Uluru

We enjoyed our visit to Uluru. In 1985 it was given back to the Aboriginal people and tourist buildings at it's base were removed and access to the rock restricted with proper pathways. A tourist town called Yulara was built 20kms away from it. The Anangu people along with Parks Australia take care of the rock. In the visitor centre and around the paths there are information boards explaining Uluru's spiritual meaning to the Aboriginal people. I think the stories may lose something in the translation. They ask you not to climb it but don't prevent you from climbing it. There is a rope up one side of it for climbers. The day we were there was surprisingly cool and misty so it was closed for climbing anyway because it would be slippery.

It's beautiful to visit. The rock is larger than you think and it changes as the light changes, and as you move around it.

The next morning in the campground at Erldunda (200kms east of Uluru) an emu was wondering through campsites looking for leftovers as people slept. Later as I was coming out of the washrooms the emu was there. He came right up to me. It was very intimidating to have a bird your height staring at you a foot away from your face. I backed up and asked him politely to go away. He did. It turned out he lived there as a pet, just wandering freely.