Uluru

I got up this morning at 4:40AM. Showered and was picked up by the bus that took me to the rock.
I watched the sun come up and watch the rock as it turned from black, to brown to a bright living red color. I watched this in the viewing area with about 400 other people, mostly japanese tourists. Now I hate people, crowds of people whatever. The sunrise was nice but I had to get out of there.
The bus dropped me at the cultural center and I started the walk around the rock. When it is cooler the park allows you to climb to the top of the rock but the local caretaking tribe asks people not to climb the rock because it is sacred to them. I can understand and respect that, however the bus driver told me up to 10,000 people in a day will climb the rock when they are allowed to.
Anyway, the clouds persisted and the first quarter of my walk was cool. Looking at the curves and shapes in the rock it had so much character. It looked more like a muscle than a piece of earth.
The rains the night earlier left a few small trickles of water here and there. Some really great spots.
I finished the walk in about 2.25 hours. Much better than I expected.
Back the the I met up with a couple from Cleveland that I've been running in to alot. We talked about travel and places we've been. They mentioned a spot I may go to next year and they went off on a camel ride.
A very welcome hot shower made me a bit more socially presentable, and I relaxed in my room with a large bag of Soy Chicken Potato Chips, a coooooolllllddddd can of coke and put on Led Zepplin "Physical Graphitti" that I picked up for my drive a long the coast. I leaned back remembered my day. Called my mom and there you have it.... Another birthday down.....

flying in

I left sydney hours ago.
Flying in the the center of austrailia the dirt turns a bright glowing brick red. I watched the movie, "stranger than fiction", good movie. I recommend it.
About 15 minutes before we land I can see the rock. Now, everything is flat, red, patches of green that look like scabs against bright red skin. Then the MASSIVE rock. I can't imagine what they thought 200 years ago when explorers first saw this thing. Then further on another rock formation. I may see them tonight and tomorrow. The rock.

rain and shine

After days and days of watching the harbor bridge and seeing the little ants crawl up around then down it was my turn.
I went to the opera house first. Hung out for a while then headed over to Bridgeclimb. This company runs tours seven days a week from 3am to midnight. That's alot of cash!
On the way over it started to rain..then in really started to rain! F, I might climb this bridge wet and sweaty.
We got all suited up and met the guide. He was pretty cool and my group, eh they were alright. One girl said she didn't know why she was doing the climb, she was afraid of heights.
We put on special suits teathered in and we were off. It was pretty cool being in the workings of the bridge and seeing the girders and what not but after a while it was kind of like being at work. I climb towers and tanks and what not from time to time and that's cool but after a while it get's old.
We moved around the lower part of the bridge, then apprehensive girl decided she didn't have it, so the guide sent for someone to take her back to the meet up spot.
Too bad, the weather turned out to be pretty good and I had a good time.

On the way down one of the guides asked me what I was doing after the climb. I said I was starved and asked where I could get some Kangaroo. Well just down the street from Bridgeclimb there is the Australian Hotel that serves Kangaroo, emu among other stuff.

I had a Kangaroo pie. Not too bad. Kangaroo is a lot like beef with a slightly different flavor to it. If you weren't aware of it you would think it's just spiced up beef. I recommend it. It's supposed to be healthy.

Anyway, I'm outta here.

I catch my plane in a few hours .
later

walking and talking

I've pretty much seen everything here I wanted to see.
Tomorrow I'm climbing the bridge and the next day I'm off to Uluhru.
I walked up the harbor bridge pylon today. I met two guys from Chile. They are going to Melbourne then Canberra and on the Ocean Road. I told them what I thought and we talked for a while about traveling.
I thought I was bold just using my book to get around. These guys don't even use a book. They just wander and see what they see and stay where they stay. Pretty cool.

I walked through Circular Quay today on my way to the internet shop. In Quay there is an Ibis, the one I took a picture of. He's the only one there? He walks around, tourists flock to him, take pictures and feed him. I can't think why more ibis' are getting wise to this deal.

I was thinking he might be just another civil servant who does the 12-4, M-W and every other sunday.
Could be.
Did I mention the sun is very strong here.

around the harbor

I rode around the harbor today. You can get an all day pass for about 12 USD for the ferries, subway and trains so I took a look around the harbor, shot this video and ...of course...

So I get the to crap table at Star City. Star City is the big casino in Australia. Pretty nice. Like vegas...but nothing is exactly like vegas.

I rolled but didn't do that great...but the dealer was this guy about my age and he made it fun. He talked a lot, called every roll and made the table go even when everyone was losing... I hung out just to hear his call the table.

I sat, drew, had some coffee rode around the harbor....not too bad.

I'm changing hotels tomorrow....I'm going cheaper but still not slumming ...

more later

sydney

just got to sydney, found gas, dropped of the car and checked in.
This is where I just had lunch.

canberra

I saw ibis', toured the capital. I ate what I was told was the national dessert, lampinton, which was pretty good, and

The canberra casino does NOT have a craps table. So I had a couple minutes to kill and played roulette. I hate roulette, it's a quicker version of the lottery but what the hell. I planed the top third and one, lost on red then I played something called opherites...something like that....it's one bet on one, then a bunch of half bets on numbers.....wtf...Number one comes up...I triple my 10 Au...not bad...

off to dinner more later.


Look at the ibis...