Ayers Rock

Ayers Rock as seen from the plane


We flew from Perth to Ayers Rock on Thurs., the 18th, a flight of 1,021 miles. It was 66 degrees when we left Perth, and 110 degrees when we landed at Ayers Rock! It really reminded us of Phoenix without the cactus. We were very excited about the Sounds of Silence Dinner that we had planned for that night, and it definitely lived up to our hopes. We were driven out to the desert floor near the base of the Rock where we were served champagne and canapes (including crocodile with macadamia nuts in phyllo, and kangaroo with mango on crackers) while we watched the sunset. As we sat down to dinner at candlelit tables, a didgeridoo was played. The delicious buffet included lamb and barramundi, an Australian fish. After dinner, while having coffee and dessert, an astronomer pointed out various constellations of the southern hemisphere.

Getting ready for the sunset

Luckily our hotel was only about 10 minutes from the site of the dinner, because we had to get right to bed. The next morning we were scheduled to do a Sunrise Tour which meant getting up at 4:00 a.m. Fortunately, that tour started with -- what else -- Morning Tea! We didn't mind getting up so early, because we knew it would be worth it to see the sunrise over Ayers Rock, but the Morning Tea gave us an extra incentive. After the tea and sunrise, we had a guided walk around parts of the base of the Rock where we were able to see Aboriginal cave paintings and learn about the customs and culture of the native peoples.
The Flat Ones didn't complain about getting up early to see the sunrise.