Hi all, Hope every one is keeping well. I have so much to add to the site (including some awesome photos, but just never have the time I am so busy. I got up the Thursday morning and arranged to post a load of stuff home that was just weighing my back down, oh and the photo from the wine tour. After that ordeal I had about 15 minutes before getting on the Wayward bus tour at 11:40. I got on the bus and the first Person I got chatting to was Chardaz. She was from Chester and was just travelling for a couple of months before returning to Manchester uni. There was a rowdy crowd at the back of the bus that all appeared to know each other, so I was thinking s***e, will I be the loner on the bus, but that wasn't too be the case at all. Infact every one was very chatty and we all got to know each other very quickly. After going through the paper work rubbish in the office in Alice Springs we were on the road and aiming to get to Ayers Rock for sunset. Our first stop along the way was to Jim's cafe. I was starving as I hadn't had time for breakfast so I bought a sandwich and some junk food their. In Jim's place there was this guy bottle feeding a baby kangkaroo. It was only a few weeks old and could hardly stand up. Crazy, for some reason I didn't get a picture, I think I was to hungry to bother, but the camera was on overdrive for the next three days. We stopped another couple of times before reaching our destination. Our last stop being in the middle of nowhere to collect firewood for the evening. Now you would think this would be a few sticks and branches, but no we were literally lifting dead trees onto the back of the bus. I thought we'd enough wood to melt Ayers Rock, but we could have done with more as it got very cold that night. Oh I had forg to mention the beer stop. We stopped some where to buy a few drinks and people were buying cases of beer with their friends etc, but I didn't really know any one at this stage so I thought it would be desperate to run out in the desert so I'll get a slab for myself (only 30 cans). They were not wasted. I also knew that the bottle of wine from the vineyard was still uncorked, so that too could be used in an emergency. Before we reached the rock Matt our tour guide said he'd buy the first person a beer who correctly spotted Ayers rock. About 15 minutes later James was shouting from the back that he could see it. This was a trick on Matt's half that probably always gets him a free beer when we get back to Alice Springs as it wasn't Ayers Rock, but in fact Mt Conner which looks very similar! We got to a look out point near to Ayers Rock just before sunset and were all amazed by the view and the amazing colours in the sky. Once the sun had gone down it was just a quick drive to our campsite to get the dinner ready and relax for te evening. Dinner was a chicken stir fry which was great and every one was pretty good at mucking in some where to help the group. Myself and a few of the lads, with Cathy's help started the fire. Cathy is from Canada and was over visting her daugghter Sandra who had been her for 10 months. Cathy had been a brownie and guide leader, so she was great around the campsite. The fire got roaring and we all sat around to introduce ourselves and say a bit about us. There was another Wayward group at the site who also joined us, so there was 30 or so around the fire. Will I do the naming list? Lets try. Well we had Chardaz from Chester and Liz from England also. Collette and Michael from Dublin and Galway, Alan and Batman (AKA James) from Tuam Co. Galway also, Ibby who originally lived around the corner from me in London now in Manchester, Cathy and Sandra from Canada, Nellie from germany, Kim from South Korea, Nicolas and Anna (nic originally from Columbia now an ozzie and Anna from germany), Michelle and her husband (whose name I can't recall right now) from France over to visit their son in Melbourne and Christina and Katrin also from Germany. A mixed bunch from all over the place but they were all really sound as a pound!!! There was a German guy from the other group who got his guitar out and started a sing song around the fire place. The beers were going down well and we all satyed up until after 1ish. Considering we'd a 5:30 start it was a bit crazy, but this was the first night! Into the swag bag for some rest and a night under the stars!