Walking Around Uluru

Uluru: 20th /21st April 2012.

Uluru is one of those places to which no amount of pictures … or even film … can do full justice. It’s one of those places you must see in person. Neither is it the place to spend half an hour, take a couple of photographs then jump on the coach to the next attraction.

Many walks around the base of the rock are possible; the local Anangu people don’t like you climbing it, for, to them, it’s a sacred place, and ask you not to. Just imagine, someone once said, if a group of Anangu decided to climb over the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral.

(Actually, it wouldn’t bother me, but I do respect the beliefs of others)

There are also other places on the walks they ask you not to go, or, at least, refrain from taking photographs, for the same reason.

There are, however, plenty of places you can go, and take as many photos as you wish. They won’t all be pictures of the rock from different angles, either. There’s rock carving, water holes and the fantastic shapes sculpted by Nature herself.

Of course, they pride themselves on the changing colours of the Rock as the sun sets, and we were taken to the Sunset Lookout, to witness this. Unfortunately, the sun didn’t co-operate on this occasion, hiding behind the clouds, but they provided wine and nibbles, which were very nice, and most welcome.

But, the sunrise the following morning was a vast improvement; it was just a pity we had to get up so earlier to witness it … but, earlier in the year, we’d have had to get up even earlier. We were by no means the only ones there. I was reminded of Stonehenge, and the crowds waiting for sunrise at the Solstice.

In fact, there was one guy there who took more pictures of people photographing the sunrise than he took of the sunrise itself!