Australia! October 28 to November 9

AUSTRALIA

OCTOBER 28 to NOVEMBER 9

Read on for the full description

DAY 1 10/28 We meet at Newark Airport for our flight out. Because of the time difference and flying through the International Date Line, we will actually arrive in Australia on October 30.

DAY 2 10/30 We arrive in Sydney, where we will wait at the airport for our flight to Alice Springs. Upon arrival in Alice Springs, we will be met and transferred to our

hotel, where we will stay for the night. We have the rest of the day to relax, recoup from our long flight, and to begin to adjust to the time difference.

DAY 3 10/31 HOMELAND VISIT – THAKERPERTE

Today, we travel out of Alice Springs for an overnight Aboriginal homeland stay.

In the next two days, we begin to come to know this magical land by listening to

the creation story and song line teachings, collecting bush foods, and learning

about the country and connection to its land. We return to our hotel for the night.

DAY 4 11/1 ALICE SPRINGS to MT. WOODROFFE

We’re collected from our hotel to travel along the Stuart Highway before heading out on red dirt roads, following the common border of the Northern and South Australian Territory and the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Homelands. We drive along a scenic route through the beautiful Musgrave Ranges to our camp site at Ngarutjara situated at the foot of Ngintaka Pilpirpa (Mt. Woodroffe), the highest mountain in South Australia. Today, we meet our hosts, the traditional custodians of Mt. Woodroffe, the Aboriginal people, the Anangu. We make camp and settle down to a campfire dinner, under the stars, while we listen to the elders tell us the creation law story of Wati Ngintaka, the Giant Perentie Lizard Man. We listen, as the Elders explain the traditional lifestyle

and the history of the region. Oral history and storytelling is a tradition passed down for thousands of years. We camp overnight.

DAY 5 11/2 MT. WOODROFFE to CAVE HILL

Today, we travel from Mt. Woodroffe to Cave Hill. For thousands of years, the

traditional owners of Cave Hill have nurtured a deep and spiritual bond with their

land. This unique journey will introduce us to an ancient chapter of the Seven Sisters creation story. Upon arrival at the Cave Hill community, our Aboriginal hosts will explain the significance of the surrounding landscape and how it relates to Tjukurpa – their system of values, beliefs, and lore. The story of the Seven Sisters is translated from Yankunytjatjara to English and brought to life through the spectacular rock art that has been dated at over 20,000 years old. We will learn how the physical features of the region relate to different stages in the story. We camp overnight.

DAY 6 11/3 CAVE HILL to ATAL CAMP

Today, we leave Cave Hill and travel via the community of Amata to Angatja at the foot of the Mann Ranges and the beginning of our next chapter of Ngintaka`s journey of Creation. We meet with the elders and settle down around the camp fire while they relate in reverent whispers the saga of Wati Ngintaka, the Giant Perentie, Lizard Man, a spirit being from the creation time and in whose footsteps we shall follow. We will have the opportunity to work under the guidance of our Aboriginal hosts to make our own set of clapping sticks to use during the Inma (dance) and take home as souvenir of our time in this special place. We camp for two nights here.

DAY 7 11/4 ATAL CAMP

Today, we continue to follow the footsteps of Wati Ngintaka, the Giant Perentie,

Lizard Man. We learn Inma, the dances that are part of the song line we are following. At our leisure, we work on our clapping sticks. This day is given to going to the sacred sites of the Aboriginal people. As we travel, we learn more of the song lines of the region.

DAY 8 11/5 ATAL CAMP to YULARA

On our final day in this special place, we will have time to continue finishing our

clapping sticks and will have the opportunity to gather bush foods with our Anangu hosts. Prior to our bush food gathering, we will learn Inma, the dances The Anangu perform prior to their hunting and gathering. In the early afternoon, we bid farewell to our Anangu hosts, giving them our gifts of gratitude for the time and sacred knowledge they have so lovingly given us. We then travel on to Yulara and our accommodations at Yulara. Here, we camp for three nights.

DAY 9 11/6 ULURU and KATA TJUTA

Today, we travel through the landscape to the entrance of Uluru and Kata Tjuta.

From this point, it is only a matter of minutes before the spectre of Uluru rises from the sand dunes to demonstrate its enormity and presence in this country. Our first stop gives us a photographic opportunity of this amazing icon. With Uluru looming in front of us, our guide takes us towards its base. Walking with our guide to this place of tranquillity, the closer we come, the more the strength is realized in the sheer size of this monolith. As we drive around the base, our guide takes us to the entrance of Mutitjulu Waterhole, a semi-permanent watercourse nestled in the contours of Uluru. Here, we learn of the Creation stories of Liru and Kuniya, and their battle for control of Uluru as well as a number of other stories associated with other prominent Tjukurpa (Dreaming) stories. We see the rock art of the ancients and learn how Uluru was, and still is, a significant location for teaching young Aboriginal people. From there, we go to the new Talinguru Nyakunytjaku viewing area where we can observe an uninterrupted view of Uluru with Kata Tjuta in the background.

Giving our gifts of gratitude to those who dwell at Uluru, we then travel through the desert landscape to the mighty rock formation of Kata Tjuta. Upon arrival, we walk to the best vantage point to see the thirty-six domes that comprise this spiritual place, while watching the sun’s morning glow, as the desert comes alive. As we approach the entrance to Walpa Gorge, named for the wind (Walpa) that whistles between the massive domes that shape Kata Tjuta, our guide shares the significance of this men’s sacred ceremonial site. We walk between these mighty conglomerate rock walls, as our guide tells us of how the environment and the geology has evolved over millions of years.

DAY 10 11/7 YULARA TO SYDNEY

We return to Sydney to our hotel, where we can shop and relax. In the evening, we go out for a dinner of celebration, giving thanks and delight for the journey we have just undertaken.

DAY 11 11/8 Today, we are transferred to the airport for our flight back to the States.

DAY 12 11/9 We arrive back in the States. (Please be aware that, because of flight times, we may arrive back in the States on November 8. When the flights are booked, you will be told of the actual flight times.)

The cost for this journey, without airfare, is $4,222.00 (price is based on six people; if less than six people, price will increase). This includes, but not limited to, all hotel accommodations, all land and water transportation, all guides, porters, some meals, as stated, in hotels, transfers, all entry and excursion fees. Not included: airport arrival and departure taxes, all international and in-Australia air travel, tipping of guides and porters, shamans’ ceremonies, any personal expenditure, miscellaneous expenses. Due to the high cost and fluctuations of the airfare, a deposit of $2,000.00 is required. Please note that, if the air fare is less than the deposit, then the rest of the deposit will be applied to the balance of the journey cost. This deposit ensures your reservation in this journey and to purchase your airfare. Your deposit is in addition to the above price for the expedition. This deposit includes all international and in-Australia air travel. Please note that the airfare is subject to price fluctuation. Please note that, by sending in your deposit right away, the chances that we will not lose the best airfare prices we can get are increased. If I do not receive your deposit very shortly, it is likely we will lose this airfare price and the cost will have to go up. Itinerary is subject to change depending on weather, festivities, etc... You will receive a packing list and pre-departure information upon receipt of your registration and deposit. Please be sure that your passport is up to date and, if it is not or you don’t have one, I suggest that you get it updated or apply for one now.

By sending in your deposit, you have accepted the invitation that

Australia has sent you.

That manifests the clear path to Australia and helps to

remove all obstacles out of your way.

To register, e-mail me at fran@ayllusuyu.com and a registration form will be sent to you.

Fran Russo of Ayllusuyu is a shaman/curandera working in the tradition of the Peruvian shamans. Fran has been given rites of passage through initiation into the ways of the Inca, North Coast, and jungle shamans and is considered to be a bridge for the Ancient Ones of Light. She is committed, as her Life’s work, to helping and guiding others in finding and following the natural flow of their paths. Working in the ancient traditions for many years, Fran helps others to energetically release and transform self into the strength of true self, spinning joy into life. Fran is the author of Through The Eyes of Jaguar: One Woman’s Journey, available for purchase on her web site: www.ayllusuyu.com.