don sees the world: Travelogue: Australia – Weekend Side Trip: Uluru

Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Travelogue: Australia – Weekend Side Trip: Uluru – Part 3, The Sounds Of Silence

The first of the two tours that I come to the center of Australia to take was The Sounds Of Silence dinner, an amazing affair that sets off from the hotel a couple hours before sunset. A quick read in the tour book tells me that the dinner venue itself has been rated one of the five best restaurants in Australia.

The cloud cover made for an interesting sky and a really good sunset, but they do not portent well for the other activity of the evening, the star-gazing. But it made for a lovely ride out to the venue. But to start at the beginning…

The afternoon was an active one having included some shopping, some swimming, an unsuccessful attempt at booking a helicopter ride, a bit of writing, and a nap; so when the clock indicated it was time to get ready for dinner, I was surprised at how late it had gotten so late, so quickly. But, the clock is a stern master and it was time to get ready.

We collected at the hotel lobby and it was apparent that all the people who had booked the tour were of a different opinion of what was in store. I had decided on a safe-for-almost-everything selection a nice pair of trousers, loafers, and a dress-casual oxford. I also carried a light jacket in case it got cool after sunset. (Though, it was still 30-degrees – about 90 Fahrenheit – when the busses collected us.) When I saw the first couple arrive, I was certain I was under dressed. She was wearing a long sheath of some silky material and he was not exactly black-tie, but close to it. But then there arrived couples in suits, and in jeans, and everything in-between.

I guess, understanding that we were all headed out to eat al fresco made each couple think something different. We boarded the bus and headed out to the middle of the bush. The driver pointed-out some of the sights along the way, one being the peaks of The Olgas; Kata Tjuta as it is called by the aboriginal locals. One humorous thing about this mountain range is that if you look at it right, it looks sort-of like Homer Simpson lying on his back.

We arrived at the venue and were greeted by a didgeridoo and a glass of Champaign. Though, I suppose it was technically NOT champers – it was really a sparkling Australian white wine. Whatever, it was quite yummy and we toasted each other and the scenery as the sun set colored the deserts to the west of Ayers Rock-Uluru.

After sunset, we were walked down to the dining area and were seated; we then had a lovely dinner including crocodile, kangaroo, and other lovely indigenous treats. The food was excellent as was the company. I was seated with a group of people who were expatriated to Australia. One was a film writer; the other did something in the advertising field. It was an odd experience because the first question I was asked was whether I was in the communications industry; I had to admit that with a degree in Broadcast Production and thirty-or-so years working either directly or tangentially in broadcasting, yes, I was in communications. That was when I learned that so was half the table – how odd is it that I would be seated at a table of six where in three of us were, generally speaking, in the same industry. It truly is not THAT BIG an industry.

After dinner, there was a talk by an astronomer on the stars we would be seeing (but for the cloud cover) and on the interesting things that go on above our heads all the time. I did get to see the Southern Cross, the constellation emblazoned on the flags of both Australia and New Zealand (and of the Crosby, Stills, and Nash song fame). At first, it only peaked-out from the clouds a couple stars at a time, but as the evening wore on; it came out to reveal itself.

They also set-up a couple 8” Reflector Telescopes and gave us a look at the moon and at Saturn, it is amazing to see the rings resolve themselves through a telescope! Despite the clouds, it was an amazing night out in the desert.

The coaches (I hear them say that when they mean that thing those of us from the states would call a ‘bus’ and snicker – I cannot help but picture a stage coach or Cinderella’s pumpkin being pulled by the enchanted horses.) collected us around eleven and by midnight I was slumbering, dreaming of my next adventure in this amazing place.