we finally get on the plane... and no trouble.. we are not sent back to australia .. which at this point we feel it is too expensive... gas 8$ gallon and vans expensive to rent and the country is so darn big... so off we go to another expensive place but at least it's smaller and we don't have to travel far or rent a car... it all seems good... except we find that japan does get hot.. not a little bit hot.. alot hot... so hot that people wear wet rags on their head... and carry umbrellas during the day and the women wear long gloves... just my kind of climate... right...
we arrive in osako.. steamy, bustling night... the hotel that we thought we had was cancelled at the last minute.. we need room... this story has been written... under... something like... i am not a hero.... so let's move on.. just to let you know that osaka very crowded.. all the businessmen out after work heading to happy hour.. they were very happy... the little bars they frequented were air conditioned.. i stuck my head inside one... through plastic strips that are usually in meat markets... it kept the hot air out... enough to make it comfortable.. all the bars looked inviting... crowded, dark, full of chatter and laughter... some were off down hallways and into these secret little spaces... we heard that osaka is known for its nightlife .. it is more gritty than other cities in japan... industrial...
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
last day , wild night...
Woke up early and headed out right away.. wanted to see uliru at sunrise... went to the sunset viewing park cause it would be empty... cloudy sky,, good for pictures.. we were the only ones there... lot of pictures taken while mark made breakfast.. sausage and beans plus the usual.. pb and jelly, yogurt, wheatabix etc..
College student, Sam, birthday party... brits bought cake , champagne, funny glasses and a button that said.. i am 21...
Off to uliru for base walk... 8 miles around the rock... it alternated between scrub brush and trees.... it sort of became a race.. we were in the rear.. the germans are so fast.. the hopping guy, the fastest .. and rons wife joan.. a smoker,,, deceptively quick.... but they stopped here and there for pictures and we forged ahead..
Ron and Matt tried for climb again... they got the ok... just made it before the winds picked up to 40 miles an hour.. then it was closed, but they were already on their way...
According to matt ron saved a woman on the top.. she was starting to slip.. he grabbed her before she was blown over by the wind... grabbed her by her left breast.. it was an ample breast, plenty for anyone.. so we were told... ron actually beat the 22 yr. old to the top of uliru...
Dropped maeliss and nicolas off at ayers airport... they flew into ayers rock not knowing how expensive it was to stay there and take tours, so they had to come to alice springs for the hostel and the tour...which is 300 miles away... they were off to sydney , nz and fiji....easter island and then back to paris... where they live and work...
Dropped off swags at first campsite for next group... then headed to Alice Springs airport for Alex... just made it.. heading back to England... he was working at some summer conservation job...
Back to the hostel, shower and 5$ supper with group... sam still celebrating his 21st birthday with shots... amije, a belgian girl.. won pin the tail on the donkey..it was a sweep for the women.. table dancing and conga line... we left before the table dancing, heard the conga line go by our door... we heard the next morning that ron and joan, the oldest people there.. were dancing on tables.. amije's boyfriend, jochem... he used to live in majorca for 4 years...worked in a club... some kind of act...he is musical and very funny..... and very considerate .. when ron got overheated on the first hike, jochem stayed close by.. of course ron did recuperate quickly.. he climbed Rainier and some of the Himalayas when he was young ... and now uliru at 80....
written up by toots from fb's superb notes.....
College student, Sam, birthday party... brits bought cake , champagne, funny glasses and a button that said.. i am 21...
Off to uliru for base walk... 8 miles around the rock... it alternated between scrub brush and trees.... it sort of became a race.. we were in the rear.. the germans are so fast.. the hopping guy, the fastest .. and rons wife joan.. a smoker,,, deceptively quick.... but they stopped here and there for pictures and we forged ahead..
Ron and Matt tried for climb again... they got the ok... just made it before the winds picked up to 40 miles an hour.. then it was closed, but they were already on their way...
According to matt ron saved a woman on the top.. she was starting to slip.. he grabbed her before she was blown over by the wind... grabbed her by her left breast.. it was an ample breast, plenty for anyone.. so we were told... ron actually beat the 22 yr. old to the top of uliru...
Dropped maeliss and nicolas off at ayers airport... they flew into ayers rock not knowing how expensive it was to stay there and take tours, so they had to come to alice springs for the hostel and the tour...which is 300 miles away... they were off to sydney , nz and fiji....easter island and then back to paris... where they live and work...
Dropped off swags at first campsite for next group... then headed to Alice Springs airport for Alex... just made it.. heading back to England... he was working at some summer conservation job...
Back to the hostel, shower and 5$ supper with group... sam still celebrating his 21st birthday with shots... amije, a belgian girl.. won pin the tail on the donkey..it was a sweep for the women.. table dancing and conga line... we left before the table dancing, heard the conga line go by our door... we heard the next morning that ron and joan, the oldest people there.. were dancing on tables.. amije's boyfriend, jochem... he used to live in majorca for 4 years...worked in a club... some kind of act...he is musical and very funny..... and very considerate .. when ron got overheated on the first hike, jochem stayed close by.. of course ron did recuperate quickly.. he climbed Rainier and some of the Himalayas when he was young ... and now uliru at 80....
written up by toots from fb's superb notes.....
first glimpse
Woke up deep in the sleeping bag at six a.m... with mark starting fire... rolled up swags while mark got breakfast ready.. wheatabix, yogurt, apricots, nutella pb and jelly.. into bus, pit stop and then a stop to take pictures of mount connor... drove onto the domes, rounded eroded red melons coming out of ground.. impressive... rose up out of the middle of nowhere, dark against light sky then slowly turning red.. stopped for pictures.. can't get all the domes in one shot..
Got first glimpse of uliru on way to domes, it's more than just a big red rock.. then we got to the domes and of course another toilet break.. out come the toothbrushes, towels and soap.. safari guys, we all stink real bad... domes are beautiful, small passes and paths between them.. tilted like frank gehry.. path starts up then down to dry riverbed with trees and green around it, like cottonwoods following rivers in the southwest..
Mark talked about Aboriginal men going out into bush for a year before marriage.. .. and then future motherinlaw beating them with a stick.. if they scream or can't take it, off they go for another year..
Path continues, twisting among the domes upward.. moist drainage area from cliffs where water collects so trees can grow.. lots of eucalyptus growing in canyons...
Up again to another viewing area and boing.. drop off between cliffs to flat plains, light green vegetation and single smaller domes beyond... like the setting in the movie king solomons mines.. we turned around there , better than walking in the hot plains...
We still haven't had lunch, drive to uliru cultural center where there's a barbeques, benches and a grass roof... meat, tuna , eggs , onions and tomatoes for sandwiches or salad.. a good lunch.. ron the 80 year old and matt the 22 year old go with mark to see if they can climb uliru.. they come back..a storm possible.. they will have to wait until tomorrow...
Mark takes us on a short mala walk, close to the rock... shows us aboriginal petroglyphs, intended for messages, ... messages like,,, there's water here... came to bell shaped cave, a sacred womens site.. aboriginal men not allowed near it, can't see it.. it is a birthing cave... white couple had wedding there..they didn't know it was sacred to aboriginals.. an aboriginal man saw picture in newspaper and knew what it was ... bad karma for him... now all sites, male and female are marked.. no photos.. all sacred sites...
Walk ended in little glen where water runs down face of uliru... water streaks and water caches in rock face , caves and holes all over where water collects... used for drinking....
Drove to parking lot, and went to dunes to see uliru sunset while mark fixed supper.. beautiful sunset, uliru turned red, purple , black and gray.. great sunsets on other side too, with sun behind domes... mark fixed thai chicken noodles..
Back to bus and a new campsite.. music, singing, abba, mama mia and dancing.. stop at alyra resort area, mark refueled, women stripped down in ladies room to wash, brought duffles and backpacks into bathroom... mary got marshmallows , chocolate and crackers for campfire,,.. smores.. went out to collect wood again in the pitch black with headlights strapped to our foreheads... mary, mark , the germans and matt walked a couple hundred yards for deadwood and came across a stash of porno magazines...
Good time around campfire,, ron told stories and sang chanties.. he is a born entertainer... also tom lehr songs... germans showed dance and sang anthem... maeliss and nicolas led us in the marsailles , and showed us a french round dance around fire.. and last but not least the international hokey pokey.. germans got us to hold hands, shake our booties , moving up close to the fire and back again...
Then came the big event of the night , musical swags.. music from bus...loud.. people dropped out.. ron had some good slide moves.. toots and maeliss were the last women.. maeliss out.. told toots to make women proud.. all of a sudden it's toots and 4 guys, then toots and 3 guys, 2 guys... even though they stuck close to their swags and jumped over fire for shortcuts...if they had to..
Suddenly the showdown.. toots and ron.. the dance began.. not just moves but eye contact, posture and defense.. toots and ron danced over the one swag, then toots used basketball moves.. side to side.. back and forth.. they both dropped at end of music and toots hit the swag.. the new champion...
No noisey space blanket tonight, rain jacket instead and fleece jacket for pillow.. much warmer night, not much chitchat even amongst kids.. clouds rolled on..... another night under the stars..
toots wrote this from fb's notes... he will expand later...
Got first glimpse of uliru on way to domes, it's more than just a big red rock.. then we got to the domes and of course another toilet break.. out come the toothbrushes, towels and soap.. safari guys, we all stink real bad... domes are beautiful, small passes and paths between them.. tilted like frank gehry.. path starts up then down to dry riverbed with trees and green around it, like cottonwoods following rivers in the southwest..
Mark talked about Aboriginal men going out into bush for a year before marriage.. .. and then future motherinlaw beating them with a stick.. if they scream or can't take it, off they go for another year..
Path continues, twisting among the domes upward.. moist drainage area from cliffs where water collects so trees can grow.. lots of eucalyptus growing in canyons...
Up again to another viewing area and boing.. drop off between cliffs to flat plains, light green vegetation and single smaller domes beyond... like the setting in the movie king solomons mines.. we turned around there , better than walking in the hot plains...
We still haven't had lunch, drive to uliru cultural center where there's a barbeques, benches and a grass roof... meat, tuna , eggs , onions and tomatoes for sandwiches or salad.. a good lunch.. ron the 80 year old and matt the 22 year old go with mark to see if they can climb uliru.. they come back..a storm possible.. they will have to wait until tomorrow...
Mark takes us on a short mala walk, close to the rock... shows us aboriginal petroglyphs, intended for messages, ... messages like,,, there's water here... came to bell shaped cave, a sacred womens site.. aboriginal men not allowed near it, can't see it.. it is a birthing cave... white couple had wedding there..they didn't know it was sacred to aboriginals.. an aboriginal man saw picture in newspaper and knew what it was ... bad karma for him... now all sites, male and female are marked.. no photos.. all sacred sites...
Walk ended in little glen where water runs down face of uliru... water streaks and water caches in rock face , caves and holes all over where water collects... used for drinking....
Drove to parking lot, and went to dunes to see uliru sunset while mark fixed supper.. beautiful sunset, uliru turned red, purple , black and gray.. great sunsets on other side too, with sun behind domes... mark fixed thai chicken noodles..
Back to bus and a new campsite.. music, singing, abba, mama mia and dancing.. stop at alyra resort area, mark refueled, women stripped down in ladies room to wash, brought duffles and backpacks into bathroom... mary got marshmallows , chocolate and crackers for campfire,,.. smores.. went out to collect wood again in the pitch black with headlights strapped to our foreheads... mary, mark , the germans and matt walked a couple hundred yards for deadwood and came across a stash of porno magazines...
Good time around campfire,, ron told stories and sang chanties.. he is a born entertainer... also tom lehr songs... germans showed dance and sang anthem... maeliss and nicolas led us in the marsailles , and showed us a french round dance around fire.. and last but not least the international hokey pokey.. germans got us to hold hands, shake our booties , moving up close to the fire and back again...
Then came the big event of the night , musical swags.. music from bus...loud.. people dropped out.. ron had some good slide moves.. toots and maeliss were the last women.. maeliss out.. told toots to make women proud.. all of a sudden it's toots and 4 guys, then toots and 3 guys, 2 guys... even though they stuck close to their swags and jumped over fire for shortcuts...if they had to..
Suddenly the showdown.. toots and ron.. the dance began.. not just moves but eye contact, posture and defense.. toots and ron danced over the one swag, then toots used basketball moves.. side to side.. back and forth.. they both dropped at end of music and toots hit the swag.. the new champion...
No noisey space blanket tonight, rain jacket instead and fleece jacket for pillow.. much warmer night, not much chitchat even amongst kids.. clouds rolled on..... another night under the stars..
toots wrote this from fb's notes... he will expand later...
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