DIARY OF AN AUSSIE WOMBAT: CENTRAL AUSTRALIA THE REAL OUTBACK

MT. EBENZER ROADHOUSE AND CATTLE STATION
The caravan park isn't much to rave about, but it has clean showers and toilets, well lit and power and our air con is working again, it's getting really cold here at night well done into the single figures, like the last three nights were 2, 4, 0 and last night was the warmest at 6. I am glad I have my fur to keep me warm, and I know mum and dad were glad they had the air conditioner checked, only had it on long enough to take that 'chill' out of the van making it very snuggly indeed.

We walked through the art gallery where many locals have made souvenire type things like boomerangs, didgeridoos (only for decoration purposes, as the Aborigines in the Northern Territory didn't use these.. or so we have been told). The First Nation people welcomed us warmly and were all in the restaurant area sitting around the lovely open fire.

Deciding not to buy anything for dinner we walked back to the van where we met other people camping for the night. They loved me! and laughed at some of my funnier photos. Two of the people there, Kath and Al had been travelling for three years but were headed back home, they had a little dog "Shandy" and we became good friends. She licked my nose and it tickled. Inbetween our campervan, and Kath and Al's caravan was a really nifty trailer camper, and in that camper were another two awesome people, Sharon and Gary... We had so many laughs in that short time we were altogether... Unfortunately Sharon and Gary were going back home but Sharon and mum are going to be FB friends...WATCH OUT WORLD! ha ha.. and Kath and Al are going to the Ayers Rock (Uluru) Resort as well as us, so we are bound to have some more days of fun and laughter... and more kisses for me from a cute little dog with a wet nose.

Dad has gone to bed, the air conditioner is set at 23 degrees, mum had a long hot shower and washed her hair and feels much better to 'scrape the layers of grunge off'.. (her words, not mine). Off in the morning after this stop over to Uluru.

　

WE ARE AT ULURU-KATA TJUTA!

(AYRES ROCK and the OLGAS)

"PALYA"! (like pul-yar)

Ok folks, a little bit of 'white man' history here... Uluru (Ayres Rock) is without a doubt one of Australia's best known natural wonders. First sighted by Europeans in 1873 when explorer William Gosse, who led a party "attempting" to cross to the west sighed and named M.Conner also to the west he haw a 'hill' that when closer saw it was a rock! He named the 'rock' after the South Australian Premier of the time Sir Henry Ayres... (I have no idea why, seeing as Ayres Rock is in the Northern Territory). The Olgas or Kata Tjuta was sighted by Ernest Giles and named them afterh the person who financed his expeditions, but later changed the name after Queen Olga. The entire region of Uluru and Kata Tjuta has deep cultural and spiritual importance to the local Aboriginal people the Anangu. (I'm such a knowledgable little wombat now).

We have decided that due to the Anangu's request of 'We can't stop you from climbing this place, but we request you do not"... That's all we needed to know that we would not be making the climb, out of respect we have for the traditional owners and carers of this special place! We are going to walk around it though... Did you know that the circumference of Uluru is 10 kilometers around? We will have to leave early in the morning to do that! We are going to stay for four days... there is so much to see!

There are many people usually those who come from overseas who may not totally understand the significance of Uluru who still climb the rock, seeing as they have travelled thousands of kilometers just to climb it, I suppose that is reasonable within their reasoning. But I can still understand and respect the Anangu's people cultural and spiritual beliefs as well... they also say they 'feel great sadness if someone falls gets hurt or even dies if they fall from Uluru'.

Mum got cranky with dad today about his back and his 'poo-poo' attitude and rang the medical centre here, an appointment was made and dad saw the doctor... lucky we got in! Dad needs some more tests and scans on his back now so mum took the car keys and put her foot down! The doctor said 'you had better get home soon'... Lucky we are on the last part of our journey. Mum asked should we leave now? The doctor looked at dad and said 'that decision is up to you... but your back will not be getting better anytime soon". Dad said there was no way we weren't seeing Uluru, actually he was more intent on mum seeing it as this was her ultimate thing to do and see! The doctor was lovely and very clever... he found something with dad that he said was very rare... Dad said to mum later "if it's rare.. I get it"... mum just looked at him and said 'yeah, but I have to put up with it'... dad made sure mum went out that afternoon. So, after lunch mum got on the shuttle bus into the Town Centre and watched the Aboriginal Dancing... it was awesome! Mum got her photo taken with the group and was even an emu protecting her nest.... they taught her the dance, so up mum got and she was a great emu. I couldn't take photos because my paws are too fat but a nice lady took the photo of mum and the group.

Dad still isn't well enough to go on any drives or walks so mum and I drove out to Uluru the next day, mum got out of the car and put the back pack on and that usually means a lonnnnnnnng walk! We started at where the sign asks you not to climb, but people kept on going straight past the sign and climbing up... the people who raced up the rock got to a place named 'Chicken Rock' and turned around and had to sit on their bottoms to get back down. It's really steep and it's a dangerous climb. Mum called them the 'moron brigade' and took a photo. We had a drink of water, put some fly repellent on and our sunscreen and hats and off we went. Starting off at Mala walk, near mum parked the patrol car, we started to walk, and kept walking! I took some good photos as did mum. Mum told me to put the camera away and read the sign for me.. there were a few around Uluru stating "Sensitive Area, please no photos or videos either to the left, the right or both sides of the sign"... People didn't read those either.. mum did, so I put my little wombat camera away and kept it away until mum said it was okay to take photos again. Places like Kuniya Piti, no photos taken there!

The Base Walk is the longest and as the name suggests goes around Uluru, at the rear of Uluru are wonderfully shaded areas, green grasses and trees with waterholes, and stories of the Anangu dreamtime. Their rainbow serpents, their elders, the 'imna' or creation of ceremonies and other wonderful tales, like when the Kuniya beat "Liru" the posionous snake. The First Nation people always care for the rock and the women keep the water hole clean always.. because water is life. The other walks are the Mala to Kantju Gorge (the one we all did together as this was on of the easiest walks for dad and was a Grade 1 level =easy), The Base walk was a grade 3, not so easy at all... We reached half way and stopped at a shelter the Anangu children from the Aboriginal school had painted and decorated. I thought it was wonderful! So did mum.. I took some photos. There was a tap there with fresh drinking water put there by the Anangu people for the travellers. Mum filled up the water bottle and after a snack we headed back on the walking trail. We found places where the families and entire generations spent the evening as the walls and roofs of the caves were covered in paintings, all telling their different stories. There was a womens cave with the little kids, a boys cave when they left their mothers and went with the men to learn how to hunt, be initiated as a man into the tribe or mob, and other wonderful places. These were paintings that we were allowed to photograph. We were very happy about this.

Mum and I also completed the Kuniya Walk (a very powerful woman who killed Liru), walked into a smaller gorge that lead to the Mutitjulu Waterhole, the Lungkata Walk, the Liru Walk and then back to the car park... By the time we finally got back to the car mums feet were hurting... "Silly things those shoes" I thought to myself, but I have to admit my paws were a tad tender as well.

When we got back to the van, dad was waiting for us and wanted to know if we had a good time.. we did! but poor mum... owie, owie, owie, dad laughed at her so she stuck her tongue out at him! But mum wasn't finished! She repacked her stuff and got the tripod out and set off again driving this time to the car park sunset viewing. I didn't go, but when mum got back that night she loaded the video and all the photos on the laptop and we all went through them. Mum even took dad's laptop because he was really disappointed he couldn't travel out there to see it for himself.

This morning dad was still sore, so mum and I drove out to Kata Tjuta which you might know by the English name of The Olgas. We parked the car and walked over really rocky ground that wound around and went up and down to the gorge, there were a lot of rare plants and is home to many animals. While it was very pretty.. I didn't find it 'grabbed' me like Uluru did. We took photos, the cliffs were sheer and tall. It's even taller in some parts than Uluru, but Kata Tjuta are many rocks while Uluru is one.

Kath and Al were here at the camp too, we talked a lot but unfortunately couldn't do many things together because of dad's back. But that was ok, we took photos and I got a kiss off Kath in front of Uluru! Mum took a photo and Kath is going to send it to her... Al saw it and laughed! We said goodbye to them this morning as they are heading off to Coober Pedy. We were going to travel there together but things happen. Who knows they might be there in a couple of days.. but if not, we have each other's email address and will definitely keep in touch!

Dad went to the town centre with mum when he was feeling better and he walked ok on the way there and enjoyed doing some shopping and watching the Aboriginal Dance. He also went to the didgeridoo workshop and intends to buy one.. We support him in any musical endeavours. And, on top of that... the Didgeridoo is a beautiful sounding instrument and is one of the worlds oldest instrument.

Well? Gotta go... lots of exploring to do and plenty of photos to go through and post here.

Stay safe, and if travelling read the signs, and stay on the walking tracks! So sad to tell you that two tourists (one from overseas and one from here in Australia) have fallen to their deaths.. not here at Uluru, but one at the Great Australian Bight and the other just the other day at Kings Canyon. Australia is made from rock that splinters and sheets of it just slide when it gives way.... my deepest and sincerest condolences to the families and friends of those who died getting 'the ultimate photo' and paid 'the ultimate price'.

Another two weeks and we will be home! Cant' wait for a good nights sleep in my own bed!

Tahune xx

Enjoy the pics!