We got picked up for The Rock Tour very early on Friday. We were on the tour with 19 other people all of different nationalities, we were the only Brits! There were a group of 5 French people, most of whom were aged 60 and above. They were a bloody nightmare, extremely rude, ignorant and very slow. The letter 'i' is definitely in the French word, team! The tour guide was an Irish kiwi (New Zealand), nicknamed midget. He was the size of a leprechaun.

We travelled hours to the Kings Canyon and The Garden of Eden. and walked about 8km around. We had to trek about 600 metres up a 45degree boulder ridden hill in the blazing heat (35 degrees!). Halfway round we took a very refreshing dip in a watering hole. James managed to lose his Mick Dundee hat he had just bought the previous day... The wind blew it into the canyon. I bet the aborigines love him...free gifts! He then spent the rest of the day getting his head burnt. He also broke his second pair of Kuala Lumpurs special Ray Barny sunglasses, so he is now on his 3rd pair! Along the walk we were given insight into an Aborigines way of life (or as they call themselves, the Anangu people) How and what they hunt and bush medicines. There is a plant, if prepared in a specific way, has effects like ecstasy. And the aborigines used to take it so that they could hunt for longer.

On the way to camp that evening we had to find firewood on what they call Dead Trees. We got covered in black pulling down the branches. James was not happy.. His expensive cream Dundee shirt was black! We prepared a meal in the pitch black over the crackle of the fire just with torches, had a few beers and then attempted to sleep in a swag on the red desert ground glaring at the starry night accompanied by a full moon.

We were up at 4.30am and made our way to Kata - Tjuta rock for another long day of walking. The volumes of lushes green against the red of the rock really make some great pictures. At the top of the walk we were overlooking a valley with the rock creating curtains around the magnificent view... I got a great jumping picture here.

That evening we went to watch the sunset over the famous Uluru (Ayers Rock)... we were expecting something spectacular since thousands of people arrive in coaches here and have helicopter rides just to see this half an hour spectacle... It wasn't that amazing. When Mr Leprechaun said 'come on guys were off', I followed this statement by, 'is that it!?'- he wasn't impressed. I think the sunrise is a little better (which we saw on the morning of the third day) because of the colour layering around the rock as the sun rises. We were apparently lucky because one month in the year the sun rises behind Uluru and we got to witness it... wow!

Before we got dropped off at Ayers Rock airport, we carried out the base walk around Uluru. You don't appreciate how big the rock really is until you are stood next to it.

Our group respected the Aborigines by not climbing Uluru. We could have if we really wanted to but our tour guide, Sam, explained that it is disrespectful and very dangerous. The trek to the top of Uluru is very steep and has a metal frame which you hold onto as you make your way up. The rock surface is rather smooth so one slip and its all over! It takes about 2 hours to complete it, and apparently the top is covered in human faeces and nappies, because naturally people have to carry out their business.. It doesn't explain the nappies though!

Lauren x