So!!! Finally made it to Darwin!! This is our last stop in Oz before New Zealand!! And I've been doing some hardcor travelling over the last 2 weeks!

So we left Magnetic Island and got on the bus to head to Cairns!! Stopped at a croc farm on the way where 2 absolutely mental aussie guys showed us around the croc park and tormeted the crocs and alligators by swinging a rake around to get a performace! Honestly...I went to Steve Irwins zoo and this croc park made terri irwin look like a lizard handler! these crocs were HUGE!!! And the fence separating us from them was small enough for them to launch themselves out if they really wanted to...we were given the odd bit of safety advice...such as if the croc is near the fence you probably don't want to hang you arm in!

Got to hold one of the little crocs and a snake....which I didn't enjoy if i'm honest...it kept wrapping itself round my boobs and coming right up to my face!!

Then back on to bus...about 45 mins outside of Cairns one of our tyeres exploded!! Excellen!! We were in the middle of bloody nowhere...felt very much like the start of a horror movie!! 20 backpackers and a broken down bus!! Spent 2 hours at side of the road whisly moronic driver tried to get the tyre off to change it! Mike was obviously very helpful and went off to play football with a couple of lads we met on the bus!

Eventually made it to Cairns and checked into the best hostel I have ever stayed in! Was a relief after the wildlife shack we had stayed in on Magnetic Island! no bugs!! YEY!!! And air con!! THANK GOD!!! And many other essential ammenities such as bar and pool!

So spent some time in Cairns just appreciating being in a city again and chilling out before our monster trip in the outback! Met some great people in Cairns...one being Scott who was supposed to leave the day after we got there but mixed up his flights so became Mikes drinking partner! And a couple of the girls we met on the Whitsundays sailing were there as well (Nicole and Shaf). When I say Mike's drinking partner...i have never seen 2 people consume so much alcohol in so little time!! Cairns was seriously party central! And it didn't help that the hostel had it's own bar and club!! Spent the majority of our time in Gilligan's bar or the Wollshed...which was one of those cheesy bars where you eat and then dance on the same tables! Hiohlights of cairns were definitely watching Mike voluntarily pput on a girls bra over his t-shirt...oh and also when Scott accidently inhaled his straw and gave himself a nose bleed!! i laughed so much in cairns!! Mainly down to Mikes and Scott's drinking shennanigans!!

Anyway flew out of cairns...well i think we did...I remember gettin on the plane but I have become a pro at sleeping on any moving vehicle and fell aslepp as soon as we took off and woke up on landing! Best flight ever!

Arrived in alice Springs where the flies outnumber the people!! They are everywhere!! And love to be on your face!! It's pretty bloody annoying!! Me and mike constantly look like some sort of terrets sufferer frantically waving our arms around batting away flies!!

Had nights sleep in the coldest room in the world (felt pretty sorry for mike as air con was hitting him directly in the face...he practically had icicles on his eyelashes!) and then up at 4.30 for trip to Uluru! Pictur on blog pretty much sums up the entire journey!! Just miles and miles on the stuart highway (named after the first guy to travel from south to north)! Did 700km in the first day! Stopped at Kings canyon and did a walk in 38degree heat!! I thought i was going to die!! Resembled a beetroot when we made it back to the bus!! So if everyone could really appreciate the photos of Kings Canyon I would appreciate it considering the trek I took to take them! There was a hill there called heart attak hill! You can imagin how much we all wanted to climb that...but luckily thet aren't allowed to walk it if it is over 35 degrees!! Back on to bus and reached our camp site at uluru and wathed the sunset over Ayers rock!! Was incredible...really can't explain it!

Slept in swags (which I can only describe as canvas boddy bags that you zip yourself into!) and slept outside unprotected from bugs or snakes!! Supposedly it's the experience of sleeping under the stars...which were amazing...but can't I just look at them and then check into a hotel?? This was the only time I have been really woosy the whole holiday and I made Mike share my swag in the hope that any snake would prefer him to me!! Poor mike actually woke up with his arm in the dirt!!

Up at 4.30 to go to Ayers Rock and watch the sunrise!! Can't really explain why a big rock in the middle of noweher has such an incredible impact...but it so huge and the colours of the rock mixed with watching the sunrise are so surreal!! Mike and I walked the whole way around (which was 9km) and it was amazing! Really serene! There are all signs explaining the sacred sights and the stories told by the aborigine people! Got back to the bus before it was even half 8!! Then began our journey home! Did another walk at the Olgas rocks...which is another sacred aboriginie sight...and also bloody hot!

made it back to the hostel at about hafl 7 and just crashed out!! We were exhausted...and also due to get up again at 4.30 for bus to Darwin!

So next leg of journey was 2 nights and 3 days...up to Tenant Creek...stopped on the way to see the Devils marbles...which is a bit like our stone henge...but obvioulsy bigger and better because everything is in Australia! Camped overnight...but this time in permanent tents! Had a really good crowd of 21 of us in this bus which was a relief as thats a bloody long time to be with a bunch of people you don't like! Group consisted of a canadian couple, an irish couple, 2 japanese, 1 swede (who spoke better english than Mike and I put together and had learnt the phrase "Jog on"!!!) 4 english, 1 gay american guy, 1 gay irish guy, a new jersey girl, a spanish girl...and another very quiet girl who I have no idea where she was from!

Spent the evening chatting and swatting mosquitoes! Went back to our tent and there was a lizard on Mikes bed...the irish guy (dave) offered to get it out...but then screamed like a girl when it ran straight up his leg!! Hilarious!

Up at 6 to continue our journey to Katharine...went past the exact spot that Peter Falconio (The british tourist who was travelling with his girlfrined when they were pulled over by a man who then shot Falconio and abducted the girlfriend but who managed to escape) was pulled over!

Again camped out over night...played some drinking games and Mike was sick for the first time since we have been travelling!! Excellent!

Next day up early for a massive walk!! mike and I and a few other people pussied out and did the shorter walk...but even that was 6km!! And we climbed the biggest hill I have ever seen!! Seriosuly need to get back to the gym!! it's pretty embarrasing when the old canadian couple over take you!! Back on to bus and stopped once more at the pub from Crocodile Dundee before making it to Darwin! Oh...I came 5th out of 21 in a weetabix eating competition!! Yes I know it's hard to believe anyone could beat me in an eating competition! But we had to eat a dry weetabix as fast as we can...mike was crap...i thought he was gonna chunder at one point!

So in darwin now...only 5 nights and then we are off to New Zealand!! darwin is pretty cool! So humid though!! Looking forward to not being a constant sweaty mess and having to shower after the slightest strenuous exercise!! Also be nice when i don't have to loft the toilet seat befroe sitting on it to check for deadly spiders!! Half way through the travelling now and still loving it!! And Mike and i haven't killed each other either which I think is a pretty good achievemnet!! think we know wayt oo much about each other and have had every bizarre conversation you could possibly think of!!

So next time I write I will be in NZ!!! WOOOOO!!

Speak soon peeps!! Much Love!!