Ayer's Rock Resort, Uluru

We are on the road into Uluru and have observed every driver that passes either does the "nod" or the one finger salute. Mark tries to mix it up a little which we find mildly amusing until a man in an oncoming car waves a rubber chicken at us! What the...?

We trick the kid's into thinking Mt Conner is actually Ayer's Rock which we also find funny. We stop for a pic and notice a track leading over a dune opposite the lookout. Over the hill is another (random) salt lake with no signage and is only a speck on our map, but beautiful, glistening in the sun.

Ayer's Rock Resort, Yulara is where we get to by early afternoon. The whole town is the resort and has a medical centre, police station and lots of shops, galleries etc. The kids' have been busting for a swim for a whole week now and at the first sign of a pool, they want in! (I forget holidays to them just aren't the inland version). It says a lot when our kids jump in a pool then get straight out, with no waterplay whatsoever - freezing!

Apparently it's best to get a posi to view the sunset at Uluru as early as possible. Heeding that we head out about 4.30pm for a 6.05pm sunset. We pack a picnic tea and plan to cook up some hamburgers on the portable stove out there before the sun goes down. We are a big hit, with our burgers sizzling away, so much so, a few tourists have to get a pic of a true "Aussie" (Mark) with beer in hand with Ayer's Rock as a back drop! (He felt he had a bit of Ian Hewitson about him I think).

Our new camera worked a treat, leading up to the sunset, we were marvelling at how it was picking up the colours so well until right on sunset the battery went dead! Luckily we had Ella's camera, Samuel's camera, Ella's ipod touch and two iphones on hand! All that technology aside...we did take sketchbooks and all attempted to sketch the Rock which the kid's loved.

Just after sunset as we packed up our stuff (yes, it did take awhile!) a little bush mouse was scurrying around our feet. It was very cute and we were watching it with some Chinese tourists who Mark convinced we were watching a baby kangaroo!