Day 27: Ayers Rock/Uluru

We actually wanted to get up early today, but the kids are sleeping well or for a long time (Samuel has always slept through the night and Maxima usually wants something to drink 1-2 times). It's also good for us to get a little more sleep. We haven't gone to sleep before midnight very often. We quickly pack up and leave for Ayers Rock at 9 o'clock.

We drive to the Mala car park. From there, we start our walk around Ayers Rock (Base Walk). We are well equipped: stroller with mosquito net (there are already some flies here, but it's not as bad as some people have reported to us or we had more flies in the north), baby carrier, sunscreen, diapers, enough food and especially drinks. We start on the 10 kilometer trail at 10:15. The sandy path is flat and wide. Except for a few spots, it's not very sandy and therefore easy to push the stroller. Unfortunately, there is hardly any shade along the entire route. Luckily, there is a light breeze, which makes it a bit more pleasant. The kids are very well-behaved throughout the tour. Most of the time, they are in the stroller because it's the most comfortable in terms of temperature. Both take a nap from time to time. With breaks and a little picnic, it takes us about 4 hours.

We really enjoyed the Base Walk. The proximity to this magical place and the feeling of having walked around this sacred mountain once is just awesome!

On the way back to the resort, we fill up the tank because our fuel is running out again (the fuel prices here are the highest so far, 50% more than in Alice Springs). Walking around makes us hungry, so we have pasta to eat. Michi goes swimming and to the playground with the kids, and I take care of the dishes and our dirty laundry.

At about 6 o'clock, we go back to Ayers Rock for an evening round. What we did on foot this morning, we now do by car. We go all the way around. The evening light is amazing again! We enjoy the sunset again at the car park near the gates (Maxima sleeps through everything). We took a look at the second car park on our round, but the view from there is not as nice. There are a few more people today (probably because it's the weekend), but there are still plenty of parking spaces available. When the sun has set and it is slowly getting dark, our Sami bear says: 'Now the rock doesn't light up anymore. It's off!'

We have new neighbors at the campsite. They are Austrians and almost our neighbors at home. They are from Leonding.

November 19, 2016

Accommodation: Ayers Rock Campground

Weather: sunny, almost cloudless, 33 degrees

96 kilometers today, total of 3,429 km