Up at 5am in the dark for a sunrise at Uluru.

The usual way to view the sunrise at Uluru is to have the sun rise at your back and watch as it illuminates the rock. Our guide was of the opinion that we should watch it from the point where the sun came up from behind Uluru and we could see the sun rise up from behind the rock, silhoueting the rock against the glowing sky. I think this worked well. See what you think from the pictures. It was a wonderful experience spoiled only by the attention of swarms of flies which are out looking for their first moisture of the day. If they can find it in your eyes, up your nose, mouth or even in your ears they will go for it in numbers. You may notice that Susan has a nice pink fly net on. I had bought a nice manly black one. You may notice that one of the other ladies is wearing a nice black one. Yes - Susan gave mine away to a nice lady who was having a bit of bother coping with the flies.

Then on to Kata Tjuta,(which means many heads), about 50km from Uluru. This is another rock formation, a bit bigger and with 37 domes which is apparently even more sacred to the Aboriginal people. I had never heard of it, but if anything it is even more spectacular than Uluru. The rock at Kata Tjuta is made up of boulders and mud whereas Uluru is a block of sandstone, it is higher and the sides are even steeper. We had a walk up a gorge in what passes for the cool of the morning - 43 degrees! All of the other walks were closed because it was too hot.

We went back to Uluru and visited the cultural centre where we saw a film about the significance of Uluru to the local tribe and why they don't like you climbing all over their sacred place anymore. We had two more walks around the base of the rock taking in the places and caves where the people had first settled. Then a walk to a billabong where the hunters waited for kangaroo and wallabies to come along for a drink before knocking them about with boomerangs and spears.

By this time we were exhausted by the heat and retired back to our hotel for lunch and a swim in the pool.

In the evening we were collected and taken for sunset drinks and dinner in the desert - the event was called Sounds of Silence. We watched as the sun fell behind Kata Tjuta and the light went out for the day on Uluru. Very mystical, very beautiful. Over dinner and endless wine the booming sounds of the didgeridoo shattered the silence and afterwards a "Sky Talker" (or amateur astronomer) showed us the highlights of the southern sky at night with the aid of a laser pointer. We saw the Southern Cross, the Milky Way, the Giant Magellanic clouds and much more on a cloudless, sparkling night.

As Susan and I made our way to the toilets, which were set some way off in the bush, we were joined by a lady who confessed to us that she had a phobia of moths. Butterflies were OK but hairy little moths freaked her out. When we arrived at the toilet I put my head round the door and, as this was the only brightly lit space for some distance, knew immediately that this was not going to go well for her. It was just heaving with moths and other hairy, flying creatures. She left the door open to facilitate an emergency escape if her nerve failed her. The screaming started immediately and rose in pitch till my ears were bursting. I retreated a respectable distance and turned my back in case her nerve failed her and she ran out without first "tidying up". There are some things an impressionable young man shouldn't see.

We saw her again he next day, wished her a hearty "good morning", but she blanked us.

You see some funny things in the desert at night.