We were woken up at 5.30am (I say woken, but I had been awake since 2.30am due to the mice crawling all over my swag). Many of the campers didn't get 1 minute sleep.
Had breakfast onsite (noticed mice on table we used for breakfast which was not good). Had tea / toast again, before rolling bag and swag before boarding bus for day 2 of our Rock tour. We seen at least 3 mice running around the bus that morning and one brave girl onboard discarded of 2 (in a humane way of course!).
At this moment I would not recommend the Rock tour to anyone.
Pulled over about 50km from Uluru to get a glance from sand dune. It was the start of sunrise and it was great to finally see it.
We arrived in Kata Tjuta to start a 3 hour trek. Absolutely amazing scenery on the trek which has some slight climbing in it.
On our walk we were even lucky enough to see a kangaroo about 20 feet away in full stride.
Completed this trek and it was time for lunch for a bunch of less irate but hungry campers. We pulled at a lookout or some tuna wraps. Another first for me as I ate cold tuna for first time. Certainly is a holiday of firsts!
Once lunch was over we arrived at Aboriginal cultural centre to learn more about this extraordinary race. A great place to learn about their methods and ways.
After about an hour in the centre, we arrived the bottom of the Rock and really, the only reason anyone visits Alice Springs and this general area.
There was an amazing presence at the base despite all the tourists and tackiness which surrounded it. There were no stalls, nobody trying to sell you anything.
The thought crossed my mind about climbing the Rock - something which is catered for with a walking path/aids but not recommended, for cultural, safety and environmental reasons.
After learning so much about this race over past few days and from speaking to guide I decided it was quite disrespectful to climb the rock - it equates to tourists going to our places of worship and treating them like an attraction. The Aboriginal people own this area, have opened it to the public to allow them gain an understanding into their lives and to try to aid their integration into todays white society.
After completing our 2.2km 'Mala' walk and hearing a few dreamtime stories, we headed to out lookout spot about 5km away from Uluru for the sunset.
This was going to be special!
Had dinner & beers while watching the sunset. The sun set was officially due to set at 6.07pm. We got some great pics - all the main tour operators seem to come here so it was packed with school tours to backpackers to elderly trips.
We drove to our campsite (not bush camp and not mice infested!). This was paradise!!
The entire group showered before setting up fire. We sat around on out swags, played games and drank beer.
First game was to for us to think of a colour, animal and city - an 3 adjectives words that go along with each. Once the first person said their words the guide would explain what it meant.
Before I tell you what they mean, I'll tell you what I said.
Colour: Red (fiery, hot and raging)
Animal: Cow (lazy, slow and edible)
City: Bangkok (dirty, smelly and horrible)
So, this is what they mean:
Colour: how you see yourself...
Animal: how other people see you...
City: what you think sex with you is like...everyone nearly fell off their swag laughing when I said Bangkok!
After this game we played a game called 'Cereal Killer'. Basically it involved placing the empty cardboard cereal box we had on the floor, each person had to bent over and pick it up with their mouth. You could not touch the floor with your hands, elbows or knees. Only your feet could remain on ground. After round 1 was complete, the guide would tear a strip of cardboard from the box - the box was getting smaller and smaller meaning each time you had to crouch that little bit lower. I came 2nd only to a Chinese girl who must have been learning Kung Fu since she was 3 months or something. After the cardboard could not be torn off any more, the guide dug a hole in the ground and we leant into the hole to pick it up. Absolutely crazy stuff and an excellent laugh! After final round which i could not get, I think I tore hamstring in right leg! Not the best news seeing as i got to walk around Uluru tomorrow!
Didn't sleep around the fire that night, as we found a nice cosy laundry room to sleep in. Lots of people found alternative sleeping sites that night!