Kata Tjuta–The Olgas.

The day after we got to Uluru we decided to climb the big red rock.  We woke up early from our 38 degree sweaty night in the tent and drove out to the start of the climb on the rock.
There is a lot of weird controversy about climbing the rock.  The lonely planet tells you that you can climb it, then they tell you not to climb it because it is sacred to the aboriginals.  At Uluru the $25 ticket into the park tells you not to climb the rock and there are signs everywhere saying not to climb the rock. 
Then there is also the fact that part of the money from the park, which is heavily visited in winter goes to the traditional Aboriginal owners, the Anangu people.  They do well from the deal and when they closed the climb up the rock a few years ago, park numbers plummeted, thus income and so they opened the climb again.  So, don’t climb the rock.
So we arrived on a beautiful clear morning, no clouds, cool (28 degrees) and found the climb to be closed.  This is all part of the rubbish, but today was because of high winds.  Corinne was very disappointed but not surprised as we had heard that they try to close it for any reason they can!!!  So instead we drove about 70 kms out to the Olgas as they were known when we were young, now called Kata Tjuta.
The Olgas are a large pile of red rock that i would say once looked like Ayers rock but have been weathered away in a different pattern.  They are certainly made of the same stuff as we found out after visiting both sites. 
There is a great walk through part of the valleys in the rocks called the Valley of the Winds.
The climb is only open till 11am as the heat inside the valleys rises up to around 50 degrees and then the tourists in their thongs (flips flops), singlets, no hats, sunscreen or water, start feinting.
We got there around 630-7am and trekked into the valley.  The walk is magnificent and you are surrounded by towering rocks and beautiful blood woods, ghost gums and loads of birdlife.  I would highly recommend the walk, its about 7-8kms and i would do it early in the day or in winter as it was very hot by the end of it around 8am. 

The sun rising behind the giant domes of the Olgas

Corinne, standing in front of a large geological formation that was very distinct from the rock below it.

Domes of stone, spinifex and blood woods

Corinne, feeling like a rock wallaby

A rare photo of me in front of a ghost gum in a gorge.

Early morning light

Beautiful ghost gums, Corrymbia papuana

A cool little lizard

A selection of panoramic views of the Olgas.

Kata Tjuta–The Olgas.