May 20 Flight to Ayers Rock

Today was special. We flew from Alice Springs to Ayers Rock and took in all the sights in between. It was a great treat, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Emily is only in town for 4 days. We considered initially how we might drive to see Ayers Rock. We have no back seat in our car. The Mazda is small and certainly couldn't tow the van. We could hire a car, but we can't sleep 4 in the van - 3 would be a squeeze and has never been done before. We thought about camping, but Ruby doesn't do camping. Precious little princess that she is. Not sure about Emily either. So, only one viable option left - fly there. And that's what we did.

The plane was a 5 seater with single prop. Here's what it looks like from the inside.

Ruby and Emily are ready for take-off

That's me in the co-pilot's seat. Very frustrating - I wasn't allowed to touch anything

As we chatted with the pilot during the flight, it came out that he used to live in the same street as we did at one stage - Mark Court Chadstone. While we didn't live there at the same time, it is a pretty amazing coincidence.

On with the flight...
The views of the landscape around Alice Springs are stunning from the air.

This is a view of Alice Springs from the east. Ruby's house is in the group of buildings in the middle right of the photo.

The flight path went from Alice Springs airport across town and along the West MacDonnell ranges 

Simpson Gap - this is where we visited the day before



Close up view of the MacDonnell ranges

 

The ranges look like they go on for ever...



You can really appreciate the movement of the tectonic plates from the air

Another change of landscape, apparently formed when this area was part of an ocean

I can imagine this being the edge of the ocean at some point in history

 After leaving the West MacDonnell ranges we went to the Gosse Crater. We haven't seen this from the ground as there is only dirt track access and its also quite a distance away from Alice Springs (and every else for that matter).

Gosse crater - formed by a meteor colliding with the earth a few years ago

 After the crater, we then flew over Kings Canyon. Unfortunately we didn't see any people climbing along the cliffs  

Kings Canyon - not quite as impressive from the air as it was from the ground

  

Another view of Kings Canyon - still looks pretty good

 From Kings Canyon we flew further south towards Ayers Rock and the Olgas. The landscape changes dramatically. Firstly we fly over some large salt lakes. Then the ground flattens out and stays flat for miles and miles. The flat landscape is quite an appropriate setting for the surprising and stunning protrusions that are Ayers Rock and the Olgas.

Salt Lakes on the way to the rock - part of the Amadeus Basin



Unlike Lake Eyre, there's not much water around here, despite all the rain



As we got closer to the rock, the ground goes flat and monotonous, but still interesting

The Olgas - they look fantastic from the air! And I still think they look like happy rocks

A closer view of the happy Olgas



Can't help but notice this big old rock


Apart from Emily feeling a bit sick during parts of the flight, the trip was a great success and a very special memory of Central Australia.