A Town Called Alice
Trip Start
Sep 2005
1
41
52
Trip End
Sep 2006
Alice Springs, Australia
Friday, April 28, 2006
I've finally got out of Melbourne and into Alice Springs. From there I headed to Ayers Rock. If you're not familiar with Oz travel-lit., thats the big red rock you see in all the pictures. What you don't see in the pictures is the epidemic of flies. Fortunately, I still have the fly-hat that my family gave me for my travelling. It was invaluable except at mealtimes. No doubt I ate a few. By the second day I'd sussed out that if you put some cheese on the side of your plate it keeps the flies off your dinner. Better still put some cheese on your neighbours plate, or clothes.
I picked up a tour to do the "Red Rocks": Ayers Rock, Kings Canyon, the Olgas. Ayers rock was impressive, especially at sunrise, the others weren't up to much. When the first rays of sunlight catch Ayers rock it looks like it's glowing. The group were good crack, with a good Paddy quotient. We got lucky with the weather, and they let us climb it. It's surprising that they let you climb it; the sides are sheer, the wind at the top is unpredictable, the mountain is sacred to the aboriginals, and the mountain is a big red magnet for idiots. Only 2 weeks ago some old guy fell off it, because he started running for his bus! Even guides have died on this mountain. Apparently it takes days to find all the pieces if you fall from the top.
