Having dosed myself up on anti-histamines and moved to the much cleaner YHA Pioneer in Alice Springs, I decided that I really out to get out to "the Rock". I had originally booked an overnight 2 day tour, but due to being lumpy and changing accomodation it had to be curtailed to a one day tour and my, what a day. I was picked up from my new home at 0545 yesterday, ready for the long drive to the National Park by an Emu Tours bus. Two and a half hours (and many zeds) later we stopped for breakfast, before heading out for the remaining 3 hours (and yet more zeds) to the Ayers Rock Resort. Here we looked around the visitor's centre and the small town prior to driving into the Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park, which is home to the Olgas as well as the rock. The Kata - Tjutas (or the Olgas, as named after a European Queen, prior to reverting to their Aboriginal name) is a small range of domes/hills which resemble heads. Here we wandered through the Valley of the Winds in the blistering early afternoon heat. I had on my factor 60 as well as a hat with built in net fly screen, which one of the girls at the hostel had kindly lent me, and was carrying 2 litres of water. By the time I returned to the bus the water was as warm as bath water and the heat had melted the glue holding the soles to my trainers - hence they were no more. Onwards to the cultural centre, which concentrates on the beliefs and way of life of the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara Aboriginals who inhabit the inhospitable National Park area and have done so for at least 22,000 years. Following the cultural centre we made for Uluru itself and stopped near the climb, which was closed due to temperatures in excess of 37 degrees, so sadly no climbing, but it probably would have been impossible as my trainers were broken and I was now wearing flip flops. The Aboriginals request that tourists do not climb as they have deep rooted sacred beliefs relating to Uluru and to climb shows disrespect in their eyes, equivalent to climbing on the altar in St Paul's Cathedral. Despite this the climb remains open, except when too windy or hot or if the rock is wet. During the last 50 years some 36 people have died, and many more have been injured, whilst climbing this monolith and it wasn't until the last death that the coroner put the above stipulations for climbing in place. Amazing to think that if it was a fairground ride it would have been closed many, many years ago. Uluru has a circumference of 9.4km, is 3.6km long, 348m high and is the largest monolith in the world, despite two thirds of it being beneath the earth's surface. We managed 2 small base walks in the heat and saw sacred sites (no photography allowed) and some caves with paintings. The guides thought it highly amusing to mention snakes every 5 minutes as I was now flip flopping along in the red dust, but fortunately we saw none. By now it was getting quite late and we drove to the BBQ area for our sunset dinner and Champagne, which was a perfect end to the day. Obviously, the only down side now was the tediously long journey back to Alice. Sleep was hard to come by as, due to the darkness, there was an abundance of wildlife wandering the roads, which meant lots of braking. We saw wild camels, eagles, cattle, rabbits and kangaroos, but sadly we didn't avoid everything in our path and 3 kangaroos were no more by the time we returned at 0130. A long and exhausting day, but worth it. Hopefully I can sleep on the flight to Sydney tomorrow. Sherry xx