The weather this morning is mild, beautiful blue skies, no wind, no clouds, down to 14c outside overnight.

We left camp at 8:45am and stopped at Curtin Springs for beer. What a place, a slab of VB cans $63.50.
We arrived at Ayres Rock Resort, what a magic place, it is a little town, with the lot, Shops, hotels, medical centre, police station, service station. Naturally, it is dearer, but you have to expect that, as you are really in the middle of nowhere, 300kms west of the Stuart Hwy.
About 50m away from our camp, is a sand dune that we walked up to view the rock, there will be photos.
It was extremely pleasant sitting outside in the cool evening breeze having a chilled refresher, at $63.50 a slab, I was savouring every drop.

Tomorrow, we are going to drive to Ayres Rock and maybe another helicopter tour.

We have a new definition of "The Norm" - beautiful blue skies, no wind, no clouds.

Well this morning, I awoke to the dark Norm, I got up about 6:30am in the dark, and climbed our near sand dune to take some photos of Ayres Rock, but as it was still dark, the glow of the lights from the buildings between me and Ayres Rock were too bright, so the photos were crap.
As we were both up early, I started the washing, as it is sheets and towels washing day. We did a few loads of washing and left camp about 10am and drove to the Rock.

As soon as you turn left from Yulara drive, there is a bloody big rock in the distance about 20kms. We had to stop various times on the way to take photos from every possible vantage point. I think I achieved that. At the Rock, we went to the Cultural Centre and checked it out, very interesting and informative, we visited all the displays as such, the souvenir shop and the cafe. After our coffee and sandwich, we drove to the climb area. Parked the car, watched various people climbing the rock.
Bear in mind, it is about 10:45am and probably 25%deg, so we started our climb, I took some photos of us on the climb, BUT, would you believe that my 3 camera batteries went flat and I do not have any photographic proof that we made it to the top. The mysteries of camera batteries, when we were about 50 feet from the bottom, my camera mysteriously starting working again, see photos. So we did climb the Rock. We have photographic proof of the start and the end, you will just have to trust us that we did do it. Would I lie to you.
After our strenous climb, we then drove the base of the rock and took more photos, before returning to downtown Yulara, where we did some shopping, some aboriginal prints, yet another stubby holder and a magnetic boomerang for the fridge.

We are booked in for tonight's sunset Helicopter tour ($520) of the Rock and the Olgas, (thanks Kev for that bonus, we have nearly spent it all on helicopter flights). The sunset helicopter was the best yet. I took heaps of photos, but the glare from the windows, hampered my style, I know excuses, excuses.

Tomorrow, we are going to drive to the Olgas.

Woke up to the 'Norm', cool early morning around 6:30am then threw off the top by 8:30am, to reveal the shorts and T shirt.

We drove out to the Olgas, took many photos and as we pulled into one of the car parks, I thought Marg was going to wet herself.

There were 4 feral camels just grazing about 30m away, I stopped the mighty Navara in the middle of the road, Marg jumped out with the camera. I parked the car and joined her, there were now 7 camels. That brings our Feral camel count to 12. Eat your hearts out Hamish and Andy, who didn't see any feral camels on their Who Dares Darwins - Caravan of Courage last November.
After Marg regained some of her composure, we drove around to the other car park at the Olgas, and you guessed it, took more photos. On the way back to camp which is 55kms away, Marg wanted to drive the Navara, she did. She enjoyed it.
Marg drew an Aboriginal drawing and we printed it at the Newsagent, she is quiet talented. Her drawing should appear below, if I remember to add it.
It's about 4pm as I write this informative prose, the temperature is 26.1° and I notice that back home, you are sweltering at 15. Marg is having a nanna nap and I have started slowly packing up for tomorrow's departure. Tonight tea is barbie chook and salad washed down with a rather expensive chilled refresher or two, probably three.

Tomorrow, we leave Ayres Rock and drive 440kms to Alice Springs for a week of R&R, this travelling is quiet tiring.