Landing at the very small airport was quite an experience because the planes fly close by the Rock itself to right opposite the runway before turning sharply to land, even though there's an awful lot of flat ground around anyway if the runway is "missed". Free courtesy coaches  brought us into the resort (5 hotels/apartments + camp site + small shopping centre) which is no bigger than Yanchep. On the way in I noticed a road sign stating the next "town" was almost 460 kilometres away at Alice Springs, with nothing in between except two or three roadhouses. Like I said we were really in the middle of nowhere.

The hotel itself, "Sails in the Desert", was great with very comfortable rooms and a fabulous swimming pool. There was something strange about such modern luxury in such a remote and sort of unspoilt desert setting. I wondered for example where all the water came from - the tap water and that in the pool. Seemingly it's pumped up from underground wells which need to be kept free from any danger of pollution. That must be why it was so refreshing and cool and why all the rubbish is ferried away in sealed trucks. I suppose "commercial development" in any precious natural environment would always run the risk of degrading the very place it depends on. It's easy to grasp the point of the Greens in a place like this and I really hope things stay on the current small scale.

Our first "outing" was to a dinner in the desert with champagne and some "starter" finger food including kangaroo (like pheasant), crocodile meat (like fishy chicken and emu (more like duck), and very tasty it was too as we all watched the sunset and listened to a few toots on the didgeridoo. As well as the main Rock, we could see from our viewing spot another set of mounds known as the Olgas (or Kata Tjuta, its Anangu name) which are also known locally as "Homer Simpson" because the silhouette they form against the horizon somewhat resembles that of Herr Homer in horizontal repose. When the sun finally slid away towards the west we strolled back nicely, and feeling nicely, towards the sit down eating spot where we were treated to a poetic welcome inviting savouring of the experience of the Sounds of Silence in that humbling but uplifting place. This was followed by a very good 5 course meal with the sky for our roof and the earth for the floor, involving more "normal" fare and washed down with lashings of "de vino" or other libations as you fancied. It was great. We shared the table with 8 others from Australia, New Zealand, USA and Britain and had plenty to talk, fight and laugh about.

After the nosh all the lights were turned off and we had a truly magical guided tour of the heavens. You should have seen the sky. The word "brilliant" will never mean the same to me again. The boyo giving the talk used a powerful beam flashlight to pinpoint the different stars and planets and for a while you had the illusion that you could actually reach up and touch them. A truly wonderful combination is drink and starlight. We were totally moonless and this was probably the reason why we had an almost perfect night sky for viewing what's out there in the "final frontier". An unforgettable experience with real cosmic vibes. In truth it lifted everybody present out of themselves and in that sense it was like experiencing a great work of art as if each of us was the artist, you know stepping through the looking glass and seeing the scene on the inside. OlJ for the starry starry night!

Australia is a huge place in many ways and quite small in others. Back in the National in Fremantle we had met a young wan from England who was cycling to Ayers Rock. This really impressed me at the time as an amazing thing to do and I did wonder if she was "pulling our leg". Well we actually bumped into her at Ayers Rock resort and she seemed remarkably fresh for someone who had cycled such a long way in a relatively short time. She did explain, however, that they rode 40 kilometres per day and travelled in a van the rest of the time. Still - fair play to her.

The following day was hot  in the Red Centre. Not even the lizards were out. In the morning we enjoyed using the kool pool. Later about 3 pm we took a small Sunworth minibus out to the Rock, around 12 kilometres from the Resort, with an arrangement to be picked up again at 6 pm. This meant we did not have enough time to climb as well as walk around the Main Attraction. The former takes about 2+half hours (300 metres up and quite steep) and the latter not far off 3 hours (10K). We two opted for the walk, partly (at least we'll say so now) in deference to the Aboriginal view that they'd prefer people not to climb their sacred spot, but also because the bould Ber, while she doesn't at all mind heights, is somewhat adverse to strenuous effort. Funny enough I'm not over bothered by hills or mountains, as long as the ground stays steady under me feet. Suffice to say that the climb itself did not look too difficult unless it was extremely hot or there was a very strong wind. The Rock is very smooth (no loose sand/gravel/ stones) and has good grip on the soles of runners. On the steepest section they have a steel chain (like a handrail) to hold onto. It looked okay to negotiate once you used reasonable care. I gather that most of the deaths (and there have been quite a few over the years) were caused either by the carelessness of those "sky travelling" on the mound (like not staying on the trodden path) and as a result of heart attacks suffered by unfit people in mainly very hot conditions, both while climbing and afterwards.

The walk was great, if a little uncomfortable. It was very hot and of course there were the flies. Ah the flies, what can I say. Persistent and plentiful spring to mind. They were literally everywhere - on our duds, all over our heads, in our eyes, ears, gobs, hair, and forever up our noses. We kept thinkin' of what Tony had said - it's a great country and 600 million flies can't be wrong. Well the whole fuckin' 600 million must hang out around Ayers Rock during the day. If you ever go be sure to get yourselves hats with full veils before communing with the persistent little b...s.

Flies apart the walk was special. You see aspects of the Rock that are normally totally hidden from view. It makes you imagine you are seeing faces. You can sort of shelter under it at some spots and almost feel as if it's alive and protecting you. The way the wind sounds around it makes you think it's whispering to you. I wouldn't mind staying out there at night. I'd say that would really fire up the imagination. Yea, all in all a very special and unique place which needs to be absorbed in person. It brought to mind an idea I'd read somewhere of the Implicate Order of things, suggesting there is an invisible patterned reality waiting to unfold into present visible form. Somehow the Rock seemed to bring out in me the ability to trust directly in what I was experiencing and to let free whatever thoughts would unfold within me, without the usual filter of memories. Looking back now I feel I was given a new gift of insight there to perceive the flow of activity that underlies all things and to grasp a little of what the Native Australian's concept of yorro yorro (continual creation) could mean. Maybe the time was right for me and I was ready, I don't know. What I do know, however, is that I can now directly experience this beautiful world in a way I couldn't before because of my previous tendency to "fall for" the label rather than the truth. Now I can look say at a tree and know that it's so much more than itself and while different from anything else it's at the same time part of the same pattern. I'm not big on religion but I think I can honestly say I was blessed by my visit.

When we got back in the minibus we went to a parking spot a short distance away to view the whole Rock while the sun set. I think most of the people staying in the place must have been there - a large hushed crowd. Well Nature turned up trumps again at this show which was like watching the lights go down on one of those heavy stage curtains they use in Theatres. It must have changed colour more than 10 times, over about 20-30 minutes, while the last rays of the sun sailed away and the evening shadows spread their wings toward yesterday.

Afterwards a meal and a few really relaxing drinks back at the resort brought another truly memorable day to a close.

I got up (alone - you know yourself) at 6 am the following morning to see the show in reverse. Again it was special but quite cold. There's not much heat there before the sun gets up. Alas that was our last day at Ayers Rock. I'll never forget it.