. Here we were introduced to our swags and the patch of bare ground where we were to sleep!!!
Time for a snack lunch before setting off for Uluru itself.
The first stop in the National Park was the Cultural Centre for an insight into the local Aboriginal people. Having a better understanding of the importance of Uluru to the Aboriginal people our guide, Locky, took our group on two walks around parts of the base; the Mala Walk and the Kuniya Walk. On each walk he explained in detail what we were seeing from ancient rock paintings to the different historic uses of caves in the face of Uluru and the dream/creation stories which are the basis of the Aboriginal system of laws and beliefs, handed down often in song and rhyme to each generation. Each story relates to a particular landscape and connects to another so Locky linked for us the stories of the aboriginal ancestors who lived around Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Walking so close to the base of Uluru showed us why this is one of the natural wonders of the world. It is equally, if not more, impressive close up than the usual view of it dominating the flat desert landscape. The variety of the different faces was something we had not expected.
By the time this was completed it was off to the viewing area to see the sunset reflected on Uluru. While waiting and taking photos as the colours of Uluru changed we drank sparkling wine followed by an excellent stir fry meal prepared by Locky. As sunset approached we all just stood and watched the colours of the rock change numerous times as the sun sank lower. With just a few high clouds to give extra colour to the sky it was a magnificent experience.
Back to our camp site it was time to break out the swag and choose which bit of ground to sleep on. There was no hanging around even though it was only 20.30, when we were told the early morning call would be at 04.30 to be in place to see the sun rise over Uluru!!
Settling into the swag and looking up to the sky we got, as promised, a view of a million stars. It was hard to sleep with such a view, but eventually we did.