Camp One
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Our First Camp – Uluru Resort Campground
 We started out this morning from Alice
Springs at just before six this morning. At 12:45 we got our first sight of
what we had come to see...........
 ............ we
arrived at the main Ayres Rock Resort just before two.
   David our guide and driver had to nip
off to pick up three youngster from Taiwan, meanwhile the
rest of us got stuck in to preparing lunch. Janice took charge of us.
Sarah found opening cans a real challenge and somehow
tried to head butt them open..... Burgers on the griddle, salad chopped and
camaraderie all round.
  An orderly queue
to gather lunch. A real Aussie burger and all the trimmings. After we had eaten we all
washed up, dried, put away and then time for formal introductions. We
represented Australia, England, France, Germany, New Zealand, Scotland, Taiwan,
USA and David is originally from Canada. Our ages ranged from twenty one to
seventy two. The happy group were now ready to go to see the world famous
rock.
 Sunset.
After a very long, exciting and tiring day, it was time to return to camp for
griddled chicken, vegetables, pasta and salad. Showers and swag
lesson......
  David demonstrated what to do with
our swag. Choose one from the shed. Take it into the
hangar, unzip both sides and rummage under the thin mattress. Check it all over
for stray items left by the last user, empty out sand and a cursory check for
creatures. Gather a sleeping bag. Take the lot outside and choose a site.
Unroll, making sure the fastening straps are flat on the ground ready for easy
furling on the morrow. Unflap the flap which acts as a ground sheet if your
pillow falls off the top end. Unzip both sides. Sleeping bag in situ, get in and
sleep peacefully under the stars. “Oh, don’t forget to tuck your shoes under the
whole thing in case dingoes carry them off.” Splendid. By the time we were all
settled it was about half past ten, we were due up at four thirty and there was
a real party going on in the camp next door.....
On the way back from the shower I
took a set of shrubs too soon and found myself in an area strewn with what
looked like a swarm of caterpillars. Back to our own camp and that’s what we all
looked like. We had brought our own sleeping bags so we used the provided ones
as extra cushioning. Me being a cold body, got into my bag and zipped it up then
got Bear to zip both side of my swag. By the time I had turned over a couple of
times I was fairly cocooned, the stars went in for a while and things got pretty
damp. Beds ears shot back and I don’t think this malarkey is for him, I’m not
sure it is for me either. Remarkably comfortable except
for a damp head. Huh. What with struggling to keep my own pillow in
the right place, my sweat top in case I got cold, Beds, my flip flops, my juice
and keeping tabs on my lipsalve, I think I had a solid hour and rested for the
other. I did look at the stars, good - but nothing like off the coast of
Morocco. Overall, fun, but perhaps not again, it will be interesting to see who
does it again tonight......... After we got back to Alice Springs we looked at
what swags were all about.
   Swags at AU$199 – the type we had slept in, $399 and $569
In Australia and New Zealand, a swag is a portable sleeping unit. It is normally a bundle of belongings rolled in a traditional fashion to be carried by a foot traveller in the bush. Before motor transport was common, foot travel over long distances was essential to agriculture in the Australian bush. It is sometimes referred to as a "backpack bed". Swags have been carried by shearers, miners, the unemployed, and many others, some of whom would have been happy to have been called swagmen and some not. Modern use: In Australian and New Zealand, the term swag is still widely used to refer to a tent or other portable shelter used for camping or outdoor sleeping.
The Rolls-Royce swag at AU$749.00 down side – quite heavy.
A modern swag is a waterproof canvas sleeping compartment that is sometimes insect-proof. All swags come with a foam mattress, and can comfortably be slept in with the addition of a pillow and sleeping bag. When rolled up the swag is relatively lightweight and compact, making it ideal for storage and transport. It is typically easy to erect and roll up can be done quickly. Swags are still heavily used, particularly in Australia, by overlanders. There are still a large number of manufacturers actively making both standard and custom-design swags. The modern swag is designed for robustness and is marketed towards those travelling by vehicle - they are too heavy and bulky to be transported long distances on foot. Bushwalkers and hikers would use conventional lightweight tents and sleeping bags. More recently, several camping supply firms have produced readymade bedrolls along the pattern of the original swag, and refer to these as "swags". Swags stowed, off we went to our sunrise special. Due back for lunch and packing up.
ALL IN ALL SLEEPING IN THE RED CENTRE VERY WELL ORGANISED |
