Well hello there...I bet you thought I was dead or something seeing as how long its been since I updated this site! I am currently in Darwin right up in north Australia and today was the first time I have used the internet since I last updated this blog in Cairns about 9 days ago simply because there hasn't been any internet cafes!

I will start off back in Cairns the day before my trek started. As you read from my last entry I had a load of random stuff to do in Cairns (Thursday 22nd March) and then back in my hotel I met Anna, wrote postcards and had a dip in the pool before Mark my tour leader came to reception and gave me a load of papers and informed me the other guys were in the hostel down the road and I could meet them at 7pm. They were down there as the other 5 people on the trip had started the trek in Cairns and me, Anna and a married couple were joining on for the 21 days to Alice Springs. I met them in the hostel, had a couple of drinks then went to Montezumas mexican restaurant across the road for some nice nachos and finished the night off with a few more drinks and a walk around Cairns before going back to the All Seasons.

Let's Trek Australia Aussie Interior Tour- Cairns to Alice Springs

The people on the trek were me and anna, Simon from Cambridge, Carmen from Germany, Katie from Surrey, Hannah from Scotland, Jane from Basingstoke, Brendan and Kate from Essex and Mark the trek leader.

Day 1- The Great Barrier Reef

Mark picked us up at 7am the next day to take us to the harbour where we got on the Passions of Paradise boat and headed towards the Great Barrier Reef which took a couple of hours. Once we stopped at a cool white island called Michealmous Cay (loads of damn seagulls) me and most of the others from the trek got our scuba diving gear on and prepared to go in the water. In the water we practised our breathing with the mouth piece and when everyone was ready the dive instructors took 4 of us each down into the depths where we saw loads of cool fish and coral as well as a manta ray and some weird things that swam vertically. The dive lasted around half an hour and back onboard the boat we got on a smaller boat to the island to snorkel for a while (saw some jellyfish!). We had lunch and fed the big fish around the boat then sailed the 15 minutes to our other scuba dive site. The stuff underwater was alot better than before and you could go down alot further to about 9/10 metres (could go down 25+ metres if you were experienced) where you had to equalise your ears a fair amount. The boat got back to Cairns about 5pm and I spent the evening with the rest of them just chilling and having a few drinks around town.

Day 2- Daintree rainforest

On Saturday we left Cairns to drive north to Mossman for food shopping (I was in the group with to the Daintree rainforest which is the oldest in the world at over 100 million years (long time). We did a hike around the main part of it and the river for around 2 hours, ripping the skin off my left big toe at the same time (matching pair to the other one I did 6 days ago in Magnetic Island) but seeing loads of cool plants and trees in the process plus a swing bridge that didn't feel too safe. Lunch was prepared afterwards which consisted of sandwiches- I had mayonnaise, Cheese, tomato and salami which is what I have been having everyday so far! We then drove for a couple of hours to the Cape Tribulation area and stopped at our hostel- Crocidylus Village YHA set in then middle of rainforest. Mark took us the ten minutes down to Cow Bay and we just walked along the sand and sat around chatting for a while being the only people on the beach. At the hostel my group prepared Thai Currey (I was in group A with Simon and Hannah- Simon being a professional chef helped) then the rest of the evening was spent having a few drinks, talking about random things and playing the didgeridoo which Simon did insanely well and managed circular breathing (should take weeks of practise).

Day 3- Kayaking and drive to Mt Surprise

The next day most of us got up at 5-45am to go Sea Kayaking from Cow Bay along with another lets trek group. I saw my first Australian sunrise from the beach before getting into my awesome single kayak; only me and Mark had them while the other 16 people or so were in doubles. We kayaked for about half an hour to a really nice beach and stayed there for a while mucking around on the sand and having a lovely breakfast which included fruit bread, fruits cake and I tried a passionfruit. Before we left me, Simon, Hannah, Katie and Jane chilled in a hammock for while. On the way back to our starting point the guys took us to a beach full of coral fragments and shells so I collected a few great samples then kayaked back to shore (Jane hit her head badly on the kayak coming in because of a wave). After 5 minutes in the hostel sorting my bag we commenced our drive south west to Mt Surprise, stopping at Ravenstock (highest town in Queensland) on the way and seeing a few huge rod trains; the roads were getting emptier and straighter and less vegetation was around so you knew the outback was approaching. The van arrived in Mt Surprise at 4.30pm and we set up our tents and everything else straight away (had my own tent- number 25!) then Russell the snake man and whos ground we were staying in came over with a snake around his neck. He gave us a talk about why we shouldnt fear snakes and a few facts about them then handed over Clancy the Black headed python to people who put him round their necks as well as Tracy the carpet snake- I was very comfortable with them and it was a fantastic experience. He took us over to his shed and showed us all his venemous snakes he had which include a death adder and the worlds most venemous snake, the Inland Taipan. I had Tracy and Clancy on me for a while before Russell fed live mice to some of the venemous snakes which was really cool to watch how they ate them. Group A then prepared Spaghetti Bolognese and Garlic Bread for the group so I took full advantage of it seeing as I can make both and it turned out really nice. A birthday card for Simon was then handed out and a wedding anniversary one for Brendan and Kate while we sat around a campfire, then went to bed reasonably early for once.

Day 4- 1000km drive to Mt Isa

Got up at 5.30am, packed and pulled down my damp tent, watched the sunrise then left Mt Surprise about 6.20 to head West into the outback of Australia and the start of a 1000km day of driving. Breakfast was done in Georgetown a couple of hours later then a long time was spent in the van looking at the same scenary over and over again while Mark stopped at various points for dead animals, snakes and Guanas (got out to see it and Mark poked it with a stick so it ran off) on the insanely hot and straight desolute roads. We had lunch in the town of Normanton where there is a replica of the largest crocodile ever captured; he was an 8.63 metre long saltwater crocodile caught in the 50s. From here we went South towards Cloncurry, stopping at a random petrol station on the way which somehow was on a full colour map of Australia (probably on there to fill the expanse of nothing the outback is). The outer reaches of Mt.Isa were reached 100km from the city (largest city in the world spacially) and once next to the place this huge 270m high tower from the mine next to the centre stood out. After setting up camp at a realy nice campsite we went into town to go food shopping, ordered a pizza then got alcohol and collected the pizza to eat on top of the city lookout where a loud blast was meant to be heard but unfortunately didn't happen. At the campsite some of went in the massive pool for ages mucking around and playng thong skimming (flip flops along the water to each other) then me and Simon did washing and soon joined everyone in bed after chilling infront of the tents.

Day 5- 850km drive to Cape Crawford in the Northern Territory

We all got up at the ungodly 4.30am and was somehow ready to leave in the bus just after 5 to head west out of Mt Isa, seeing another beautiful sunrise on the way behind the van. Camooweal was where we had brekky (12km from Northern Territory) and I saw the two huge road trains you see in the picture for this blog. Soon after we arrived in the Northern Territory where we took photos of the sign then carried on virtually straight for hours with little vegetation at all and hitting a swarm of locusts who covered the windscreen and grill. At another random petrol station we changed direction and drove North for the 375km to Cape Crawford, collecting a load of firewood on the way from a slightly burnt peice of woodland. About 10km past the cape Mark stopped and our bush camp was set up next to a billabong (full of locusts). Me, Simon and Brendan made a fishing rod and sat next to the water using the dead locusts of the grill as bait but even though the locusts were being eaten the fish wern't catching the hook until Simon got one and a couple of crabs a bit later. The fire got going which got rid of most of the annoyig flying insects so we sat around it for the rest of the evening drinking goon and eating our meal prepared by Anna's team (pasta) before most went to bed and me, Mark and Hannah sat around talking till we to did the same at 11pm (so early).

Day 6- Katherine and Katherine Gorge

Managed a lie in till 6.30 am the next day and took down my tent surrounded by a herd of b****** flies who wouldn't leave you alone. AHHH. Left at 7.15 for a 270km drive to the famous Stuart Highway (Adelaide to Alice Springs and Darwin) and the next station called Daley Waters Hi-Way Inn where everyone needed a nice drink and use of a normal toilet and tap (hadn't seen one in 24 hours due to bush camp. After leaving we attempted to go to Mataranka Hot Springs but unfortunately the road was blocked for 100 metres by swollen Little Rope River (a road train contemplated it but thought wisely due to his electronics being too low). The first town we had seen since Mt Isa, Katherine, was reached about 1.30pm where some did food shopping and then had lunch and drove north to a campsite near the Katherine Gorges to set up tents and then commence on a nice long hike to the Southern Rockhole. I walked ahead in the heat and when mark caught me up we jogged a bit of the way to a great lookout overlooking the main gorge then I had a dip at the top of the rockhole while we waited for the others. We walked down to the bottom along unstable rocks which arn't great when wearing sandals (only one wearing sandals) but was definately worth it as you got an amazing waterfall and plunge pool with cliffs all to your self. I jumped off the small cliff along with the others then followed Mark high up on the other side where he dived in naked (insane) and I just jumped as it was far to risky diving. We stayed here for a while swimming about, going underneath the waterfall then jumping again before diving from the small cliffs. The 2.6km back to the van wern't great in the heat but you always knew the air con would be on full blast the moment you got going again which was quality. Me, Simon and Carmen then drove back with Mark to Katherine for a booze run then we got the BBQ going on the provided cooking area and ended up having a ridiculous amount of food left; a wallabie came up to simon as it smelt a muffin and actually tried clambering over him to get it. The numbers dwindled until it was just me, Jane and Mark so we decided to sleep underneath the large concrete undercover area as it was so much cooler (an oven in the tent) due to a storm nearby cooling the air.

Day 7- Kakadu National Park

On Thursday I woke up after a great sleep lying on concrete at 6.30am then we got driven to Katherine for some shopping while Carmen, Brendan and Kate went on a cruise up the gorges. Once this was done Mark drove to Pine Creek and I finally got a decent sleep in the van only to wake up to police and traffic cops who were doing a standard vehicle check on the van and trailer. We entered the world heritage Kakadu National Park about 45 min later at 2pm then spent a while driving north east into it (the park is bigger than Switzerland!) to Nourlangie where we did a 1.5km walk around a load of ancient aboriginal rock art and saw some awesome cliffs and escarpments plus got rained on (nice in a rainforest). The town of Jabiru was next where we were camping for the night; on the way Mark saw a live Cockatoo but its neck was borken so he had to kill it which put a bit of a downer on everyone for a bit. At the campsite me and Simon decided to set up our tent underneath the large undercover area we had as we were copying a homeless person who just happened to set his tent up right in the middle (odd). After writing my journal and enjoying a stir fry we drank goon and after a while some guys came over from the other shelter nearby and we chatted to them for a bit then eventually (after waking Brendan and Kate up) went over and drank with a whole group of them- they were Uranium miners from the nearby Uranium mine! (Kakadu has some of the largest deposits in the world). I got given a few beers and some Wild Turkey spirit and eventually all of us that were there were fairly drunk so went back to the tents and slept about 3am.

Day 8- Kakadu to Darwin

Yesterday (finally getting close to the present!) I woke up to a nice sunny morning in a nice dry tent (been wet the other nights being on the grass and underneath trees) then left at 8am for a short drive to Bawali Visitor centre to look around in the non-airconditioned place and watched a film for a while about the wildlife of the area before going back down south to a much better non government owned cultural centre called Warradjan which was fully air con and had loads more interesting exhbits set up in an easier way to show the history and culture of Kakadu. Back on the bus I was feeling the effects of the night before and so was Katie who I was sitting next to at the front especially after sampling one of marks hot cross buns. Next stop was home billabong to see the flooded area and the cruise boats before stopping just before leaving the park to go on a short walk to a waterfall which usually has crocs in the water (didn't see one...damn it). Darwin was the final destination of the day so spent 3 hours driving up there after stopping at Mary River Roadhouse for supplies and witnessing a sudden downpour or rain. In Darwin Mark dropped us at Melaluca on Mitchell hostel just before 6pm so did some much needed washing and cleaned out my stinking bag (the constant wet makes everything smell so badly even if its not been warn) before getting ready to go out and meeting the group in the great hostel bar. We walked down to the Vic Pub for some free food and then bought or got given loads of free jugs of beer through either winning silly easy games, people just buying them or Mark rigging a competition for us as he knew the people there. Most of us danced on the tables either with each other or the cow girls that worked there who wore little more than underwear and just drank the night away before getting a doner kebab from across the road and falling asleep in my clothes in our quality hostel room (air conditioned and ensuite and only had me and Simon in it even though it was 4 bed).

Day 9- Darwin

This morning we got woken up to Mark banging on our door who was amazingly still drunk from the night before (this is at 9.30am!- he is a great bloke but totally nuts at the same time in everyting he does). We got some food then went on the internet for a while uploading my photos before taking a look around the surprisingly small town centre and esplanade and buying cheap boardies at the towns only half descent surf shop called Rush (got 3 top brand ones for 100 dollars and got a free wallet with them so was well chuffed). Me and Simon then met Brendan, Kate and Mark (he had had a sleep so was sober somehow) to go down to the harbour for a fishing trip which began at 4pm along with 5 other people (Mark decided against it as he felt rough). The guys who ran it took us out into the calm harbour in search of fish but had little luck with only a couple of small bait fish being caught. The boat stopped at a few different sites where we dropped our bait of squid and pilchards and our 1 pound weight to the bottom but caught nothing. We had a BBQ on the boat then fished one last time in the dark (saw another great sunset and a cool moon over Darwin itself) and I caught a Golden Snapper who bit my bait a few times before I reeled him in. I was really pleased as I was the only one out of everyone on the boat who caught a proper fish you could eat and one they were intending on catching. The boat went back to port at 8pm after a very unsuccessful fishing trip and even though I caught something was gutted I had spent the equivalent of 50 quid on it (a bit of a joke really). A taxi dropped us back at the hostel and I jumped straight in the pool trying to get the smell of fish off my hands then had a shower and met the group in the bar for a drink then came on here and am going to bed in a few minutes for a measly 4 and half hours sleep.

Well there it is, after 9 days you get a complete blog. The next time I get the internet will be in Alice Springs so will update this in precisely a weeks time with more great photos and words written by me!

Bye bye for now and wish me luck travelling through more nothingness right to the centre of this incredible country

cheers

Antony