Satin Caresses Uluru

We were part of the one percent,

treated to a rare sight.

***

Waking at first light,

trudging to the meeting point

through the rain and mud.

Wet and cold

on a day that should have been

warm and sunny.

***

Jumping onto the tour bus,

not knowing what to expect.

Driving along the misty roads,

catching glimpses of the rock

peeking through the ghostly fog.

***

I felt disappointed.

We wouldn’t see it in all its glory,

but I was wrong.

***

As we arrived,

I caught sight of

the first waterfall.

Cascading down the rock face,

like satin against the stone.

A fine spray of mist in the air.

The sound a low rumble,

like tiny but powerful thunder.

***

We strolled around the

sandstone monolith,

taking in the view.

We walked and walked,

and started to wonder

if we’d ever make it back.

We passed someone we’d already seen

walking the other way,

adding to the eerie atmosphere.

We felt like we’d stumbled into

some other dimension,

with no way out.

***

Eventually, we made it back,

in awe and wonder.

The rest of the day was spent

holed up in our campervan.

Plans cancelled, nothing to do.

But it didn’t matter,

because we’d seen

the most spectacular view.

My husband and I were lucky enough to witness this rare sight during our road trip across Australia in March 2021. These photos were taken on the day. One of the videos I captured was later featured in a Yahoo7 news article titled 'Water Gushes Down Uluru as Heavy Rain Hits Northern Territory.' Unfortunately, the article has been archived and is no longer available online.

Here are a few more images from that unforgettable morning.