The Skies of Uluru (Ayers Rock): Photo Essay


I’ve become obsessed with visiting Uluru since seeing the image of Oprah standing in front of it in awe. Oprah said, “It strikes awe in your soul when you see it." So I come to Uluru with great expectations. As the plane approached landing, we could see the iconic rock amidst a sprawling expanse of terracotta land, dotted by greens. The view itself was impressive, but not the awe-inspiring sight I have long imagined.

I thought I would be disappointed when I saw a few white tourist buses in front of the Ayers Rock airport. A party town, I thought! We rode in one of those buses to take us to our campsite/resort. The mid-afternoon Northern Territory light was bright and scorching. Our bus continued on a two-lane road amid an expanse of terracotta earth between rows of symmetrical trees and grass. After checking into our campsite/resort, the busload of tourists seemed to be lost in the huge expanse of earth. I did not see them until the following day at a gathering place to see the sunrise.

As showcase in my previous blog, the rock itself is like something out of the ordinary. It’s a photographer’s dream as it dramatically changes color when reflected by the sun. After walking the base, I learned that Uluru is held literally sacred by the local Anangu people. For me, there was something deeper that arose from its silence and space and the rock’s changing color. It felt as if I were invited to do a reflection of my own.

The following morning, we woke up before dawn to see the rock (Uluru) at sunrise.   I saw the outline of the rock as we drove to the lookout point. Then something far beyond the horizon caught my eye: the moon and stars giving way to the sunrise.

I created a video to share my experience.  Click  HERE  to watch it on You Tube or click on the thumbnail below.


As we dispersed from seeing the rock at sunset, I felt the extraordinary stillness to the place. My focus shifted on the bright glimmer far above the horizon. I saw bright stars reflecting on the trees as I walked back to my room. Spiritual indeed!!!



PHOTO GALLERY:

#1. The glorious sunrise change my perspectives.


#2. From purple orange to blue

#3. Later that day, the sun set gloriously.


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