This trip has been a year in the making. It was a trip of a lifetime and I think a necessary pilgrimage for everyone living in Australia. We flew straight to Ayers Rock airport via Sydney. Uluru was clearly visible on the horizon the moment we stepped out of the plane onto the tarmac. It is impossible to miss this giant coppery red monolith standing out against the blindingly blue sky.
Magical changing of colours during dusk
It was a sight to awe anyone into silence. I was surprised at how lush the surroundings were; apparently it’s because there was quite a lot of rain in the weeks before our arrival. Little wildflowers everywhere, spinifex bushes, grevillias and baby oaks.
Wildflower blooms - totally non-showy, but still pretty and unexpected in a desert setting
I had the incredible opportunity of watching 2 Indigenous artists at work and they very graciously gave me permission to sketch them.
Alison had her earphones plugged in and was clearly in the zone while working on her piece.
Rachael working on her piece. They both had this large orange tub with their paint mixtures safely stored in little plastic take-away containers ready for use. So sensible! Must take notes - very handy for painting on the move.
Group photo at the end. I think they were quite pleased with their little portraits. Initially they were reserved with me. When they saw the finished sketches, they both started giggling and pointing to each other. I am so glad we broke the ice.
We also visited the Field of Lights. Frankly it was a little underwhelming. I was way more mesmerised by the incredible night sky. You could see the Milky Way! One of the few times I wished I had the photography equipment and skill to capture the beauty of the outback night skies.
Field of Lights and little crescent moon on the horizon
It was only 4 days. But it was totally magical.
