We saw our first one after about 300km. A swirling cloud of red dust, ambling across the road as we approached in our little red hire car. Apparently they are called "willy willies" - mini-whirlwinds that sweep across the arid landscape of central Australia. It was quite an event after a journey where ten minutes could pass without encountering as much as a curve in the road. But with intermittent Outback radio and our small collection of Cambodian rock CDs to keep us amused, we eventually made it to our hostel in time to see the sun set at Uluru.
It turns out that the big red rock isn't red at all - its a layer of rust on the outside. Uluru and its less famous neighbour Kata Tjuta both seem to change colour as the sun shifts during the day. The big dilemma for many travellers is whether or not to climb, and therefore ignore the wishes of the local Anangu people who hold the site to be sacred. We'd already decided not to before discovering it was too hot anyway, 38.6 degrees Celsius to be precise. We were happy to stick to the base walks, and try and spot some wildlife.
"You've got more chance spotting a camel than a kangaroo around here," said Ben, the park ranger who took us on the the Mala walk. True enough the only kangaroos we saw were dead at the roadside, but we did see a camel. They were introduced by white settlers as a form of transport before train tracks arrived but have since spread to form the world's only wild camel herd. Most of the animals out here are much, much smaller - like the earless lizard who posed for a photo. And then there's the flies - you can't escape the millions of flies. Even with our full bandit costume of hat, sunglasses and tightly wrapped scarf you still have to swat them away constantly - until a little gust of wind comes to your aid, and sends them all twirling.
O.N. - Llongyfarchiadau mawr i Mererid ac Erddin ar enedigaeth Mirain Llwyd! A llongyfarchiadau mawr i Gruffydd ar gael chwaer fach newydd. Mae'n debyg iddi ddod i'r byd wrth i ni fyrddio awyren o Alice Springs i Brisbane yng nghwmni pump o Gymry eraill - par o Lanrwst a Tony, Nans a Sian Couch o Gaerdydd! On'd yw'r byd yn fach!? Llongyfarchiadau mawr unwaith eto! G&H xxx
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