Oceania

[Visited: April 1995]

The symbol of Australia and the biggest rock on the face of earth, Ayers Rock merits a visit for several reasons. I must admit that I was not prepared to find what I found. The Rock has a strong meaning for the Aboriginals, and it turned out to be much more than just a huge stone. Before coming to Ayers, I had already seen the rock several times from the plane (this also gives an idea of its size!).
But of course, standing next to it is more impressive. Being a performer, the main thing on my mind was to climb it, until I read in a museum that the Aboriginals actually advice not to do it, out of respect for their culture. After an internal struggle, my performance-mind won, and I enjoyed the view of the top. Actually the beginning of the climb is not easy, and a lot of people already have to turn back there.
What I appreciated more than the climb, however, was a walk around the base of the rock, guided by an Aboriginal. A lot of stories came out, the history, traditions, the significance of several parts of the rock, the watering system, and a lot of other things. So, what initially seemed like just an interesting climb and a visit to a mountain, turned out to be an interesting mix between culture and nature.

Around the World in 80 Clicks

Personal travel impressions both in words and images from Uluru Ayers Rock (Australia). Clicking on the pictures enlarges them and enables you to send the picture as a free e-card or download it for personal use, for instance, on your weblog. Or click on the map above to visit more places close to Uluru Ayers Rock.
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