Our first interlude, this is just a small transition to give some background
"How many plane rides do we have on this trip?" Loki asked Steve, who was seated next to him.
"Including the flights to and from Australia...9."
A look of dismay crossed Loki's face for a second, then he looked back out the window.
The only way to get anywhere in Australia is by plane, and unfortunately, they were also long flights. Almost over their jet lag, the Avengers set out early Saturday morning for a three hour flight to Ayers Rock. The small Qantas jet they boarded had two by three seating all the way back. Clint, Natasha, and Bruce sat in the row next to Thor and Tony. Loki had sat down in the aisle seat behind Thor, and Steve took the window.
A light breakfast had been served, which some of the group had declined, and they were on their way.
Steve loved looking out the window and seeing the landscape change beneath him. From Cairns, they circled around over the ocean then headed inland over some small mountains. What they saw on their ride in the Kuranda Skyrail was nothing compared to what he was seeing now. After an hour, the landscape became more flat and sparse, before the ground became red. They were in the outback.
Tony and Bruce were singing a medley of Men at Work songs, and somehow Midnight Oil snuck its way into it. That's when Clint started singing and the flight attendant had to intervene.
The next hour passed without any problem. Steve kept an eye out the window, looking for Ayer's Rock, or Uluru, as the locals called it. Suddenly, out in the distance, he could see something. A large mesa rock thing jutting out from the ground. Not wanting to miss anything, Steve whipped out his camera and started snapping pictures.
"I don't think that's it." Loki said, following Steve's gaze. "It's not grand enough."
"We're really high up, maybe it's bigger on the ground..." Steve trailed off as the plane overtook the mesa. Now, looming in the distance, was a large rock, much larger than the mesa. "No, that's it." He said, pointing to the red rock. "Are you kidding me? I just wasted 68 photos on some stupid rock?"
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have started our descent into Yulara," The pilot said, "if you look out the left side you can see Uluru, or Ayers Rock. Quite a beauty, definitely hike around it if you've got the time."
The group looked at Steve. "Yes, we have all day today to hike around it, and tomorrow we'll hike around another rock formation called Kata-Tjuta before flying out to Sydney." Steve explained
"We have to suffer on a plane again tomorrow?" Loki asked, before groaning and resting his head on the seat in front of him.
Steve ignored him for now.
They landed smoothly and boarded a bus to the rock.
The trip is half way over, Steve thought as the bus stopped for pictures, let's hope our luck holds out.
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