It's freezing, but the sky is perfectly clear, and as it's still dark, we can see all the stars, it's amazing ...
We then hit the road to continue our trip, we have four hours drive, so we all fall asleep in the bus.
The sun starts to shine, it's going to be a beautiful day.
Along the way, we see another huge eagle.
We make our first stop at the Northern Territory boundary (with South Australia of course ...).
After that, we drive a bit further, to a petrol station where we meet another driver.
We have to split the group, as some of us are on a longer tour than the other (8 days instead of 7 days).
We will continue doing the same things and seeing the same sites as the other group, but we have an extra day at the end (it's a weird organisation ...).
So I get to change bus and get a new driver : John. He's much older, but really kind, and very interesting (he knows a lot of things about Australia and it's nature, it's really nice talking to him).
In the new bus we are only 6 (7 with the driver) : Liz, Kade and Tom from the previous group, and Liv & Tur, a couple of Norwegian.
It's actually not a bus, but a kind of truck made to go anywhere (a big 4WD - 4 wheel drive vehicle).
The road we're taking is a long endless straight line ... We're heading to Uluru, aka Ayers Rock !
We make a fuel + toilet stop at "Curtin Springs" cottage, who owners are apparently called Severin (lol).
The driver asks me if we're relatives, I have no idea, but I don't think so ...
Apparently, they compare the size of their property with the size of Belgium ... (their property is bigger !)
For the next part of the trip, I sit in front of the truck next to John (the front part of the truck is a bit separated from the rest).
We talk quite a lot, both of ourselves, as well as the landscapes and nature.
He's 64, lives in Sydney with his wife, has 5 children, one lives in London.
With his job he has to live in Alice Springs, at one of his nephew's place. It's not easy, but he loves his job.
At some point, we start to see Ayers Rock appearing at the horizon.
It's a special feeling, after having seen it for so many years in photos ...
We arrive at Yulara, the Ayers Rock Resort (kind of village grouping all the possible accomodations close to Ayers Rock - camping, hotels, flats, etc.).
After John has checked us in, we go to our campsite and settle there.
We have lunch there (chicken wings with salad).
After lunch, we leave the campsite to go to Kata Tjuta, also known as The Olgas.
(the aboriginal culture around this place is apparently still alive, and is the oldest living society in the world !)
On the way to there we see some wild camels on the side of the road.
Once there, we go for a walk, that has a few lookouts.
Just before getting really into the Olgas, John makes a speech on how the rocky formations were formed here and at Uluru.
He also gives us details on the different plants we see.
He really is an excellent guide.
The place is amazing, the landscapes are fantastic !
John tells us that it has never been that green before ... It's a bit sad not to see at it is usually, but it's apparently even more beautiful like this - it is indeed magnificent.
While walking, we see the others we've left this morning.
After this really nice walk, we leave The Olgas : we're going to watch the sunset on The Rock !
We get there, meet the others, and have a glass of bubbles with crackers.
(bubbles is what they have here for Champagne, as they can't call it like that ... And it's definitely not as good)
The sunset on The Rock is really beautiful, the color it takes are really nice.
(I thought it would have been from the other side, that we would see the sun behind the Rock - but no, as such we can see the Rock taking beautiful colors)
Once the sun set, we head back to the campsite for dinner.
Tonight the dinner is huge !
(we almost have the same amount of food for 7 as when we were 16 !)
We're having kangaroo steaks, camel sausages, beef steaks, bacon, coleslaw, potatoes, salad and bread ... It's a feast.
(there's way to much, everybody eats too much)
After dinner, we go to the camp where the others are staying, just next to ours.
We stay there for a bit, before going to sleep.
We have the choice again to sleep in a tent or in a swag, I go for the tent tonight.
We each have a private tent, which is actually more a kind of hut, with 2 single beds with mattresses ... It's luxurious !
Only problem, I forgot to take my sleeping bag before going to see the others, and when I came back the truck was closed, so I couldn't get it ...
I thus had to sleep without it (had to keep my clothes on, and use the sheet from the other bed as an additionnal layer.
I slept well though.
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