Cairns Airport: Short taxi ride at 6am. Have to walk outside and up the steps to the plane, and it is pouring down rain. Gave everyone an umbrella to use from the building to the plane; however, they took it at bottom of stairs--DUH--Did they think we would not get wet walking up the stairs.

Fly to Yulara:  Outstanding views from plane: outback rivers, mountains, red dirt.
Can really see the remoteness of this outback town in the middle of the desert.
Views of Uluru and Kata Tjuta rocks when landing. 
Car Rental from Hertz.

Ayers Rock Resort - Interesting statistics: employs 910 people. Twice a week, three fully loaded road trains make the 1,633-km trip with supplies for the resort.

SAILS IN THE DESERT HOTEL - 3 nights
Nice desert landscaping.
Room is very nice.  Parking lots are not close to the rooms.
Includes breakfast buffet in Ilkari restaurant.
(Dinner buffet here is $74 per person; good thing there are other options.) 

Room not ready for several hours. Enjoyed sitting outside admiring the nice desert landscaping.
Had a bite to eat at the Walpa Lobby Bar--pork belly sliders (good) & french fries (great); coke $5.50 (expensive to be in the middle of a desert). 

TOWN CENTER right next door where there is a grocery store. Bought food for lunch and snacks.
Geckos Cafe has a varied menu. Ate here several times--pizza really good.
Gets very busy in evening; once waited an hour to get the food.
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Entry fee $25. Drive from the hotel has constant views of this iconic rock formation.

Cultural Center--learn about the Anangu people. The building's unique design is based on two ancestral snakes from Tjukurpa--Kuniya (python woman) and Liru (poisonous snake man).
The extensive displays and movies are great insight into their beliefs, how this is a special place, the creation beings that have left their marks everywhere, and their connection with this land. For over 30,000 years their knowledge of the land, experience, and stories have been passed on from generation to generation and govern Anangu life.

Sunset Carpark to watch the transformation of color as the sun sets.
Lots of people line up to watch the rock change color, which is about half hour before sunset.