Uluru, Ayers Rock.

This is Uluru or Ayers Rock in Central Australia the worlds largest monolith

This one is fairly unusual in that there is rain water streaming down the face
of the rock, unusual because heavy rain in Central Australia is relatively rare.

We were camped at the tourist park on a visit to the rock a few years ago, at
about midnight I was awakened by the sound of rain, once the fact that we
were at the rock and it was raining permeated into my sleepy brain, I woke
Julie and said "let's go and see the rain pouring off the rock," use some
imagination here folks and you will get to gauge the reaction I got, "It's pitch
black and raining, are you mad?" (that's a VERY sanitised version!!)

Even when I explained that we had rainware, spotlight and torches, the
reaction was still the same, Sheesh!!!

Next morning, bright and early, we headed for the rock and were greeted by
the magnificent sight of rain cascadeing from all the crevices and cracks in
the rocks surface and the pools, some quite substantial, that had already
formed around the base, a lovely and unusual sight.


In this closer image it is clear that there are trees around the base and some
crumbling and breaking up of the surface.

Our home for the week we were at the rock, we left the caravan at Alice
Springs, (about 150 miles away) as the roads was pretty rough back then,
(1979)

Now the only camping allowed is at a site about 10 miles from the rock,
hidden away in the sand dunes, it's nice, BUT, I'm so glad we were there
before it got so sanitized.

From the top looking down is a different sensation and gives a little idea
of the size, there is a chain hand hold for some of the steep parts.

This area is known as "Sunset Strip" it is the chosen location for tourists,
(often in their hundreds) to gather for photos of the colour change that
occurs with the setting of the sun each day,

The colour range is from the quite vivid red in full sun, to an almost purple
as the light fades, just one of natures wonderous sights.