Taken, I think, at the Lost Camel hotel or just west of it. It’s where I found the post office and the much cooler gift shops with the funny didgeridoo books. The gift shop at my hotel, Sails in the Desert, was over-the-top expensive, too rich for my shopping sense. Lost Camel is actually probably more my speed and budget, with that college campus or youth hostel feel to the place, and I was originally booked there, but H.E. later…
On the morning of my first full day at Uluru, I watched the sunrise and tried to get a great shot of the rock. It was overcast, so the pictures were disappointing. Later, I did a tour around the base of the rock. The sky had cleared by then, so the colors were amazing and the pictures were better. The guide pointed out special features and markings, showed us some cave art, told us Aboriginal children’s tales, and expended quite…
Right after I checked into my hotel, I confirmed my booking for a dinner show that night called Sounds of Silence. It was mostly couples—honeymooners and older retired folk on vacation. I think I was the only one who went alone, but I befriended two dear widows taking a vacation together from Scotland, so I didn’t feel lonely. The whole thing took place outside. Everyone had some champagne and hors d’oeuvres before dinner, many of them wearing fly nets over…
This was my view from the plane coming to the Red Centre, headed for the Yulara Resort. In the foreground are The Olgas, or Kata Tjuta, and in the background, closer to the horizon and only slightly obscured by the atmosphere, is Ayers Rock, or Uluru. I was going to pack a book by Robert Ruarke, titled Uhuru, just for the sake of the irony in reading Uhuru at Uluru, but the book is hardcover and heavy, and I wanted…
My last full day in Perth was kind of a free-for-all. I didn’t want to do anything too taxing because I had an early domestic flight the next day for the next city on my itinerary. So my godmother decided we’d visit the riverside, the aquarium, and the zoo while the sun was up, and at sundown I planned on treating my godmother and her husband to a very nice dinner out. The visit to the riverside was mostly so…