Early start to the day, but enough time for another Crown Plaza excess – the buffet.
We were picked up for the drive to Yulara (Ayers Rock Resort town)…
on time by Bee (aka Queen Bee), a guide/driver, quite proficient at both, especially the latter. Key points: 1) huge aquifer underlying the whole area causing upside down rivers and water just below the surface that emerges occasionally, explaining the name Alice Springs where there is no spring; 2) heavy rains recently, explaining the lush greenery; 3) huge “truck trains” that we meet can sometimes have 4-5 trailers; 4) the Royal Flying Doctor Service (established in 1928) is an NGO that supplies all types of medical care throughout the Outback; 5) the School of the Air (established 1929 with radio) provides schooling for Outback kids, started with radio, now uses the internet (was satellites, now Star-link), and cell towers; 6) the Finke River that we crossed is the oldest riverbed in the world; 7) desert oaks are not oaks, but are extremely interesting plants …
that will appear throughout the pics and vids in these posts – need a wikilook.
As we neared Yulara (Ayers Rock resort town) we passed Mount Connor, which tourists often mistake for Uluru (formerly Ayers Rock).
Bee led us across the street to a viewpoint that many tourists miss…
overlooking a salt flat…
that is quite evident on satellite views…
where Dana demonstrated the Aussie wave that is axiomatic for relief from the bush flies that haunt the area after rainy periods, like the recent one that was responsible for all of the greenery.
(including our own personal itinerary).
We moved on to the very private, gated, Longitude 131, according to Bee the most exclusive in central Australia, where she dropped us at the turnaround and had to immediately leave as we were greeted by Pam, the general manager, and hot face towels by an aide. We went to the lounge dining hall
for our introductory drink and briefing after which we had lunch (more on the total true gourmet experience here later) and were led to our “tent” named Jane Webb.
Per Dana’s unshakable arrival ritual we immediately set out on a walk, on the Longitude Loop
A little later we gathered at the central lodge for a sunset viewing of Uluru…
followed by a stroll through the Field of Lights ( an artistic creation that underwhelmed me – due to its invasion of the land with kilometers of wire and lights – but was quite a spectacle.
We then went for an outdoor dinner at a little patio under the stars (Table 131), where we had a terrific 4 course dinner huddle under gas heater stands that constantly blew out due to the wind and were restarted by the staff (consistently amazing group of friendly, polite, smart, diverse people)…
followed by sky viewing…
and a fascinating indigenous astronomy talk by staff member Mikela.
We returned to our tent where an outdoor fire and sleeping bag were waiting with drinks and popcorn,
but it was too cold, too tired, and abstinent, and so we crashed in the huge bed.
Dana and Roger Travels 