7.00 am, and we left Alice.

It was calm and quiet, and when we stepped out of the door of hotel the air smelled of dew on the grass. It was delicious.

I’m aware that there’s been a lot of rain recently, but I don’t think that’s the only reason it’s so green, I remember being surprised at the lushness and density of the grass and trees last time I was here. Considering the heat you would think it would be a dustbowl.

As I write this, we’re in the bus travelling at a respectable speed of 130 kms along a straight bitumen road. 

Sitting in the front, we join forces with the white line that beckons us forward.

The green forestation has turned into low lying blue-green bushes, golden grasses and brown soil, but by the side of the road in the small channel where the water collects its still green very green

Past the sign that says ‘orange creek’ and immediately to the right of us appears a range of red hills that look like some of the forts we see in India, Ochre red stone against the blue sky.

The trip took 6 hours, 480 Kms. It’s a single road, quite often there’s barely enough room to allow an approaching car past.

I drew a little but it’s hard in a moving bus to draw an accurate line, so it is what it is. Wavy.    A bit like the road.  

I know I napped and I was pleased I had to wear a mask in case I slept with my mouth open. About three quarters of the way through the trip we got news by text that the mask mandate had finished and we could take the darn things off.

Wearing them in normal weather is one thing but in 38 degree heat, it’s not on my bucket list.

We stopped at several very interesting road houses for a break and arrived at Yulara at about 12.30 pm.

We are here for 7 days, so I will share the information on this unique part of Australia in the coming days.

The following photos were taken late in the afternoon when I took a walk in the scrub. I sat quietly on my own looking out over the bush to Uluru 20 Kms away.

Uluru is one of Australia’s most recognisable natural land has been a popular destination for tourists since the late 1930s. It is also one of the most important indigenous sites in Australia.

Uluru is sacred to the Pitjantjatjara, the Aboriginal people of the area, known as the Aṉangu. The

area around the formation is home to an abundance of springs, waterholes, rock caves, and ancient

paintings. Uluru is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Uluru and Kata Tjuta, also known as the

Olgas, are the two major features of the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park.