dinner under the stars

the Sounds of Silence dinner, was more than I could even have imagined
at 5pm, we were picked up by coach and taken into our own private dining area [by private, I mean only 80 other people].. we walked up to a viewing platform, where we were served canapes with a difference: crocodile, kangaroo and bush fruits..


and of course a glass of champagne
as we stood watching the sunset over Uluru, we were entertained by a young man & his Didgeridoo ~


Dwain Phillis [he was absolutely brilliant]  he told us that he made his own didgeridoo.. from a branch that had been eaten out by bush termites. the technique he described was ingenious. something that had been handed down to him by his ancestors.)

the music sent shivers deep into my soul.. like a homecoming... after he had played awhile, he called us all over and began to talk.. I felt a kindred soul. At first I thought Dwain was white, like me but as he began to talk, he told us his grandfather was an Aboriginal. "look at me' he said - "I am white. I am a mix of Irish and Aboriginal. - Alot of us are, here in this country" - "who are we?" he said "of this land. we are all one."I chatted further with him, alone. I spoke to him about my difficulty in feeling that I belong. he told me that his grandfather had told him that we have come nearly full circle in this issue of belonging - that we all live under the same stars. whoever we may be. He was a beautiful soul and his words helped me alot. I often wonder, if in my family tree, there may be Indigenous blood... coming from my Dad's side. I do believe the Elders had sent him there that night.

then we were taken down a little dune and came to this. tables set with white tablecloths, candles, silver & glass. all twinkling under the brilliant sky that was becoming night time fast. our fellow companions for the night were lovely. some from the UK and others came from not far from Villa Maria. a small, small world.

wine flowed freely. reds from Western Australia. Crocodile caesar salad. chicken & bush herb sausages. couscous with lemon myrtle. seared Kangaroo steaks. bush herb lamb cutlets. dessert was a choice of apple and bush plum crumble. oh I forget the other choices. all delicious..
after dinner we were entertained by an astrologer with telescopes. she gave us a little informative chat and we had the opportunity to look at the stars through her telescopes....
after coffee was served ~ we were whisked back to our room... feeling very much like Cinderella... I still pinch myself that it happened.