Wow what an incredible three days!!!!

I caught the overnight bus and train from Byron Bay to Sydney on Wednesday - leaving at 5pm and arriving at 7am the next day!! I then flew straight up to alice springs which was just over a 3 hour flight!

Alice Springs is a real travellers' town - backpackers everywhere - and there is a large aboriginal population too. They just seem to mingle together, sitting on the grass talking or painting or standing around chatting. It's a shame as they do seem quite intimidating but their culture is a very peaceful one and I'm sure they wouldn't harm you.

My first day started at 6am with a pick-up from the hostel to start our little adventure. There were 21 of us on the bus so just a nice number and our tour guide was nicknamed Wookie - massive guy!

We drove for SIX HOURS to our first stop of Kings Canyon. Fact No 1 - Kings Canyon is actually bigger than the Grand Canyon! Apparantly, the Grand Canyon is actually a gorge as it was formed by water whereas Kings Canyon was formed by rock movement and so is truly a canyon. Mmmm, not sure if the Americans would agree with that though :)

The walk up Kings Canyon is commonly known as Heart Attack Hill so that didn't set me up well for my little trek! But, I did it!! I may have got to the top last, but at least I did it! The views were spectactular. We spent a couple of hours walking along the top of the gorge then went down to the watering hole, The Garden Of Eden. The Anangu (Aboriginies - fact no 2) have requested that visitors don't swim in the water as it is sacred to them and they would see it as being contaminated - soooooo could have done with a dip in the water though!

We then got back in the bus and drove about another two hours to our camp for the night. On the way, we all got very excited at spotting Uluru in the distance only to find out that it was Mount Connor. Apparantly it catches everyone out.

I won't lie when I say that I was pooping myself about the sleeping arrangements - sleeping outside in a swag was NOT my idea of fun! But my gosh, it was beautiful. After a camp dinner, cooked on the huge fire we'd made, we all got our swags out and placed them around the fire. There was alot of nervous giggling but this soon turned to ooos and aahs as we all laid down and watched the most beautiful clear sky I had ever seen. It was so magical watching the shooting stars go by and trying to identify the constalations. Apparantly (as I'm no Patrick Moore) we saw Venus, the Frying Pan and Orion's Belt. Someone spoke before he thought too and asked if one was the North Star - in Australia - really???????

Day 2 started at 5.30 with brekkie sitting on our swags then we headed to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. And this time, we DID see Uluru as we drove in. It is such an impressive site and quite hard to believe - we'd all seen it so many times in films, pictures and books that we couldn't quite believe we were there!

We started off at Kata Tjuta (For Simpson fans, this is the one that looks like Homer). We happily started off the 7km walk around the base, a bit rocky but altogether ok. After about 6km, I could have just died! The only way forward was up and when I say up, I really mean up! It was ridiculously steep and over rocks and loose lying red sand - happy days! We finally made it to the top but then of course, had to come down. Within about twenty steps, I had landed on my arse twice! I felt like such an old woman! I swear I could have snuggled down and just been left there. We then had to go down such a steep slope - after my two mishaps, I didn't want to tempt fate with the third so I went down on my bum!!! The only good thing about doing this is the biscuits you get given at the end!!

We then went to the look-out point to watch the sunset and Uluru. When we got there, there were tables set out with white tablecloths, glasses and wine being chilled! Mmmm, not for us backpackers - we had beer out of the eskie :) The sunset was beautiful and it was fascinating to watch Uluru change colour but it was a shame that there were so many tourists - you'd have thought they'd have known I was coming and stopped them all!

Another night sleeping under the stars then we got up at 4.20 and headed back to the look-out point for sunrise over Uluru - and it was everything you would expect!! The moon was still high in the sky to the left of Uluru and as the sun came up, it looked like a comet entered the atmosphere and travelled across the top of Uluru. Once I can upload photos, you can all stop sniggering and saying "yeah right" and see what I mean.

We did the base walk of Uluru which is 9.4km and all before 9am!. The rock formation changes all the way around and the Anangu give you little bits of information to their beliefs of Uluru and what the rock represents. I truly felt priviledged to be walking around it. The Australian Government handed the rock back to the Anangu in 1986 but with so many stipulations that we're still allowed to visit. They're trying to stop people from climbing it and part of me really did feel that we should stop visiting it altogether and truly give them back their spiritual home.

The trip in total was 1500 kilometres - it doesn't cease to amaze me how big this country is!

I was soooo glad to get back to a shower and bed but if anyone is ever in Oz, the Uluru tour is a MUST!

Ps I have a new friend. His name is lurgy - he joined me in Noosa in my throat, he spread himself out in Byron Bay to my ears and then he really made himself at home in my sinises and chest!!!

Pps Sorry if I've gone on about this trip but it was so special. If anyone gets the chance, it is a definite bucket list inclusion!

Ppss Not to rub it in, but I'm writing this having a glass of wine, sitting under the Sydney Opera House, watching the sun go down over Sydney Harbour Bridge :)