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 Cairns-Ayers Rock

　Departed for Ayers Rock by Qantas (QF1859 / 10: 35 → 12: 55 / 2h50m). The endlessly dry red land continued during the flight from Cairns to Ayers Rock. On the plane to Ayers Rock I was in the left seat, so I could see Ayers Rock (Uluru) and Mount Olga (Kata Tjuta) before landing.

 Yulara Resort

　We arrived at Yulara Resort from Ayers Rock Airport with a local guide of "AAT kings". We stayed at the Sails in the Desert Hotel for two nights. Bougainvillea was beautifully blooming on the balcony of the guest room, and Ayers Rock could be seen in the distance. Solar panels were placed on the top of the building. Many solar panels were installed not only in Yulara Resort but also in the national park. Since it is in the Southern Hemisphere, it's interesting that the solar panels are facing north. There were no clouds in the sky and it was clear. This fine weather continued throughout our stay at Ayers Rock.

 Mount Olga

　After a break at the hotel, we left for Mount Olga. We entered Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park and took a walk along the walking path (2.2km) called Valley of the wind in Mount Olga, looking at the huge stones.

　After that, we stopped for taking pictures at two viewpoints on Mount Olga and headed for Ayers Rock.

 Ayers Rock Sunset

　In the evening we moved to the Ayers Rock sunset viewing area to enjoy champagne and the sunset, which changed colors from red to purple. After sunset, the pink Venus Belt and the dark blue shadow of the Earth appeared, making it very impressive. It was sunny and the scenery was very nice, but the flies clung to me while I was taking pictures and it was hard to put up with them.

　We returned to the hotel and had dinner with pasta, pizza and sparkling wine at the Gecko's Cafe of Yulara Resort. We went to bed early in preparation for tomorrow's sightseeing.

 Ayers Rock Sunrise

　Departed for Ayers Rock sunrise and mountaineering tour at 5am. The temperature was low, so we went out with complete protection against the cold. We arrived at Ayers Rock's sunrise viewing area before dawn and watched Ayers Rock lit up by the rising sun. Mount Olga was visible on the far left of Ayers Rock.

 Ayers Rock Climbing

　After sunrise, we moved to the trailhead of Ayers Rock, changed into light clothing and climbed Ayers Rock (climbing was allowed in 2010).
　The conditions for closing the trailhead of Ayers Rock are temperature of 36 degrees or higher, wind speed of 12.86m/s or higher, low pressure, rain, lightning, clouds, etc., and the wind is particularly severe.
　Fortunately, the trailhead was open because the weather was fine and the wind speed was 5.83 m/s on that day.

　The first third of Ayers Rock climbing is a steep slope. While climbing, the Achilles tendon kept stretching and hurt. I grabbed an iron chain and climbed, but a non-slip work gloves helped me. We climbed the steep slope and took a rest. It was getting cooler in May, but the direct sunlight was strong and the flies were fine here as well.

　The next part is a continuous up and down trail. And the last third is a gentle ridge and we arrived at the summit in less than one hour. (Height difference 348m, one way 1.6km)

 Ayers Rock Mountaintop

　The tour was scheduled to depart for the sightseeing around Ayers Rock two hours after the start of the climbing, so the people who climbed together immediately descended. My family decided to abandon the sightseeing around Ayers Rock and enjoyed the stay at the summit. No one climbed up later, so we were able to relax for about one hour at the top of Ayers Rock with our family alone.

　After enjoying the view of the horizon around the monument at the top of the mountain, we started descending.
　Ayers Rock is a red rock surface with holes in some places. On the way back, I found a creature like a tadpole wearing a green helmet in the puddle of the hole. I thought it was a new species, but when I looked it up later, it was a small tadpole-like crustacean called a shield shrimp (Triops australiensis). When the water dries, the eggs dry and remain dormant for several years until the next heavy rain, and when it rains, they hatch again.

　I returned to the steep slope of the chain. I went down slowly, being careful not to slip off. I met a climber here for the first time. After we climbed, the trailhead was closed for a while due to strong winds. My family, who got off earlier, was taking a picture of me from the trailhead.

 Ayers Rock Foothills Walk

　We returned to the hotel at noon and took a break with a beer at the restaurant. After lunch we took a walk in the hotel garden and poolside.

　After a break, we got on a car called Uluru Express, which runs regularly from Yulara Resort to Ayers Rock, and went to the Ayers Rock trailhead again to go around the foothills.

　There are several courses at the foot of the Ayers Rock, and we chose the Mara Walk. It is named "Mara Walk" because there is a cave where "Mara" lived.

　We took a leisurely stroll about 2km round trip from the men's cave through the kitchen cave to Kanju Falls.The waterfall in Kanju wasn't flowing due to the sunny weather, but there was still water in the valley below. The natural sculptures of Ayers Rock and the Aboriginal murals were interesting.

　Slowly going back, looking at the caves and murals, we rode the Uluru Express back to the hotel. With Uluru Express, anyone can go sightseeing in Ayers Rock even on a private trip.

 Sound of Silence Dinner

　We left the hotel in the evening for the Sound of Silence dinner venue. It was a luxurious time to enjoy dinner and stars in the vast nature of Australia's Outback.
　We watched Ayers Rock, Mount Olga, and the outback sunset with champagne before 6 pm. By the side of the venue, an Aboriginal man was playing a traditional musical instrument called didgeridoo. After watching the sunset, we returned to the dinner venue and started dinner. There were 3 courses of soup, main course and dessert, and the main course and dessert were buffet style. The tastes unique to Australia such as kangaroos and emu were also included.
　After the twilight disappeared and it became dark, the Southern Cross hung on the Milky Way, and the stars spread to the horizon. After dinner, the lights of the venue went out and the guide explained the stars. Near the real Southern Cross, another slightly larger and brighter cross can be seen, which can be mistaken for the real Southern Cross. There was a few minutes of silence after the explanation of the stars, and we were immersed in the silence (Sound of Silence) in the wilderness. After nearly an hour of dark sky, the horizon turned slightly red and the moon came out, but in the wilderness we enjoyed the stars in full sky.

　Some of the tour participants were Japanese living in Australia, and during dinner, a couple from Sydney told us that Queen Victoria Building (QVB) afternoon tea was recommended in Sydney. And another woman told us that the aqua dining restaurant we booked in Sydney has a back menu paella. They were good references for sightseeing in Sydney from tomorrow.

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