Uluru

View from my travelling window Uluru

The view is still dusty through my window but we have power and water and a laundry with an industrial-sized washing machine to clean my sheets. I am warmed by golden light and desert colour. Ochre, bronze and soft amber emanate from the rock as we just catch the last of the sunset. There is no capturing this powerful presence.  

We learn about the rock as we walk beneath it.  How story teaches about the land. And how survival depends on this knowledge. 

It feels good to walk. It's peaceful and still beneath the eucalypts and acacias. Kestrels hover and zebra finches dart upwards to the rock in search of  water.  We watch budgies hiding in tiny holes within the branches of a tree. The shaded gorge is cool. 

Princess is orange.  All- the- time.  Her spare moments are spent collecting fluffy flora, sucking nectar from golden grevillea and digging in the dust.  Mowgli is only slightly less feral though at least he has finally washed his hair. 

The small amount of schooling we were doing appeared to be going reasonably well at first with a surprising amount of enthusiasm for journal writing.  However this morning's attempt was abandoned in under five minutes due to psycho behaviour in confined spaces whilst trying to prepare lunches.  

Princess is also letting her feelings about hiking be known to all.  Complaining, procrastination,  pace reduction measures and endless pausing to 'engage with nature' are some of her tactics.  We are resorting to marshmallows. We may need to begin chartering helicopters. 

What pleasure it is to watch them giggle as they bury a ball in the dust and create patterns and shapes with small sticks. This is treasure.