We arrived at the tourist town of Yulara on Thursday the 2nd of July. The caravan park was completely booked out but we were able to get into the overflow park (dirt paddock) at the back of the park. It was actually better value at $10 a night than the caravan park. We set up next to friends from Beaufort Julian, Trish & their boys Mitchell and Thomas. Yulara is an aboriginal word meaning howling dingos, but we didn't see or hear any. It is situated just outside the just outside the Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park which is home to Uluru (Ayers Rock) and the Olgas (Kata Tjuta). On the way to Yulara the kids were very excited when we first spotted Uluru (Ayers Rock). I actually didn't care much for coming to the red centre, but seeing the rock for the first time somehow inspired me. It was actually quite surreal to see it. It's one of those classic Australian icons you see a million times on TV, and then when it is right there before you it's quite a strange feeling.

We had a quiet afternoon and evening, getting organised and catching up with friends. The following morning we set off for Uluru which is around 20km from the caravan park. There is a $25.00 entry fee per adult to get into the park. It is just amazing and surreal to be driving toward this massive rock that is 384 meters high. Along with Julian and his family we took a free tour by an indigenous park ranger around part of the base of the rock. We enjoyed this tour and learning all about the rock, the traditional aboriginal people and their culture. However there was a strong emphasis on talking people out of climbing the rock. I had already decided not to climb it prior to hearing this. It wasn't for any other reason than the following. When the Government gave Ayers Rock back to the traditional aboriginal owners (Anangu people) they only did so on the condition that it remained open to the public to climb it. So to get their land and rock back they agreed. However the traditional owners ask the public to show them and their culture respect and not climb it. To them it has spiritual significance and they don't want the public climbing all over it. So for me it was simple, they own it, they ask me not to climb it, so I won't climb it. Despite this Mandy, along with the majority of people visiting Ayers Rock on the day went ahead with the climb.

Mandy Trish & her boys set off on the steep climb. It took them about an hour and half to get up and around an hour and a quarter to get down. It was nerve racking watching them pull themselves up the chain fence at the steepest part of the initial climb. I waited on the ground with Julian and the kids, later visiting the cultural centre and having an ice cream and coffee. On their return we were patiently waiting at the base. Mandy was on a climbing high and said when she got to the top the view was breathtaking. She said the walk was not what she expected, "the top of the rock is up and down and not flat and smooth as you would expect. The climb is physically demanding but absolutely awesome!"

By the time we got back to camp it was time for showers, dinner and bed. The following day we planned to head to the Olgas (Kata Tjuta).