Day 5

Day 5  Wednesday "What is being revealed as I journey to the centre (personally, professionally and spiritually)?" Dadirri - inner deep listening and quiet, still Awareness. In convoy, we headed off in 3 vehicles on a 500km trip to the centre of the centre, Uluru, Traveling at speed limit of 130kph. I was in the bus (seats 12). Stopping approximately half way at a roadhouse, at the turn of the Stuart highway named Erlundra.   Along the way we were held up at road works, in the middle of nowhere. Good photo opportunity! Another very hot day, changing landscape, no wildlife visible. Was hoping to see camels along the way.  Sharing this pilgrimage with wonderful mix of people. each person and vehicle has to pay to enter the National Park, $25 and you have to have your ticket on you at all times. It was SO EXCITING to see Uluru and to be here!! It was a bit like when you're a kid and it's Christmas! Uluru is enormous, majestic, just incredible!  We explored the Cultural centre which has a great presentation, explanation about the local people and culture. We decided we had better go to the resort and check in, unpack and get ready for the sunset viewing. The accommodation was lovely, although the check in was very unorganized.  We unpacked And  2 cars went out to Uluru while 5 people went to the Sounds do Silence Dinner. There were lots of clouds around and distant storms. the lightning was spectacular! we set out a spread of cheese and nibbles and enjoyed the view! It was quite windy and we were hoping for the lightning to come across the rock for the ultimate photo op. Mia surprised us with her canapés of with witchetty grubs and cheese on crackers whilst playing"Great Southern Land" on her iPod. Too funny, but the music was very moving! Can't believe I'm here!! The centre of Australia, Uluru, this ancient spiritual site, WOW! There were a line up of cars and people all looking and admiring the changing sky and colors of the rock. Feeling the wind and counting our blessings. When it was dark and we couldn't take any more photos we headed back to the resort. Mia, Terry, Mary and I went and spent some time together listening to the music near the eating area. I had a girl introduce herself to me. After asking where she was from and what she did, she said she as a teacher...not a Christian. I thought this was an odd comment but continued on with our conversation. She was a new teacher who'd just worked for the term in a remote Indigenous community just south of here. When I was retelling this story to the group, they think that she must have thought I was a buddhist because of my hair? I thought it interesting that she would have worked in such a challenging place and yet have a stereotype about me. It was an interrupted nights sleep with the most incredible storm, thunder , lightning and rain! The thunder felt like it rumbled along the ground and was never ending....sounded very different to our storms.