A Diverse Group

I have just arrived back at my room from a spectacular evening.

Travelling solo you take a gamble.  The experience is what you make it, no doubt, but you rely on chance to populate your experience with interesting people.  Tonight I had the good fortune to meet an unlikely, diverse array of people who made my evening unfathomably wonderful.

I boarded the coach from my hotel around 5:00 and, after scanning the bus for people who were around my age was a bit disconcerted.  Things looked bleak as regards company for the evening.  The ride out to the isolated sand dune took us down dirt roads (as the guide said leaving the “bitumen” – acceptable English, though not used often in the US) which left the bus bumping and shaking like a strong earthquake.  Note to self – 64 passenger motor coaches ARE NOT all terrain.  We arrived at the dune, with a second bus following close behind (I hoped maybe there were people my age on that bus), and were greeted by a hostess who guided us up the hill to a table of champagne.  The drinks began to flow freely (one would hope, for the amount paid for the tour) as we took in the sunset views of Uluru and Kata Tjuta.  I stood around by myself, snapped some pictures, and snagged a few canapés (including crocodile, kangaroo, and salmon) as I searched for suitable dinner companions.

As the sun sank, an older Australian woman (70s or so) approached me and asked if I was there alone.  I said that I was and she immediately insisted that I join her group.  When I joined them (one other woman and a man) I learned that they had debated for some time whether I was by myself; I had seen them looking at me early.  After introductions, I learned that they were travelling up from Devonport, Tasmania and we all proceeded to have a good time as we waited to move to the dinner area.

After the sun was decidedly set, we began the process of queuing up to go down the hill to the tables for dinner.  Another woman joined us (the wife of the man in the group) to make the group five.  We were seated with a couple (I would estimate 60s) from Brisbane and a husband, wife, (60s?)and their adult lawyer daughter (late 20s?) from the south of England.  We all hit it off (we were the most lively table out there) and had great chats about anything and everything.  The woman who was with those who had invited me was just like Aunt Betty and encouraged all of us (through her actions) to have the fabulous time that we did.

Dinner was very good.  There was a wide selection with lamb, barramundi, chicken sausage, and kangaroo.  The drinks continued to flow(wines, beer, some port for dessert), turning our group into an even more animated bunch as the time ticked by.  After dinner and dessert, the few lights were turned off, and the sky that was offered up for a show was indescribable.  The only time I have been far removed from any city lights to gaze at the stars was in the Negev, and this did remind me a bit of that experience, but yet this was that much better.  The southern hemisphere offers up a different skyscape (is that a word?) from what I am used to.  Also, being 500km from anything that could even be considered a city, there is absolutely nothing to spoil the view. With the lights off, the strand of the Milky Way could be clearly seen snaking its way across the sky as a glowing band.  An astronomer gave a talk and pointed out features of the sky including Saturn and Mars, as well as Zodiac constellations and Aboriginal constellations, not made up of stars but rather the voids between the stars.  Finally, we got to go down to two telescopes and look at Saturn (you could see the rings – it was wild) and the Butterfly Star Cluster, a wonderful way to wrap up before reloading the buses.

When we got back to the hotel, the Brits and I hung out in the bar for a bit watching some of the more intoxicated of the guests make fools of themselves on the dance floor – it was spectacular.  The group that had invited me to join them for dinner found us (they had boarded the first bus back while we were at the telescope – I hadn’t gotten to thank them or say bye…) and with hugs and kisses on the cheek (older Australians remind me of Europeans in that regard) between the group we parted ways – likely that our paths will never cross again.

That is sobering, I know, but it’s important to realize and think about sometimes.  No doubt they made my night, and helped define my experience at Uluru, yet I won’t remember their names.  So now I have to be a bit pensive – mentioning the Negev, and the people I met tonight I automatically think just how fortunate I am to have travelled all of the places I have, met all the people that I have, and had all the experiences I have.  Across four continents in the past few years I have seen quite a bit of territory, and the experience of coming to Uluru has proven to me that I can, and will, get to go to many cool places, off the beaten path places, and that it will be an incredible journey.

Also, I have just learned from the news that the USD has gone below parity against the AUD – not happy with that, but hopefully it will stay that way as starting next week my salary will be in AUD!  Well, off to sleep – another early day tomorrow.