Clockwise Around Aus: Uluru Part 2

If you go to Uluru you definitely HAVE to see it at sunset. I would also say you would have to see it at sunrise, but I never got out of bed to, so I can't comment from experience. It's funny that I never saw it at sunrise, as sunrise was around 7:30am, but the first morning we were there it was 3 degrees and there was no way I was getting out of bed then. The second morning was much more pleasant at 10 degrees, as we'd had a cloudy night, but again I didn't get out of bed as I was feeling lazy... and so it went, until we left after 4 days and I hadn't seen a sunrise.In hindsight perhaps I should have made the effort one morning so I could say that I've watched the sun rise over Uluru. In the centre of the caravan park there is a lookout to Uluru, which is great, but there is a tree that sticks up and gets in the way of photos. A lesser known viewing area is on the very red sandhills at the back of the caravan park. This is kind of fenced off but it doesn't stop anyone from walking up the dunes and you get a much better, unobstructed, view. The only problem with this site is that if you don't have a slightly longer lens (ie, something better than a phone), you do get the tops of some buildings in the bottom of your photos.

On our last evening, even though it was overcast and had been all day, we decided to go out to the sunset viewing area in the National Park. Uluru was more purple than red, due to the lack of sunshine, and sunset was looking like a complete fizzer.... and then, as the last rays of the day hit the Rock, it became a very red/orange for about 2 minutes, before the light faded away. That was truly spectacular to see and somehow quite spiritual.

As I mentioned in my last post, we made good use of the free shuttle bus to entertain Rory while Tilda did schooling. Other than it being the first time he'd been on a bus, which was incredibly, super-dooper exciting because Rory just loves transport of all sorts, his favourite place was at the camels. You can book a camel tour (min $80 per person, at the time we were, there for the non-popular time spots) to see Uluru, but I don't think you get very close to the Rock. But, there were 2 baby camels, and you could see all of the ones not being used, plus watch the short camel rides. They also had red kangaroos, an emu, a water buffalo and a heap of ducks you could feed. Rory loved it out there, and so we visited it twice while Tilda did school. You do get a nice view of Uluru and they have even set up the yard so there is a vintage wooden cart and windmill that you can put in the foreground of your photos.... kinda cool, kinda kitsch.

Rory's first time ever on a bus (he was so excited... and managed to fall head first in the gap between the seat and the wall in front, as only Rory could do!)