Uluru, Kata-Tjutas and Kings Canyon

On these two days we had a really tight schedule and finally reached our destination. We made it to Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock.

We left the campsite early in the morning and drove for about an hour to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Finally, we could see the world-famous mountain from a distance and I was incredibly excited. At first, I was a bit disappointed because I had imagined everything to be "different" somehow. But before the big highlight, we first visited the less known Kata-Tjuta rocks, which are about 45km away. At first, I found them a bit strange too, but I was amazed to see that their uniqueness becomes apparent up close. They really looked like huge round stones lying on the ground. The structure of the rocks makes them so special, as they appear different and "smoother" than normal rocks. And of course, the fiery red color was more than impressive. We took two short hikes through the Kata-Tjuta rocks and after the last few days of driving, we realized how good a bit of movement was for us.

By noon, we finally went to Uluru. The closer we got, the more I realized why this mountain was so famous. I can't describe exactly why, but it was truly more than impressive because it wasn't just any rock, it looked like a huge, fiery red stone. In addition, there was the special spiritual background, as the rock is considered a sacred site by the Aboriginals. In some parts of the rock, it even asks not to take photos or videos. Climbing the rock is not yet prohibited (but will be starting next month!), but the indigenous people ask not to climb it. Since I would never have thought of climbing the rock out of respect for the Aboriginals, we were even more astonished at how many people simply ignored the warning signs and climbed up the rock. Some parents let their children climb a bit of the rock like on a playground and slide down again. I was shocked at how disrespectful and selfish people could be, as we all want our religions and traditions to be respected by others.

We decided to take a short walk and enjoyed the magnificent view from below. However, the highlight was the sunset. It was a bit strange to watch a sunset "the other way round". Usually, you look at the sun, but we sat with our backs to the sun and waited for it to transform the rock into a fiery red giant. I believe the pictures of the transformation speak for themselves!

That same evening, we drove back to our campsite (in the dark for a change) and the next morning we set off for our next highlight, Kings Canyon.

The name speaks for itself, the canyon was absolutely stunning. We took a approximately 3-hour hike. First, we climbed steeply up the canyon, then we walked around on the plateau for a while, crossed to the other side, and then descended. The view was indescribable and one lookout was better than the other. We took so many pictures that it was difficult for me to choose the best ones =)

After the hike, we got back in the car and wanted to drive to our next campsite for the night. We still had plenty of time. Unfortunately, the road had other plans for us, as to my horror, the nice asphalt road suddenly turned into a cruel dirt track (even though it wasn't indicated as such!). We had no choice but to drive another 100 km and pray that this time no tire would burst (after all, we still didn't have a spare tire). The road was much worse than the Oodnadatta Track and was full of huge potholes and water channels. Even though it was just a dirt track, I had so much adrenaline and panic in my blood, fearing that we would be stranded in the middle of nowhere. And tomorrow was my birthday...

After a whopping 2 hours, it finally came to an end, the sun had already set and we had to find the next opportunity to spend the night. The small town of "Hermansburg" was our destination, and I could hardly believe my eyes when we drove into town and saw that all the houses were fenced in with giant barbed wire fences, and even the small campsite looked like a high-security area, and we were the only campers for miles around. Supposedly, this was only for protection against animals (dingoes/wild dogs), but on the internet we read that it was also for protection against the Aboriginals, as they were not supposed to be completely harmless in some places. For the first time in Australia, I felt a bit scared and could only fall asleep somehow with two glasses of red wine and our valuables under our pillows... So, happy birthday =)

To celebrate the day and because I was a bit sad that it was my first birthday that I wouldn't spend at home, we booked ourselves into the Crown Plaza in Alice Springs for two days. The room was an absolute bargain, as we booked last-minute and had an accessible bathroom, but got it very cheap. So, we just chilled by the pool for two days and enjoyed the sun. The best part was breakfast, where there was really everything your heart desires, and we filled our stomachs with meat and salmon so much that we didn't need to eat anything else all day =) Once again, thank you very much for all the congratulations!!!