What are the first three words that come to your mind when you think of Australia?
Here’s mine!:
1. Kangaroos
2. Deadly spiders
3. THE OUTBACK
We’ll shy away from the first two for now and focus on number three on my list, THE OUTBACK.
Close to 85% of Australians live within 30 miles of the coast, leaving a vast area of uninhabited land in the center of Australia. This large area, known as the Outback, receives little and erratic rain and is also subject to extreme temperatures, ranging from extreme heat in the day to freezing cold at night.
Sounds like an ideal trip destination right?
You bet!
Me and my friend Annie planned a trip to the Outback early on in the semester and were super excited as the days drew closer. We knew we would be way out of our comfort zones as we ventured away from the urban suburbs of Sydney and into the middle of nowhere (literally) desert lands of the Outback .
Day 1
We arrived in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia after a 3 hour flight from Sydney. We settled in our hostel and decided to walk around and explore the city. After ten minutes, we found ourselves at Anzac Hill and climbed to the top to take in some views of the city.
Day Two
We left early in the morning for a six hour drive to Kata Tjuta, the first major destination on our itinerary. As we left Alice Springs and drove for hundreds of miles on the empty road, it really started to feel like we were in the middle of nowhere –I even saw tumbleweed along the road!
Our first rest stop happened to be a convenience store that had a camel farm across from it. I obviously took full advantage of this situation!
Note: Camel rides are not comfortable… at all. DO NOT TROT ON A CAMEL. Stick to a very slow walk.
After an amusingly painful camel ride, we got back on the road and drove for hours until we finally reached Kata Tjuta, a group of impressive large domed rock formations. The first thing I noticed when we arrived were the flies. There were flies buzzing around everywhere! As the flies started swarming around me, I quickly put on the fly net that I had bought earlier and what a life saver it was! Who knows how many flies I might have accidentally swallowed had I not put that thing on!
Later that night we went to a nice lookout to watch the sunset over Kata Tjuta and view Uluru, an incredibly large sandstone rock formation. The sunset was unlike any sunset I’ve ever seen before.
Day Three
99.9% of the time when the sun is rising, I’m asleep. But thank God, I woke up early on this day to see the sunrise above Uluru. The sunrise was absolutely breathtaking! The colors and clouds in the sky constantly changed as they painted a brilliant backdrop against the silhouette of Uluru. I was completely mesmerized by the display, keeping my eyes fixed on it the entire time.
Later that afternoon we went for a walk around the base of Uluru. It’s a totally different experience when you’re up close to a 3,000 foot rock than when you’re far away from it. Uluru has so many hidden secrets. I would have never guessed that there were waterholes, caves, ancient aboriginal drawings and more within the rock.
Day Four
We said goodbye to Uluru and Kata Tjuta and drove to Kings Canyon. On the way there we spotted Mount Conner, a large table top mountain that is often confused with Uluru, and a pretty cool salt flat across from it.
Once we got to Kings Canyon, we embarked on a 4 mile hike. The first part of the hike was called, “Heart Attack Hill” because of how long and steep it was. I’m glad I survived! Overall, I really enjoyed the entire hike through Kings Canyon as it is now one of my favorite hikes.
After leaving King’s Canyon, we headed back to our hostel in Alice Springs and flew back to Sydney the following day. I’m so grateful I got the chance to explore the Great Australian Outback! Now I know why so many people describe it as a once in a lifetime experience.
I can’t wait to starting writing about my next trip!