Travelling to the hottest place in south-hemisphere during the hottest season seems to be unwise. Yet that’s what we do when we are young and wild and free, right? So here we are, 6 of us, in one caravan, driving from Darwin all the way to Uluru (the Ayers Rock) in end of December 2011.
Tropical Birdy
Looking at my lunch
The advantage of travelling in the wrong season was that we were the only customer wherever we go. We were the only caravan in the Katherine National Park for 2 nights, partly because the whole park was flooded, no one could get in, and we couldn’t get out neither. Being trapped in a enormous national park during a tropical typhoon was not as bad as you imagine. We had enough food in the van, at least for the first day. We had visitors at every meal–wild kangaroos and birds.
The journey from Darwin to Uluru was a journey from tropical forest to desert. Its beauty was beyond imagination. Driving on No.1 highway in Australia, I felt like running right into the heart of Australia. At first, there were tropical bush after bush, as well as wet lands with huge amount of different species of birds. It was a heaven of birds, perhaps crocodiles were the only predator here? It was a wonderland of ants as well. Here I found some of the largest ant nests I’ve seen in my life. They were much taller than human. From far, they look like some sort of aboriginal architecture.
Friendly Visitors
Monster Ant Nest
As we move closer to the red center, the landscape changes dramatically from forest to low bush. Continuing on No.1 highway, this is a straight road carved right across the Northern Territory. Not a single soul out here, we were the only people. We drove through miles and miles of deserted land, through rainy clouds and sunny patches. Even though we know from the map how far from the next town, it still seemed to be forever.
At the last day of 2011, we made it to Uluru. We had the most amazing dinner out in the desert, over looking at the Ayers Rock (tour by Sounds of Silence). We celebrated the long and tiring drive from Darwin, said good bye to year 2011, drank champagne to the Ayers Rock, appreciated the sunset in the red center. The sky was full of stars, never seen so many before as a city girl. It was truly magnificent.
Driving on No.1 highway-photo by Zi
Dinner at the Rock-photo by Zi
We could not climb the rock due to weather condition, so we did a 10km trek around the rock at 40 degree temperature in the hot summer sun. I believe in trekking because it is the only way to embrace the land, to be the closest you can to feel the nature. And there are always things on the trek to surprise you. Many aboriginal art works which you can not see by driving through, yet the trekking path is close enough for us to see them. However, out of respect to aboriginals, we can not take photos of them.
A closer look to the Ayers Rock
Lizard at King’s Canyon
King’s Canyon was another surprise. We have done a 3 hour trek in it. The weather was better than great and like all other places we’ve been in this trip, we were alone in this vast national park with the canyon. It should be more famous than it is. There were evidence of ancient sea and fossils of sea creatures laying around. The canyon itself is such a unique geographic formation.
Small pond at King’s Canyon
Kings Canyon
Australia is a country full of natural landscape and well-protected original creatures. Travelling in Northern Territory was a journey close to nature. Learn to appreciate it and help to protect it.