As we had been living it up in high rise appartment blocks and hostel double rooms, we thought it was time to get back to nature and local communities.So we took a flight to Ayers Rock airport and joined a 3 day Adventure Tours outback tour. It was hot, in fact very hot, averaging 40C in the daytime and 22C at night, but with little shade and a sandy surface that reflected the raging sun ray back at you. Unpleasant. The first afternoon saw a 45 minute walk through some rock structures and over a litre of water consumed by each of us. Despite having been fit enough to run half marathons only 3 months ago, it was physically draining. We followed this with an Uluru (Ayers Rock) sunset. We spent the night at an outback campsite, with brick shower blocks and running water but tents to sleep in. We chose to be adventurous and sleep in swags (akin to a bivvi bag made of canvas with a foam mattress inside it). As there is so little light polution in the area, the stars were amazing. We have never seen so many stars before, and this was quite magical.

The next day we watched sunrise over Uluru and then walked the 10 km circumference of the base - we learnt about the many caves that exist in its base and how Aboriginal tribes used these to live in. With regard to climbing the rock, many know that the Aboriginals don't want tourists to do this. Many don't know why though. We were taught that only the most senior tribal religious leaders can climb the rock to mark the start of religious ceremonies, no others can do this. If you as a tourist fall from the rock and die (and this is not uncommon), then the aboriginals have to undertake 2 weeks of religious activities which include undertaking "unpleasant" actions to themselves - we didn't think this was fair on the people and so we didn't climb it. Added to the fact that the walk has left a dirty white scar up the rock, many people think its about time the climb was stopped. It virtually is anyway, as its closed when it is hot or high winds are due - and this accounts for up to 90% of the time. We headed off to the campsite and stopped by the road for firewood - as avid Aussie soap watchers, we know that if you go into the bush you will be attacked by variosu deadly animals (its the law!), so Lindsay took the axe and I just whistled loudly. With our fellow travellers, we amazed the world largest firewood pile, and escaped injury with only a man size blister in his hand - bless. The next day was a 5 hr drive to Alice Springs with nothing but Ian's Iraq war stories to keep Lindsay entertained! At Alice Springs, we added our own visit to the School of the Air, a schoool that runs distance learning packages for children in rural areas, and backs it up with radio and internet based lessons. Then it was on to Cairns......