Day 17: Uluru and Kata Tjuṯa

I didn’t have much planned this morning so I got the chance to sleep in and check out the pool before breakfast. Normally a 30 degree day at home would be way too hot, but compared to the days I’ve had in Australia, it’s starting to feel refreshing. A dip in the cool pool was certainly what I needed to get started with my day.

I made my way into town for brunch and figured I’d have some barramundi fish and chips. Unfortunately they were all out; so I ended up having the bushman’s burger instead. It was the same price as the burger I had the first night in Sydney but so much better. Given the remoteness of where I was, the prices were a lot more justifiable.

Uluru is about five hours from Alice Springs, the nearest city. It’s quicker to fly to Sydney or Melbourne, so most people working in the resort don’t have a car. It’s also a very transient workforce; one person I talked to said three months was a long time to be out there.

I had some time before my helicopter tour so I decided to check out the local IGA. Definitely a bit pricier than I’m used to: $6.50 for a can of Pringles and $34 for a 24-pack of Pepsi. Just like Canada, Australia has a high cost of living, but most of the country isn’t quite like this.

At 14:00, it was time for my helicopter tour so I made my way to the neighbouring hotel for pickup. I waited about 20 minutes before the pilot came, but the two other people that were supposed to be on the tour didn’t show up. They weren’t willing to take me up on my own, so I was offered a refund.

I was pretty frustrated given that I had planned my day around the helicopter tour and would have done something else with my time instead. The pilot offered to take me on the next tour, which was shorter than the one I had supposed to go on, and refund me the difference, but again it was the principle.

Usually, I’m a pushover but I’ve found myself being more of an advocate for myself on this trip. It’s certainly useful to be assertive, and something I’ve really been trying to work on, especially at my job. I ended up convincing him to upgrade the next tour, and he threw in a hat and beer stubby for my troubles.

It was a happy ending and I was glad that I would be going on the tour I had booked. Plus, the two girls that were on the tour with me got a free upgrade to the longer tour.

I got to sit in the front again, and I was a bit surprised since the pilot’s seat was on the right. Usually it’s on the left, but maybe this one’s designed for Australia?

The ride was very smooth and sitting in the front provided an excellent 270 degree view. I was surprised to see our altitude of 3,500 ft, but this part of Australia is quite elevated. The top of Uluru is at an elevation of 863 m (2,831 ft) and has a prominence of 348 m.

We made our way to Kata Tjuṯa, commonly called The Olgas. This incredible rock formation has a similar geological history to Uluru but has more common horizontal strata. I had heard of it before coming to the area, but it wasn’t until landing at the airport that I saw just how unique it was.

From a distance, it looks like one large structure but up close you can see the distinct domes. I really feel like it should be marketed more, especially since unlike Uluru, you can go right into it. If I were to come back, I’d love to explore it more.

Landing back at Ayers Rock Airport, we noticed a dingo on the runway. These dogs are a nuisance, and our pilot radioed in to have it removed from the property.

After getting dropped back at the hotel, I had a little bit of time to get ready for my evening experience at the Field of Light. This attraction was only supposed to be a temporary installation from 2016 to 2018, but due to its popularity, kept getting extended.

The evening started with sunset drinks overlooking Uluru. The view wasn’t quite as good as the night before, but was still quite impressive. I ended up having a nice chat with a couple from Sydney and spent most of the night with them.

After sunset, we made our way down for dinner, which was a wonderful buffet under the starlit sky. We were sat with a lady and her cousin that were sitting in front of me on the plane from Melbourne, and were also heading back the next day. They offered to take me on a tour of the Mornington Peninsula later in the week, which I planned to take them up on.

At 21:00, we made our way out into the Field of Light. The exhibition consists of 50,000 lights and was designed by British artist Bruce Munro. It’s really quite impressive, but it’s one of those things that you have to experience for yourself.

It had been a wonderful day exploring Uluru and Kata Tjuṯa. After all the time I spent in the outback, I was really enjoying its serenity. The landscapes were absolutely spectacular and the experiences near-spiritual (as close it can be for me). I settled back into bed and prepared to head back to the city the next day.

Today by the numbers

Steps taken: 8,187