Moments in Australia: Alice Springs
Alice Springs is an unusual town. It’s not the most photogenic place for your Instagram extravaganza, but it’s close to every beach in Australia, has an amazing collection of contemporary indigenous Australian art, it’s remote, dusty, a bit run-down, a gateway to the Red Center, a dry river intersects it, has a telegraph station, and it’s the home of the world’s oldest civilization. After a trip through the desert, we arrive in poorly lit Alice Springs. The contrast between dry heat and powerful air condition has made us tired and longing for a good night’s rest. Not meant to be! Cockroaches crawl out of cracks and crevices in the hotel…
Moments in Australia: scary Kings Canyon
Early morning, starry sky. On the way to Kings Canyon in the Red Center, the brightest constellations I’ve ever seen, keep me awake. No wonder the area around Uluru is one of the best places for stargazing. The road is straight as a thread with not a single turn. The desert awakes. Kangaroos jump out of the blue in front of the vehicle. Kings Canyon’s famous Rim Walk is challenging, exhausting, long, hair-raising and nearly impossible to conquer. I like to check things for myself and make my own conclusions, therefore I don’t think twice when the guide asks us which walk we are going for – the shorter and…
Moments in Australia: Uluru and Kata Tjuta
The plane to Uluru, Australia’s Red Center, is overcrowded with mostly Japanese tourists. One of them, sitting next to us, bursts into a sincere laugh and shakes E.’s hand – they both have the same camera. The lush tropics of Queensland change into a red-orange, arid landscape. Here again, I am impressed by the unexpected Australian kindness: we are informed on which side of the plane we will see the sacred rock. The cabin crew goes even beyond that. As I wait impatiently to get a glimpse of Uluru for the first time, a cabin crew member shows me Australia’s red heart in the distance. ”There it is, do you…
