Postcards Travel Album
Uluru-Kata Tjuta
Australian Druid Assembly

Episode 5, Wednesday 20 June, 2001

As the card says, this is how our morning - most of our day, actually - goes. We go to a nearby lookout to watch sunrise, then I go to get souvenir teaspoons. If I don't buy them now I may accidentally spend the money I've been given for them. I also get a small booklet called "Stories of Uluru". We get to the Malu Carpark in time for the free 10 am ranger-led walk, which today attracts ~50 people. Pampuli leads us about 1.2 kilometres around the base, telling stories and showing us aspects of Aboriginal culture. It's excellent - he really cares, and creates that caring in us. From there we continue on to walk the whole way around the base. The 'stories' booklet is invaluable - for each of the sacred sites it has a story, often one we can follow around the Rock to other sites. One site shows where a giant dingo evil spirit chased the Mala men. The tracks are still there, and change as you walk.

We stop for lunch, and continue getting to know eachother. 4 of us are druids, and 2 are daughters of one, who study human potential and 'beingness' and heart connections. We walk on. Eventually, I stop to feel a rock by the path, then watch a kestrel. Everything becomes quiet. Suddenly, I feel much happier. The others continue on - I can't see or hear them. After dancing with the butterflies through a paradise of wildflowers, I meet up with them again, waiting for me. One lady asks me when the wildflower season is here, and I say 'Well, now?' and she says disappointedly 'I thought it'd be a spectacle'. I look around and say 'Yes'.

They take off again, while the contents of my pack are dumped on the ground. By the time I've hurriedly stuffed everything back in, they are out of sight. I decide I don't care to hurry, and smile my way on through the sunlight and quiet.