Welcome to the Rock

After a beautiful sunset over Kings canyon the next day was rainy again.  But nothing dampened our enthusiasm as we approached The Rock, not realizing how big it really was.

 This is the view from behind our camp and looking away from Uluru was The Olgas or Kata Tjuta.

There was a glint of sun coming through at sunset but this was false hope as, after a great dinner with the Carrolls (the family we had done the King's canyon walk with), the rain set in.  They were supposed to leave the next morning but the rain had not stopped and didn't all day, and with that their hope of a short route home to Geraldton faded fast, while the water in our annex filled up fast.  So that day was spent in the camper which probably hadn't happened since the Blue Mountains.  So much for the desert being hot and dry!  Checkout the clouds on The Rock.

The next day we kicked into action and visited the cultural centre and rode our bikes around Uluru.  It was a great way to do it, nice and easy compared to walking, and fun going through all the puddles.  There were some great water holes and wave rocks.

A guy offered me $50 for my bike so I told him this was a sacred site and to stop showing disrespect.
When we got back the Swedosh's had arrived and we all fired up for the Mala Walk with Ranger Kim at 8am the next day then hopefully climb The Rock, if only the weather would oblige.  So we got up early for us and enjoyed the talk by the ranger,

but The Rock was still closed so we headed back to camp and the Swedosh's to the cultural centre.  Just as we were cooking lunch we got the text from Tori saying it was open, and the boys were pumped, so we postponed lunch and did the climb and returned a couple of hours later completely hunger flat.  We went up pretty quick (probably broke the family record) but would pay for it the next day. 

 On the way up we passed a blind guy and a big perentie, great effort on their part.

Then the last day at Yulara we decided to back it up with a 7.4km walk in The Valley of the Winds at Kata Tjuta.  Kirst was the only one standing strong, the rest of us struggled through it a bit, but the walk was beautiful and a special way to end our visit to the red and rainy centre.

Tomorrow we head off 700km south to Coober Pedy.  See you there.