ep ee led ete ta Stee CEE AYERS ROCK, Uluru: 1,143 feet high (348 m) and 5% miles (8.9 km) around the base, pocked with caves that were sacred sites long before Jesus Christ was a twinkle in the Holy Ghost’s omniscient eye. — By John Moore Contributing Writer The largest known free-standing monolith on the planet. The big- gest boulder in the world, and people come from all over the globe to the vast red desert plain of central Australia to climb it, watch it change color from dusty red to scarlet and purple at sunset, take innumerable photographs of it, or simply to gawk at it in wonder and vaguely superstitious dread. Visitors arriving by plane start peeking out windows, trying. to catch a glimpse of the country’s most famous landmark, the mo- ment the pilot announces we'll be landing in Alice Springs in 20 minutes. Australian pilots know this. After a 10-second beat, ours reminds us the Rock is 465 kin (290 miles) southwest, invisible at this altitude even on a clear day. Everyone immediately adopts nonchalant [-knew-that expres- sions. Two eventful days later, having bounced over bull-dust backroads, explored spectacular King’s Can- yon, slept in a swag (the outback bedroll) under millions of unfa- miliar stars with my boots on a _ campstool to discourage scorpions and snakes, I’ve abandoned any pretence of nonchalance along with any hope of looking like ! belong under my new Akubra stockman’s hat. In the grip of a distinctly non-superstitious dread, I’m clinging to a stanchioned chain more than halfway up the Rock, buffeted by a wind that tears words and breath out of my mouth and snatches them away in its furious rush from emptiness to emptiness. Deafened by the wind, my head echoes with the words of our Holidays Northern Territory Coach captain and guide, Dean Lambert: “You don’t have to climb it,’’ he told our mixed gang -of 15 from Canada, Japan, Ger- many, England and exotic Sydney. “Aboriginal people don’t, The route you take is the path of Mala, the Great Hare-Wallaby, a Dreamtime ancestor, and they won't walk in the steps of spirit beings. “They don't regard themselves as owners of the Rock, but as caretakers. When someone gets hurt or dies climbing it — and it happens — they feel responsible. So, if you don’t climb, you're not chicken. You’re just respecting aboriginal feelings. Right?” I'm developing an intense, if belated, reverence for aboriginal sensibilities with every inching step. Without the chain, this wind- tounded red rock would be the ultimate ‘‘friction climb''— a test of balance, adhesion and blind faith. I tell myself people have done this in bare feet, thongs and leather street shocs, and | try not CALL IN |THE EXPERTS Ran . ee vs 1877. Marine Drive, N.Van.:.». 370 West 41st Ave. Squamish 898-5252, oe “Vancouver Whistle THE LARGEST known free-standing monolith on the planet is Australia's Ayers Rock. P: 33 idle he Photo submitted ecple come from all over the globe to the vast red desert plain of central Australia to climb it, watch it change color from dusty red to scarlet and purpie at sunset, take innumerable photographs of It, or simply to gawk at it. to think about the dozen or so deaths since the ’60s. The 360-degree view from the summit is mind-numbing: more than beautiful, a horizon hinted at only by the purple mesa of Mt. Connor and the surreal jumble of the Olgas to the east and west. What you are experiencing is The Limit, one of the points at 3rd Annual Saturn Company Car Changeover 7 Vehicles Available Many Include Automatic All Models Including Wagon All as New, Low Km. Bese Value in Canada #1} in Quality Survey * $7,500 down, $13,500 residual plus taxes, O.A.C. which the contract between perception and imagination breaks down in exaltation and terror. There are higher mountains on the “island continent,’ but this is the true ‘thigh point’? of Australia. Lambert can’t resist messing with our already boggled minds. “They figure at least three-fif- ths of it is underground,’’ he says, pointing at a towering red sand- stone wall. “And you’ve noticed the ver- tical striations in the rock, Since sandstone only occurs in horizon- tal layers, that means there’s a power on this earth great enough to roll this rock over on its side.”’ See Complimentary page 34 Le INCREDIBLE . @ 4x4 Air Conditioning AM/FM Cassette @ Power Windows © Power Locks © Power Mirrors © Tilt Steering * 190 HP, DOHC V6 ¢ 5,000 LB Towing Capacity © Power Steering * Rear Anti-lock Brakes © Tu-tone Paine Integrated Poplights Privacy Glass Height Adjustable Sear Anti-theft System 245/70 R16 Tires Power Retractable Mirrors $4,500 dawn, 36 manths, $11,800 testdual, plus caxes, O.A.C. THE ALL NEW 1994 SAAB 900 Redesigned from the ground up, Road & Track has described it as ‘the most exciting export Ifrom Sweden since Stephan Edberg. We think you'll agree. Available now for- your inspection. ,