Reyt then! So this is my Outback Tour! I GOT STRANDED IN THE OUTBACK!!!!!!!!!WOOHOO!!!!! What an adventure - honestly! They had the worst rainfall for fifty years and some roads became inaccessable which meant we had to drive well over 4000km instead of the scheduled 2800km! When I say I was stranded - there was another 16 people so I wasn't alone! It was so good though, when you're travelling like that on a small bus on those long straight roads, you really get a sense of how big this country actually is.

Oh and actually I nearly didn't end up going, cos the company had me down at another hostel. I was starting to think I'm not meant to go Uluru. But anyway I phoned them and it got sorted, and the first day we drove through the Flinders Ranges - some mountain ranges and this is where we saw some Aboriginal paintings. I mean, they weren't Van Gough but they were pretty old and you had to learn what some of the symbols meant, they were nice to see, then we drove through the Parachilna Gorge and stayed the night at some farm.

Then the second day it started to rain, it wasn't too bad at first it kept stopping and starting so it was ok. We drove down the Oodnadaata track which follows the Old Ghan railway line - a line that used to link Darwin with Adelaide - very scenic! As we were driving along this dirt track the rain really started to come down and we were all over the road and our bus had a trailor on the back carrying all our bags and we were just getting thrown from side to side as our driver tried his best not to get stuck in the road. Then we came accross a tour bus that had got stranded so our driver drove a little further along the road where he found a descent place to stop and we all walked over to help move this stranded bus - and we did! We managed to get it moving again! But then the decision was made that the rain was too much and roads were beginning to get innaccessable so we had change direction and stayed the night at some small village - literally in the middle of nowhere!

We went to the pub there and met a proper local yokel called Tyson, I don't know what you call Aussie red necks - but this kid was one of 'em! He was well pissed up and I felt it my duty to take advantage! We were having a laugh chatting to him and that and then I felt a bit thirsty so I challenged him to a game of pool and won some beers - Get In! Poor Tyson! Anyway so that night we slept in traditional Aussie Swags which arte just waterproof sleeping bags that you put your own sleeping bag in to. I had quite a good nights sleep until I was woken up at about 3am by the rain - I forgot to zip my swag up cos it was quite warm - I WAS SOAKED!!!! But I managed to move under some shelter.

The following day we started to more or less go back on ourselves until we reached another track that would put us back on to another northern route. This particular road brought us to a derilict ghost town that was originally built to encourage farmers to grow wheat there. At it's height apparently 450 people lived there - and get this no-one could grow wheat, so they all left. Later that day we visited a local coal mine and at night we stayed in a nice hostel - that was after we got back from playing pool with some more PROPER local yokels at a traditional Aussie outback pub.

We had an early start the next day for an 8 hour drive to try and get us back on schedule. We reached the toen of Coober Pedy. An underground town. This is the home of Australian Opal. People buy houses there and dig down under their homes 'extending' trying to find Opals. So everything there is built underground, the hospital, the shops, restaurants and our hostel! We visited the underground museum there and went on a tour of the mine. Then the heavens opened! It really did come down, everything was getting washed away - we all got in to our swim wear and was dancing about in it - proper laugh!

The day after was our drive to the main attraction - Uluru! (Ayers Rock) The rain stopped! We arrived to see the rock at sunset which really was amazing - it looks absolutely stunning! We stayed there a while taking pictures and had a little picnic and some beers, it was really nice. Then the following day we walked round the b*****! 'kin hell it's big! It was hard work in the intense heat! I didn't climb it as we told about the history of it and how sacred it is to the Aboriginal people, but people still can if they wish to.

On our last day before we headed off to Alice Springs, we went to 'Kings Canyon' which, for me, might have been a better highlight than Uluru. This was just beautiful, the rocks, the trees, the little pools - I swam in one of them and was surrounded by over hanging rocks and stuff - it was so beautiful - really enjoyed that. I stood in some stupid positions on the edges of cliffs taking pictures - I really am trying to work on conquering my fear of heights and flying on this trip!

And that's about it I think, we got to Alice Springs and saw loads of Aboriginal People and had a party night and the following day I got a flight to Sydney - which is where I am now! With Alex! Seems like ages but it's only been two weeks. Weather isn't that nice at the moment, but the plan is we're going to get our campervan tomorrow and do the touristy stuff this week - she's gonna be my tour guide - God help me!

Sorry I've waffled on a bit! So that's what I've been up to - what about you?