Red Centre Adventure (And a Very Odd Vegimite Sandwich)

Last weekend was Mattys birthday and after the past 6 weeks of madness (moving from one side of the world to the other straight into a full on work schedule and an office with staff) I knew the best thing I could give him was a break. I managed to whisk him away somewhere where internet connections and life in general moves at a nice slow pace. The middle of the Australian outback.

We got there on Friday afternoon and got our first glimpse of Ayers Rock (Uluru) from the plane as well a nice view of the Olga’s which looked a hazy purple color from the air, a quite spectacular effect against the intense red of the desert sands and Uluru. After a wander around Ayers Rock resort (which is really just a grocery store a café, restaurant and a tourist info centre and hotels) we promptly found ourselves a bottle of champagne and found our way over to the bright orange sand dunes to watch the sunset over the desert and Uluru. We stayed out for hours watching the sky change from reds and oranges to soft purples and blues transforming the dunes and the rock into a million different shades and colors before the sun finally was gone (as was the champagne) and all the stars came out. It was so relaxing and followed by a nice long hot tub. It was just what the doctor ordered to wind down from the week.

The next day, Saturday, we set off for a big day. We were going to climb the rock, which is quite a strenuous 2 -3 hour climb and visit the cultural centre where we could learn about the Anangu aboriginal tribe which had been living in this area for as long as recorded time can tell and more. Well when we got to the cultural centre we found that the Anangu felt very strongly that they did not want people climbing Uluru at all. It really upset them as this was sacred to them. A place they had been using for hundreds of years to conduct ceremonies of huge spiritual significance to them. We decided although many people were still choosing to climb, that we would respect their beliefs and walk around the base of Uluru (which the Anangu don’t mind at all) instead of climbing.

As we were walking exploring all the interesting nooks and crannies of Uluru we ended up in an odd shaped cave that looked like a crashing wave. A lovely aboriginal man named Keith came up and explained to us that this used to be (it still is to him) a sacred women’s area and said men shouldn’t really be in there and proceeded to teach us about how this was a food preparation area and showed us sacred rock art in there. It seemed our friend took quite a shining to us and adopted us for the afternoon. He was there with 3 other friends. Keith and his friend Tiwa were both aboriginal tour guides and they were showing two of their other friends around Uluru for fun so they adopted us and told us dreamtime stories and funny stories about how they used to hunt emu at the watering holes. Keith swore lots and told us his story of how he was taken from his parents when he was two so he could be raised like a white boy. We talked and laughed all afternoon by a watering hole under Uluru and then Keith can and stood between us, threw his arms around us, looked at his mates and said “what’d’ya call this? “A f*#k’n vegemite samwich mate!”

That night we went along to an outdoor dinner in the desert which we had heard was awesome…..it was. We found ourselves sipping champagne, to the sound of the didgeridoo and watching the sunset over the big rock once again. This was followed by an amazing meal and lovely Aussie wines and then all the lights we turned off so we could see the stars. We learned about the planets, stars and constellations from an astronomer with a funny theatrical voice and then had yummy desert and peered at Jupiter through a powerful telescope.

Sunday we hired a car and drove out to the Olga’s which were so much more amazing that I thought they’d be! They are these enormous towering red domes plonked together in the desert. They are bigger than Uluru and have such a magic about them.

We made sandwiches on the boot of our hired car while being attacked by flies, then ate them in the car so we wouldn’t eat any flies, then we set off on a 3 hour walk through the Olga’s called ‘the valley of the winds’. It was spectacular! One of the best walks I have ever done for sure. We walked through flat open planes, through tiny lush gullies sandwiched between the domes and also thin rocky trails weaving around over and through red round mountains. You could look up at any time and marvel at how tiny you are compared the gargantuan red rock formations all around you. There sure were a lot of flies there though…and they seem immune to fly repellant.
We had some beer and a bush style bbq to end the day which was just perfect.

Monday we flew home but managed to squeeze in a sunrise over Uluru which was freezing cold but very very pretty. I saw that rock from every angle in every shade of light over the weekend and enjoyed every bit of it.

What a great desert adventure!!

A Sudden Goodbye to Canada

Oh my gosh, the past couple of months have flown by in a whirlwind of big changes and massively life altering decisions. The business we have been running from home for over 2 years now had become very successful towards the end of the 2005 year in whistler and in 2006 we began to have interest from partners wanting to merge with us and to cut a very long story short we decided to be ambitious and put some hard work in to make this business something big. We made the decision to let go of our dreamy life in whistler only to chase an even bigger dream back in Oz. We had always planned to go to live in europe for another year or 2 after whistler but we are putting it off for the business.




So after making a definate decision very suddenly we found ourselves back down under within only 2 weeks of making our minds up! It has been such a change from living an outdoorsey life of snowboarding every other day and hot tubs and long walks in the forest (and not all that much work) to now working 5 days a week from home while matty is in the office in north sydney every day (we now have an office and staff!!)

Although it has been a full on change we are enjoying working harder for this dream. Its a challenge but it is also alot of fun and a hell of a lot of growth for us both. Especially matty. We have now been back for just on 6 weeks and it has been the busyest 6 weeks i think we have had since we have been together!

Whistler was such an amazing, inspiring, adventure filled, spiritual and visually spectacular place. It has made me such a better person from living there a year. I feel so much more able to face fears but also so much fuller and more at peace inside. I brought alot of whistler home in my heart (as corny as it sounds) It was just changing seasons when we left. The snow was melting, the days were getting longer and the bears were all coming out of hybernation. I followed a bear around for 25 minutes a few days before i left. I wish i was there for the summer in a way but being home feels so right. I love having my wonderful freinds here in sydney with me again. they are so full of life and love and they are so funny. Its a shame we have to do back to back winters but it will be good for the business anyway.

I never felt i got to say it properly because it was all such a rush but .......goodbye whistler!!!! i love ya