Just to keep you up to speed with our recent trip 'up the guts' to Alice Springs I have kept a little log. We departed ridiculously early from Adelaide, little did we know this would be typical of the start of most of our days whilst on the trip. Our first stop was in the Clare Valley which is one of the main wine regions but unfortunately it was far too early for some tasting. On the way to our first night stop we stopped in a town called Quorn for lunch. In the outback this place is classed as a town but consisted of two pubs a train station and a road. Our first night was at a place called Parachilna, which I still can't see the point of the place. It was simply a pub/ hotel with a shack for us to stay in and a turning bay for massive road trains to turn around in. There was a population of 7 and one of them included a token gay barman I assume to even the numbers up. On the second day we headed further into a mountain range called the Flinders Ranges and stopped to do about a 10km trek to the top of Wilpena Pound. I was most happy with myself for successfully navigating the walk without any knee's popping out or breaking any legs or ankles which is nice. That night we stayed at a place called Rawnsley Park where I made a massive fire because it was quite ridiculously cold at night in the outback whilst Liam and others were in charge of making dinner. This would be interesting as Liam's cooking capabilities only stretched as far as boiling water in a kettle. Well we didn't all die so someone else obviously took charge.

Waking up at 4:45 to a down pour a freezing temperatures I had to remind myself that this was an intensive SAS training exercise and not a holiday so I could pull myself out of bed. The reason for the early start was because we had to drive the equivalent of Egypt to South Africa to get to our next stop which was Cooper Peedy. It was a bizarre drive because there is absolutely nothing in the middle of Australia apart for the Stuart (nothing but sand and sun) highway. Cooper Peedy is the most random place I've ever been to. With 3000 miners who are probably all married to their sisters or daughters that live in the middle of nowhere in underground houses. Our accommodation was like living in a bomb shelter. One bonus of the place was that the bar had lots of out of date beer and was therefore half price and being backpackers were obviously glad to make the most of this opportunity.

Day four and yet again another early start as we had to drive the 13,000,000kms to Yulara where Uluru is and we needed to get there for sunset. Only 20 minutes into the trip as I was just on my way back to sleep, we absolutely nailed a kangaroo which had obviously not been taught to look both ways before crossing the road. Oh well, I am fairly sure that he won't be doing that again. We arrived at Yulara on time and did a quick tour of a particularly large piece of sand stone (Uluru) and then headed to a good spot to watch the sunset and drink champagne. All very romantic! It was a really cool sight and one that definitely warranted a ridiculously immature pose for a picture. That such picture in fact meant the last of my camera's battery and therefore meant missing out on some really good photo's the next day at sunrise. Anyway, BBQ, beer and bloody big bonfire (is that alliteration? I never really paid that much attention in English) that night followed by an early night as yet again we had to be up early in order to watch the sunrise.

I still have loads left to write but have to go and get to the airport as we are flying from Alice Springs to Darwin tonight. Will write soon!