Red rocks towered over our heads as we swam through a canyon in the center of the desert. It was our fourth day in the outback, and our guide, Mark, had taken us to a special spot that few tourists had visited called Redbank Gorge. We made our way through rocks tinged with purples and oranges, only seeing the sky through the cracks between the two sides.
On the first day of our outback excursion, we woke up bright and early and drove to Uluru, one of the most famous landmarks in the outback. It was majestically outlined against the sky. It was surreal seeing it in person after years of viewing it in photographs. We learned that because Uluru is a site for special ceremonies called secret business, it is not culturally appropriate to climb, even though the national park allows it.
We also walked through Kata Tjuta while Mark explained various dream time stories that were associated with the land. The next day we hiked the rim of King’s Canyon and learned about the special significance of the Garden of Eden at the bottom.
Our evenings were spent playing cards and laughing into the night. We slept in “swags,” which are glorified sleeping bags, under the breathtaking stars.
We learned about aboriginal culture and their use of art to create maps, stories, and to illustrate one’s personal history. We also were given the chance to try our hand at painting in an aboriginal style. To deepen our understanding of the culture, we were also guided through a walk where we learned the properties of native bush plants got to see ancient aboriginal carvings.
Our week in Alice Springs concluded with a visit to the Reptile Center. We each had the opportunity to hold a blue tongued skink and a bearded dragon. Avi got up close and personal with a python. We all felt like Britney Spears with the giant snake wrapped around our necks.
Later that afternoon, we took our last flight before heading home and arrived in Cairns, ready to begin the last chapter of our rapidly moving semester.
(photos to come soon)