Day 8 ... Kata Juta (The Olgas)

We bade farewell to the Yallara camp ground early, with nary a drop of caffeine. Off we went to catch Kata Juta dressing for the day. I will say this quietly ... shhh ... but I think Kata Juta is prettier than Uluru and more interesting.

KJ is something like 38 big rocks whereas U is one. This means that KJ has bits in between the rocks with plants and dirt and stuff. It also means that we could walk between some of the rocks - which weren't small mind you! Once again, the western science angle: Alice Springs Orogeny, massive upheaval, inland sea, erosion - you know his spiel by now, dear reader.

  I was in strife partway up the first rise today. I had a feeling that I had something on too tight. I pulled at my pack. I tried to loosen my first top. Then my second. Then I realised that the tightness was coming from inside the skin. *expletive* *expletive* This had happened to me last August when I tried to do the City to Surf. The cardiologist did extensive tests and said that I passed better than most people my age who do the test. Yet here I was with chest pains brought on by exertion. Damn ... or something stronger.

I had no choice but to slow down - knowing full well I was already the slowest - and to take more rests and more care with my steps. It was as we ascended a 45 degree incline of about 20 metres that had few grip-holes that a wonderful thing occurred. I slipped and instantly felt a hand under each elbow. I was steadied, and released. I sensed the guardian angels there for the greater portion of the day. Thank you Christian. Thank you Guillaume. Thank you Manu. On steep declines they seemed to appear between me and the drop. When I stopped for gulps of air they,   strange as it may seem, were behind me needing to set up for a special camera shot. I could not have asked for better, more unobtrusive companions.

We undertook the Valley of the Winds circuit which was more laborious but shorter than the Uluru base walk. The name is significant as the wind was very brisk in a couple of spots. We started our walk relatively early - about 10am from memory - and the air retained that early morning briskness. Quite quickly, though, we needed to strip off the outer layers.

Whilst at Yallara I bought a couple of books. The first one was the bible that Jarrod had on the dash, "Uluru, Kata Juta & Watarrka" by Anne Kerle. The second was "Wildflowers & Plants of Inland Australia" by Anne Urban. I will use the latter to try to identify the 4 trees from within Kata Juta which I have illustrated here.

The day took a lot out of me physically, but also psychologically.

Jarrod and I had another chat about what the next day at Kings Canyon held for me and this evening I took the decision to do the easier creek walk . The guys were great but they did not come all this way to assist me - even though I did appreciate it.

After lunch we charged off westward, past Fooluru, to probably our least attractive bush camp of the entire journey - in an disused road workers clearing. At least the firewood from Jarrod's last journey was still there! It was a tough day done.