Now we have been there, we still ARE there – the so called „Red Center“ of Australia. And as all other tourists, we could not miss the following: Uluru (formerly known as Ayers Rock).



Many many people there, but it's very impressive to see Uluru „live“ and to walk around it. It is allowed to climb Uluru, but the aboriginal people (Anangu) of the region don't want that the tourists do it. There are many signs „Please respect the wishes of the Anangu, don't climb Uluru“. For Brit and me it was no question: We don't climb. Why should we do so, if we know it is a sacred place for these people and they don't want us to? So we did the 10 kilometer long basewalk on Tuesday morning after watching „Uluru-in-sunrise“ (getting up at 6:15!!!). Joined by two boys we met at the sunset-viewing-area the night before: Markus and Kanji. It's funny, how often you meet the same people in that big country. But everyone has the same sights on their to-do-list, so it is easy to meet again if you travel in the same direction... ;-)



30 kilometers from Uluru is Kata Tjuta (means: „many heads“). It is not as well known as Uluru, but very beautiful and also a sacred place for the aboriginal people. We had a short walk there in the afternoon after the Uluru basewalk and watched it in the the sunset. Nice, sooo nice. Beautiful.



To conclude our Red-Center-Tour we visited Kings Canyon, about 300 kilometers from Uluru, halfways to Alice Springs. We had a lovely walk/climb there. I just loved it, even if it was a bit exhausting. But the rock formations and the wonderful views from the top make sure the climb is worth it!



The last night before we got to Alice we stayed at a rest area on the highway in the middle of nowhere. It's just amazing, how much a camping site at the Ayers Rock Resort costs. More than the hostel here in Alice! So we decided to camp „in the wild“ for one night. For free. And joined by many others. ;-) In Alice, we stay in a hostel again. Sleeping in Freddy is really ok, but not for every night, especially as Brit needed to go to the toilet every night at around 1:30! Waah! I have to get up then as well.



Red sand... Alle red. So red. :-)

Just a short notice - we safely arrived in Alice Springs today. Freddy was doing good - over 4000 kilometers yet and not a single problem. Tomorrow, I will take some photos of the Red Center up here for you. Promised! At least, they have cheap and quick internet here in Alice... and mobile phone reception. So: Call me! :-) We will stay here for three weeks and try to find some work to gain some money...

A town in the middle of nowhere – in the desert between Port Augusta and Alice Springs. Nothing here. Except of opal, lots of opal. Which is apparently the reason that Coober Pedy („The opal capital of the world“) exists. As in every village you pass up on the way to Alice, there is not much here. One of them uglier than the other, but you have to stay somewhere overnight and therefore no choice at all. Well, they have internet („only“ 8$/p.h.) and so I can update you immediately...



Coober Pedy is, compared to other stops we had so far, nice. Not beautiful, but ok, and it has two supermarkets! It also has one pub, around 20 night clubs (nearly one for every nationality, as there live people from 50 different countries in Coober), a bowling club and, of course, a golf course like every village in Australia seems to have one. So, the 3500 people who live here, can do something in their spare time. I can only say one thing: „Do mechast jo ned doad am Zaun ummihänga!“ But, as usual, I found something for you, that shows a certain sense of humor: Which f... grass?!? ;-)



We decided, to stay here for two nights and go on a desert tour. The hostel we stayed in is, as most of the things in Coober, underground. Which means that the bedrooms find their place in a „dugout“ - an old opal mine six meters under the surface. That is absoluteley cool – and a bit freaky when you go down there the first time... ;-)



The tour took us trough the opal mining fields (I'm not sure if I have ever seen something more ugly), to the Brakeaways, the Moon Plane, the Dog Fence (the worlds longest fence – over 5000 kilometers long) and so on.



As part of the tour, we were allowed to go „noodeling“ for a while in an old opal mine. „Noodeling“ means, you go trough the stones and sand that has bees dugged out of the mine and hope to find some left opal in it. Of course, you don't find anything, but it was fun anyway. Opal fever...



Our next stop major stop will be Uluru on Monday for two days! That will be impressive – Uluru at sunset and/or at sunrise. We really look forward to it! :-)