Greetings from Exmouth and I'll tell you what, it's beautiful here. We're talking wilderness that goes on for miles and miles and big empty beaches, and as many wild Kangers and Emus running about as you want. Well after a great New Year's Eve with Lindsay and Purdy at a weird houseparty with tequilla and locals getting wrapped in red tape and eating worms (those aussies are funny you know!!), and a traditional New Year's Day around the barbie and swimming pool, again with L & P, I've taken a tour up north for a few days. The bus picked us up early on Monday and we headed off on the rock tour... (but the kind without the usual guitars). There's about 18 of us on the tour and they are a pretty good lot too. First we headed to the Pinnacles where our bus driver Scott broke the ice by getting us to find Pinnacles that look like elephants and batman before taking us sandboarding in the dunes - great fun going down but getting back up again was not and kindly Harry took my board back up guessing that at my age I was struggling (good old Harry). We then spent the night in Kalbari where we got to know each other over dinner and copious amounts of alchol and some underwear dipping (THAT'S IN THE SEA - WEARING UNDERWEAR before your minds start to wander). Unfortunately we had to get up very very early the next day and so with stinker of a hangover (memories of buckets and Thailand came flooding back and catching 7am buses again) we were dragged to the Kalbari Gorge where we were forced to climb down into the valley. Just joking about being forced but believe me it was a nightmare with my fear of heights but I did it... and I absailed - yes I can't believe it either then we had to climb up (not funny in 45 degree heat) but I reckon I lost a few pounds and also the hangover and very nearly got stuck but was coaxed up by Harry yet again (obviously an officer and a gentleman). We found a waterhole a few miles down the road then all jumped in apart from Ralph (odd odd person from Belgium) who proceeded to give 5 reasons why he can never swim - the list is too tedious now to go through but we're now convinced he is a mass murderer. I really can't remember much more of the day but I think it involved more rocks, driving and more beer and more wine and more cooking and washing up (it's a hand's on budget tour). Ok next day onto Monkey Mia to watch 150 people stand around to see dolphins that did not want to appear and do some snorkelling then visits to beaches, more watering holes (of both kinds) and I think maybe that night I slept in the hammock (but it's all getting very confusing in my head). Actually that may have been the night before and perhaps this was when we stayed on the sheep station and slept in the shearer's quarters and got pissed again around the camp fire??? Yesterday we arrived at Exmouth and this is just the best place to be and it's so up there with Fraser and Cape Trib and much fewer people around too so it kind of feels so much more special. If I recall there was more drinking, and drinking games followed by watching the stars in a park (with astro turf - whatever you say Harry it was...) which then turned out to be a cricket pitch. When we arrived it was just full of kangeroos having a party - honestly to see these animals all over the place is just amazing for me - I actually saw an Emu and her baby walking through the shopping centre yesterday and no I was not drunk and have pictures to prove it which you can all see when I can get them up. Today we've just been snorkelling and hanging around the beach. The group is splitting up tomorrow and some of us are going to go back to Perth over 5 days via camping in the outback (better stock up at the bottle shop then) and the others are taking the two day tour back. So, it's our final dinner tonight and maybe the odd glass of wine. Well that's it for now folks - check in again in about a week and you can find all all about the delights of camping in the outback with all those spiders and snakes (god help me.) xxxx