The Outback

We had a great flight from Cairns to Ayers Rock! You really get an appreciation for the size and emptiness of Australia. There's no development that you can see from the air the entire way - no roads, houses, or even trees for the most part. As we were about to land, we were treated to unobstructed views of Ayers Rock!

Cairns to Ayers Rock

Ayers Rock from the air - you can see that there is a single road that circumnavigates the rock. The airport was about 10km away. 

It was about 110 degrees when we arrived in Ayers Rock Resort. Most of the trails around the rock were closed due to the weather, not that we were going to attempt them anyway - the infamous black flies of the region love the heat and were out in full force that day. It was impossible to walk out of the car for more than a minute without being swarmed. We weren't even able to outrun them. 

So we spent the afternoon in the safety and comfort of our four-wheel drive. Luckily, the drive around Ayers Rock isn't too different from the walk. The big rock was even more impressive up close, with each side providing a different perspective. I was a bit disappointed, though, that we didn't get to climb to the top. 

Many interesting details on the rocks

The rest of our stay in the Outback was significantly milder, especially in the mornings and at night. We got up early in the morning each day to watch the sunrise take an early-morning hike. Then we drove through the hottest part of the day to our next destination, averaging about three hours of driving. In the afternoons, we would settle in and go for smaller walks. The days ended with sunset viewing. 

We had a blast driving our tank through the desert. The roads were in much better shape than we had anticipated, as long as you're prepared for long stretches without any facilities. 

Beautiful hike through Kings Canyon

Overall, the Outback was more remote than I had anticipated. There was no development other than a few simple lodges here and there. The place seems to be inhospitable to living creatures, although the aboriginal people have lived there for thousands of years. We were very happy to be returning to civilization in Melbourne (and we brought with us a very swollen bee sting on Dave's foot).