Today,
Richard thought yes – Wendy was not so sure.
The
plan is to do the Valley of the Winds 7.4km walk which will take us right
through the centre of what used to be known as The Olgas- but is now called
Kata Tjuta (meaning many heads). Because of today’s predicted hot temperatures
the track will be closed at 1100.
It
means another early morning start and after a 45 minute drive we begin at 0700.
It’s already warm, but thankfully there is a breeze.
This
walk certainly gets you up close and personal to Kata Tjuta. In fact the track
leads up over a ridge and delivers us right into the centre of this strange
collection of magnificent, ancient and huge rock formations. Surprisingly it’s
green and lush as water often pools in the middle of this natural basin. The
track loops for 4kms over several challenging rocky ridges and through more lush
gullies. The track is steep, rocky and difficult in places. The flies are
troublesome. But we feel part of this environment – at least for a couple of
hours. Another walker tells us that the views across the desert to the west remind
him of Africa. It looks more like central Australia to us, but then again we
are yet to travel to Africa.
When
we finish at 0930 the temperature is already 36 degrees. We have completed it
in good time.
We
return to our hotel to recover by spending time in the pool and then generally
lolling about for the rest of the day…this is a holiday after all.
My only visit in my teens in the early 70 s is recalled in your comments of the rock and the olgas. We camped there were no hotels or expensive dinners andwe climbed it all so politically incorrect now.
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