Uluru (Ayers Rock)

Before I hopped on the plane to Uluru, I had already seen the story of Cassius Turvey's murder all over the news. It is a huge story in Australia right now and it's sparking protests and vigils all over the country. You can read about it here. Cassius, named after the famous boxer, was a 15 year old aboriginal boy from Perth, who was beaten over the head in a racist attack and died several days later. There was a candle light vigil held for Cassius when I visited Uluru, and I want you to know about him and what happened, especially if you're white. Hopefully you see the connections to racism in the US and fight against this kind of hate. That's much more important than my travel blog.

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I just spent two amazing days at the Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park, the traditional land of the Anangu people.

I did the base walk of Uluru and also a couple of hikes at Kata Tjuta. (30,000 steps in one day!) I was accompanied by a friendly GPS-based audio guide, that popped into storytelling mode and explanation just at the right locations. An introvert's dream tour guide! Aside from admiring the natural beauty of the land, I learned a ton about what this place means to the Anangu and their Tjuparka (their traditional law, stories and spirituality.) Think about the many caves and natural marks on Uluru as a form of scripture, each connected to a foundational story from Tjuparka. That's why you can't take pictures at several locations around the rock.

The more I learned about the deep connection between place and storytelling, the more I thought about this project and my own exploration of family history through travel. In a way I am tracing marks left by my grandfather, and even though it's not a spiritual journey in the same sense, there is still something intangible about me trying to connect to my roots. Maybe it's midlife crisis, or maybe it's trying to explain the randomness of my existence. (Those are probably connected.) Maybe, in telling my grandfather's story through this medium there will be some new learning and connection that goes beyond the mere facts of the naval history books.

Speaking of midlife crisis, I also camped in a tent for the first time since my late teens. Since hotels at Yulara are super expensive, I opted for the more rustic version and it was a great experience, aside from some mice sneaking into my rental car to nibble on my bread at night.

Next I am traveling back to Victoria, where I will be visiting the POW camp museum in Tatura.

[Thanks for reading btw and feel free to message or email me with any feedback! sell.richard@gmail.com]