[Camels on an early morning safari]

[The shortest path between two points]

We're woken at dawn by a cacophony (I love that word) of birds; galahs, pigeons and parrots. The interesting thing about the pigeons here is the spiky thing on top of their heads. Iain calls them "freaky-birds". The birds are ridiculously noisy, we can't sleep and there are camels running around the campsite randomly. What are we doing here?

[Everybody wants a rock...]

[Tree!]

We drive towards Uluru (I win the spotting it first prize). It's awesome in the distance, another "hey, we're in Australia" wake up call. We pay the $16 entrance to the park. The area was handed back to the Aboriginal tribes it belonged to, a few years back, on the condition that they allow the Australian Tourist Board to run it, and the tribes get 20% of the income.

The visitor centre was designed by the Aborigines, and tells their legends about the existence of the rock (I'm sure it's on a website somewhere if you care to know more). It asks that people respect their tradition and don't climb the rock - despite this, someone usually dies up there each year. The climb is closed today as it's windy; we weren't going to do it anyway. Apart from the Aboriginal request, neither of us are fit enough.

[Everybody wave]

[Rock (detail)]

[Now that's impressive]

[The black mark of a previous waterfall]

[It's beautiful from so many angles]

[Rock texture]

[Contrasting colours]

[Are you rocked out yet?]

[Let's rock!]

[What's that thing in the distance, Iain?]

[And that?]

We walk a 1km bit of base (full walk round is 9.4km), instead. The rock is fantastic up close; distant crevices are actually huge gorges, caves, chasms etc. The rock formations are amazing; the photos tell it all.

[View from the "Valley of the Winds" walk]

[And another]

[And another]

[Olga texture]

[Valley of the Winds]

[The Classic Photo]

[View from the second lookout]

[Where Iain wimped out]

We eat lunch overlooking the rock, then drive to Kata Tjuta, thoroughly impressed. Kata Tjuta is "the Olgas" a range of mountains which possibly used to be a monolith like Uluru. The Aboriginal name means "many heads", which it does look like from certain angles. I read in the van, whilst Iain goes for a walk in The Valley of the Winds with some Australians I befriend, from Tasmania.

We head back to Uluru for sunset. The rock glows a deep vivid red, and everyone parks up to watch. It's beautiful and breathtaking. We then follow a line of traffic 10km back to Yulara, in the increasing dark.

There are thirty coaches in the sunset viewing area car park, and it's off season.

[Oh no, not that again]

[The rock changes colour as the sun sets (6:14)]

[(6:18)]

[(6:21)]

[(6:24)]

Yulara is wall-to-wall vans, unlike Curtin Springs, where you could park anywhere. We both have headaches, despite wearing hats etc in the sun. We have dinner, and my headache gets worse. I drink to try and rehydrate, then realise I'm having an allergic reaction, and am ill. I go outside the van and run to a bush, and puke about a litre of liquid, plus dinner. Nice. Think it was the orange juice I had, it usually is. Poor Iain has to organise the van (we have to pack away our rucksacks each night, into the front seats) whilst I feel sorry for myself. We decide to sleep on the single, lower bed, to see if it's any better. This is easier; we just open up the sofa. An early night again, asleep by 9pm.