Day 9 Australia - Ayer's Rock

Monday 2nd March, 2015 - (Y18) Uluru Sunrise, Base or Climb Tour

We decide to skip the 5 AM sunrise tour and opt to sleep in.

An afternoon of relaxation by the pool or a nap was in order after that early rising.

We spend the day relaxing, lunching and then doing laundry. John also got us packed for an early start tomorrow.

Some photos around the resort.

Sounds of Silence Dinner
Transfer Type: Seat in Coach
Duration: 5 hour(s)
Pick up: 5:00pm Desert Gardens Hotel , Ayers Rock
Drop off: 10:00pm Desert Gardens Hotel , Ayers Rock

Considering that we confirmed our attendance when we checked in yesterday, it would have been nice if someone had told us that pick up would be at 6:10 so we weren't ready and in the lobby at 4:50.


Entered into the Australian Tourism Hall of Fame, Sounds of Silence offers the best of the Red Centre distilled into four magical hours. An unforgettable evening, dining under the sparkling outback sky.

First view of Uluru tonight.

Bus goes down a dirt road and lets us off here to walk to our cocktail spot for sunset.

Your journey begins on a lone sand dune. A meandering path takes you to an uninterrupted, three hundred and sixty degree view of this vast landscape.

In front of you are the fabled Uluru; behind you are the domes of Kata Tjuta and, possibly the most spectacular sunset you have ever seen.

You could also ride a camel to the dinner. Someone is wearing their fly net, I'm not surprised as I can only imagine how many more flies these camels attract.

The didgeridoo (also known as a didjeridu) is a wind instrument developed by Indigenous Australians of northern Australia potentially within the last 1,500 years and still in widespread use today both in Australia and around the world.

This monk, I think from Burma, there were two, he later asked me to take his photo.

There wasn't much of a sunset tonight so we are glad that we took the sunset tour last night.

We met this single Japanese tourist yesterday when we took each others' photos. We were pleased to see her again and so was she. She found another Japanese couple and brought them over so she could get a photo with John and me. We have fun trying to converse, her name is Mysou (my spelling).

On our way to our table.

We asked her to sit with us for dinner and it happened they also seated the elderly Japanese couple as well. The rest of the table were four Brits and one soon-to-be single 62-year-old Aussie man.

Here you enjoy sparkling wine and a selection of delectable canapes. As the sun sets in a blaze of reds and oranges, and well into the starlit night, you feast on a barbecue buffet of authentic Australian delicacies.

We started with pumpkin ravioli in beef stock, very good.

The wines flowed and we were escorted by table to the buffet. The lamb was the best.

Our table was a good bunch and we had some laughs. Mysou enjoyed herself and loved the port that was served.

As you wind down after a delicious dinner, you are offered a choice of tea, coffee or port. In winter, guests gather around a campfire to savour a special treat of hot mulled wine.

Attention then turns to some of the world's best stargazing, as our resident astronomer takes you on an unforgettable tour of the spectacular southern night sky.
She did her best but Mother Nature wasn't cooperating, or as the Aussies say "Mother Nature spit out the dummy".

A lovely way to spend an evening.