Travel Nav  For many people, the north represents the real
Australia: vast and apparently empty country, locals with wits
as dry as their dusty boots, unfamiliar customs and landforms,
and an ancient spiritual culture rubbing up against a more
familiar Western way of life.  Closer to Bali than Bondi, Darwin
looks towards Asia and at the same time celebrates the region's
Indigenous culture and amazing natural splendour. Kakadu is an
education in both. The Red Centre of Australia - and the sand
really is red - offers a different story. Here the harsh climate
has shaped a bare beauty and deep spirituality that is lost on
few who visit Uluru. Here are the ten most important reasons to
visit the Northern Territory.  1. Uluru Nothing in Australia is
as readily identifiable as Uluru (Ayers Rock). No matter how
many times you have seen it on postcards, nothing prepares you
for the hulk on the horizon - so solitary and impressive. Uluru
is 3.6km long and rises a towering 348m from the surrounding
sandy scrubland (867m