So arriving in the Northern Territory I was expecting 40 degree heat. Nope! Oddly its wet season here in the summer and dry season in winter, so I was expecting to see some rain, but what I got was quite a bit! Arrived in Alice Springs in the afternoon and in the pouring rain took the 10 min walk into the centre for a look about. I'd been warned its a bit rough and a tiny place (its main purpose being the starting and/or finishing point of the outback).

Yep they were right! An absolute ghetto. Smashed Aborigines everywhere hanging around and up to no good isn't the best of adverts for Alice Springs. It gives it character though, that's granted! I had a few pints in a bar (to dry off obviously!) and headed back to the hostel as had to be up at 5:30 am for my 7 day trip.

This part is now in diary format as I had to right down everything at the end of the day to not forget!)

Turns out the 7 day trip actually consisted of 3 mini trips which was cool….

Days 1-2 - Alice Springs and back via Kings Canyon and Uluru
Days 3-5 - Alice Springs to Darwin
Days 6-7 - Darwin and back via Kakadu National Park

Day 1
Absolute Nightmare of a day! Woke up to find it still absolutely hammering down! Our tour guide (Ben) said it only usually rains this bad around 10 days a year so I timed it right. Or wrong. Picked up the 13 strong group (mainly English & Swedes, a French, Yank, Irishman and Aussie completing the register).

After registering, sorting camping gear and the 4 hour drive we stopped off for lunch at our permanent campsite. Then onto kings canyon where it finally stopped raining! Hoorah. We got out, started our climb up the well steep rock mountain where the heavens opened.And I mean opened. Monsoon style. Within 5 mins we were all soaked to the core. Waterfalls appeared gushing down the canyon sides and the climb we were walking also turned into a waterfall. At the top Ben abandoned the 3 and a half hour walk straight away. We were all actually glad as it wouldn't have been enjoyable.. getting back down was a challenge in itself!

Within the space of 45 mins we had pulled up dry, climbed to the top and then back down again completely soaked. The rangers told us to get out quick as they were shutting the roads in and out of the canyon as surrounding creeks were flooding (3 groups were already doing the walk and got stuck in there, meaning they had to spend the night in their minibuses with no facilities. Turns out they left at 3pm the next day)

We were lucky and made it out just in time. We had to cross a road that was flooded, Ben took the minibus to the right of the stream and as we went through you could feel the current move the van. Exciting stuff! Theres where my excitement ended. Took some pics of the waterfall and of me as a drowned rat. All was fine when I checked the pics. An hour later when bored I went to look at the pics and the camera's brown bread. It didn't get very wet at all so im hoping I can let it dry and salvage it. Unfortunately I left my phone in my front pocket and that's definetly had it. Obviously I had the raging hump, no camera or phone. The world had ended and Liverpool may as well sell Torres.

I surprisingly soon snapped out of it. Told myself travelling wouldn't always be easy, problems would happen and id have to deal with them. Damian (the irish guy and top bloke) said I could have a copy of all his outback pictures until we get to Darwin, where hopefully ill salvage my camera or buy a replacement. My memory cards are fine so ive still got my pictures. O2 and my bank balance will be happy ill be using facebook and pay phones more often now. Ill still be in touch when I can!

In the evening I cheered myself up further with some beers and had a really good experience of cooking the bbq in the outback. Helped cook kangaroo (absolutely yum), steaks (which were cooked perfectly and everyone finished) and the surprise sausages*. When im home im gonna crack on with a michelin star. I went to bed thinking tomorrow can only get better.

Day 2
It did! OK it rained first thing and we missed out on the sunrise at Uluru (Ayers Rock) but by the time we got to it, the rain had stopped and it didn't return! You can climb Uluru (which the Aborigines don't like you doing as it's a sacred site to them) or you can do the 2 and a half hour walk around it. I'd already decided to do the walk because A) I wanted to respect their wishes, B) apparently climbing it gives you bad luck (although it couldn't get much worse!) and C) its well dangerous anyway! 1 chain gets you to the top, steep drops either side and at some points a 65 degree incline! 33 deaths since they first let the public climb it says it all! Turns out it was closed anyway because of the weather so my decision was justified!

Our fortune changed when we were doing the walk as we got to see Uluru turn into a series of waterfalls. Apparently its very rare and everyone we've spoken to says how lucky we were to see it. The guide Ben said it's the first time in well over a year since he's seen it. The waterfalls soon cleared up and the clouds cleared a bit for us to see Uluru in all its glory. Best of both worlds! Must say its mighty impressive and im well glad I included it in my itinerary. Definitely has an aura about it.

We then popped back to the sunrise viewing area to see our first proper glimpse of it from a distance as the weather cleared. Well good! It was then a fairly uneventful 4 hour drive back to Alice Springs (except a few times when Ben had to slam the brakes on to avoid the carnage of us smashing into wild Kangaroos!)