The red centre II

We had travelled to central Australia so that I could see Uluru - and yet it took me some days to really make my way towards it.  We were really fortunate that our room had a view, so I could look out at any point in the day and watch what was happening.

We did some sunset and sunrise viewings, but it wasn't until day three that we actually drove all the way there to visit and walk around it.

This was in part because it it is so majestic. So imposing. Even from miles away you could feel its presence and its energy. To be truthful I was fairly in awe of it and needed to be ready to visit.

I had no idea I would feel like that.

One of the reasons folk visit the centre is to watch the fabulous change of light on Uluru and Kata Tjuta. There are special viewing places set aside for visitors to gather to watch the sun work its magic on the rock face.

This was our first sunset.

You get a slight sense of scale from the first picture to the second. If you look closely at the bottom left of Uluru in the first picture you can make out a few boulders. I have zoooooomed in on them in the second and you can see how big they are, and Uluru is, compared to fully grown trees!

And our first sunrise.

The sun was burning up the sky here - the grasses seem alight.

My special present was a helicopter ride, a chance to see Uluru and Kata Tjuta from the air.
Isn't this the most beautiful calligraphic line?

Circling around...

 Sunset from where we had dinner under the stars.

And then as I mentioned, on day three we went for a walk - it is about 10.5km around the base of Uluru and it was fairly warm even in the morning (about 33 degrees) but it was magic.

I found this heart in the rock.

The amazing formation, with Kata Tjuta to the right - 60km away.

Along the way, Barry took this, almost my favourite photo of me ever!

This was the most precious waterhole.

Turn your head upwards at the waterhole and this is the view. Stunning!

What most amazed me was the fact that having been somewhat wary of the powerful energy of Uluru, feeling as if it were warrior-like in the landscape, strong and immoveable, when we walked around it my sense of it was utterly transformed.  The energy shifted to show what a place of care and nurturing it had been for millennia; how often it had sheltered people, and provided for them. I was immensely moved.

Another sunset - this time with moonrise.

and a little while later...

 Sunrise on our last morning.

And we turned to watch the beautiful glow on Kata Tjuta.

Farewell.