Day 7 Friday "Where is God now, as the journey comes to an end?

Day 7 Friday "Where is God now, as the journey comes to an end? It has been raining for much of the night. I wasn't sure if we'd still be meeting to go for our sunrise viewing of Uluru and then onto our wAlk at Kata Tjuta.It ended up that 12 of us were up for the adventure....whatever that might turn out to be. It was 5.45am, dark and raining and off we set in the mini bus, with Terry driving. We drove to the Turn off to WA and travelled along that road to the Dune viewing area where we could see both Uluru and Kata Tjuta. It was drizzling Now some of us had rain ponchos....mine was safely back in my suitcase in Alice Springs!As the sun started to come up we could see a burning purple, orange glow coming through the clouds near Uluru. The sky changed to a purple color near Kata Tjuta and you could see the colors come alive, the reds, browns and greens. the ground cover lightened to a creamy color with the red dirt and Green shrubs. We then headed off for a drive around Uluru to see WATER on the Rock!!! just awesome!!! everyone locally as said that this was such a blessing to see this natural wonder with water running and glistening on it! how many more Rich experiences can we have? Incredible! After a 360 degree viewing we went on to do  "The Walpa Gorge Walk " at Kata Tjuta. the landscape was certainly different....rocky ground, barren, like days from the dinosaurs. So many senses alive here! The sounds - running water, wind, birds, crickets, crunching of the rocks as we walk. The smells, like the rainforest, fresh, green, leafy, wet soil. Sight- green lush bush, brown rocks, a rich brown with red, round rocks, jagged, water in the grooves and small holes made from missing rocks and erosion, a myriad of colors from browns to greens and all in between.  We managed to make it back to the resort for breakfast at 9.45am, thinking that brekky finished at 10am, so we pleasantly surprised it finished at 10.30am. Mary and I checked out and then we caught the shuttle bus to the shopping centre at Ayers Rock Resort. First we went past the camel tour place, so That's the only way I got to see camels, as we didn't see any in the wild. We went past some of the structured tour "tent" camp set ups. Some were on the ground, others were off the ground on a base. Don't think that'd be for me. At the shopping centre I just wanted to pick up a couple of pressies for home. We grabbed a coffee, then back to our resort to leave for Alice. We travelled in 3 groups this time. One group had already left, as they were doing the soup van. Another group wanted to leave later, as they wanted to go back to Uluru to get close up pics of the water. We were the inbetween group, who were heading out to the Labyrinth at  " Campfire in the Heart." So on our bus were Deb, Glen, Sean, Beth, Melinda, Mary and I. We had a smooth trip, 4 and a half hours again. Very smooth check in also. Mary and I unpacked small bag we'd taken to Uluru and packed our suitcase for the trip home, then we went to the shops to look for some pressies and memorabilia. It was then time to go out to Campfire of the heart, Sue and David's place, where we'd spent much of Sunday. I've never experienced a labyrinth. being Good Friday, it was a full moon, clear sky and just beautiful. There were 7 of us, Beth, Kim, Melinda, Wendy, Deb, Mary and I and about another 7 people. David lead the group and did a fantastic job. We all started around the outside of the labyrinth and at intervals entered, hitting a bell as we did. The prayer was to be one of gratitude as we walked around slowly, the labyrinth providing a focus, meditative tool. People could stop when they wanted or wait at a turn for others to pass by If they were at a different pace. I wasn't sure how it would go with people walking so close by but it had a flow to it, people pausing, stopping, walking slowly. I felt extremely focused and found my heart overflowing with prayers of gratitude.....so many blessings in my life! halfway through the labyrinth you come to a central point where there is a fire and we all gathered there. we were asked to share some words if we wanted to and then David performed a smoking ceremony as a form of healing. We were asked to take in the smoke as we left the centre to finish the second party the labyrinth. We sang a song but the parts I remember are Do not worry, do not fear, Jesus is in me. At one time the smoke from the fire with the light behind it looked like the rays coming out from the cross, like the resurrection.....so powerful an image. it was a feeling of being at one with the earth, nature and the presence of God. The crunching of the gravel under foot, the crickets, the stars and moon, the 3 crosses in the garden. I thought that I am not here by accident but rather that God had a plan for me to go to uni at the Catholic Uni, to get my degree and teach at Unity, so that I could be given the opportunity to come on this pilgrimage and be here in this place at this very moment. No accident! I love feeling this connection to God and being with people who are aware of their spirituality and are willing to discuss this and share their feelings. Just amazing. felt a silence come over me...too much sometimes to put the experiences into words. Too late for dinner at the resort now, so we decided to get pizza.....the best pizza we've had for a VERY long time and in usual NT style, the largest. We ordered a party pizza with a large garlic pizza bread.....for 5 women, Melinda, Beth, Wendy, Kim and I...what were we thinking? Half seafood and half vegetarian ( being  Good Friday). we sat outside and ate it with more discussions and then time for bed.