'Sun..er-rise..early in the morning!' (6th Feb)

In the words of a not-to-be-mentioned Aussie ex-star, we were up at 4.30 for the Uluru sun-rise and Kata Tjuta tour. We picked up our picnic breakfast and were back on the coach at 5 am, as the pre-dawn commenced.

Out at the Uluru sunrise site we gladly picked up a hot chocolate and made for the viewing platform.

The dawn began...

...and Uluru lifted out of the gloom, as the birds began to sing. Finally the sun crept over the horizon behind us,

...and we were bathed in sunlight,

as was Uluru in front of us.

After the dawn, it was back on the bus and off to Kata Tjuta. When we stopped en-route, we saw this fellow on a bush...

He was a thorned lizard

We also experienced the 'Aussie long-drop', and believe me, you couldn't see the bottom!

Eventually we reached Kata Tjuta

and we climbed up about a mile to Walpa (Windy) Gorge.

It was a bit of a trek through the heat and flies, but eventually we made it to the viewing platform.

Then it was time for the descent back down.

As the moon rose though the clear azure sky above.

When the tour ended, we got the coach back to the hotel, arriving at 10 am, just in time for a quick breakfast. Now we had a day to relax, before leaving the resort late the next morning.