Not a bad flight, ready for the next one in Doha.

Doha airport is amazing, they actually have a train, a big Alton Towers train in the airport to take you to your gate.

Then onto the A380, I was really excited to travel on this plane, especially as I was on the upper deck, not in first but still upstairs.

It was a long long flight, 14 hours, you forget what day and time it is and just watch films and try to sleep. Not helped by quite an uncomfortable seat and a crying child! Who cried, screamed and shouted for quite along time. But me being laid back, didn’t tut or shake my head at all.

Eventually arrived in Aus, great experience through the airport, was a bit disappointed that I didn’t get my bag searched for hidden fish heads like you see on telly.

Arrived at the hotel and had a quick beer before a lovely long sleep.

The trip starts properly in the morning.

The morning started with an early shuttle to the airport. Unfortunately, my case seemed to have put on weight in the last week and was now over the allowed limit, Qantas are now 25 quid better off, your welcome. A quick email to the travel agent to get another bag added will hopefully sort for the next flight but my wallet will be lighter.

The flight to Ulluru takes about two and half hours and the contrast from Sydney to the outback is clear to see. You can just see the bridge in the distance and I think the Olympic park.

I took different shots of the landscape to illustrate how it changes.

A couple of hours by the pool in very hot sun this afternoon

Getting ready for the sunset trip to see the rock proper this evening.

We then went to the BBQ site. We were all sitting with people we didn’t know which was a great way to get to know everyone and talk. Our table had Norma and Jerry from the Philippine who were lovely, a couple from Germany from my hotel who were interesting and very polite, a couple from France who were snooty and aloof (proper sterotype) they were not happy about anything, and a young Aussie couple.

Different chats about food, holidays, life and everything made the evening go really well . The steak was cooked to perfection and together with chicken and kangaroo was delicious.

By far the highlight was when all the lights were turned off and the stars did their thing. Wow wow wow, it was breathtaking, the Milky Way was clear and I have never seen stars like it. We were given a talk on the various constellations which was great, the photos absolutely do not do it justice.

Early morning start for the base walk, six am pick up and still pitch black. There was 9 of us and two guides who made our way to the starting point.

Our guide Glenn was amazing, telling the stories of the rock and the history , it was great to hear what the rock means to the Mala people and the stories and history.

Each part of the land and features have stories and meaning to the people, there are many parts of the rock that you are not allowed to film and are called sensitive areas.

As we walked around we all got talking and found all about each other whilst marvelling at the environment and where we were walking.

A couple from Sheffield were my go to and we bonded over being from Yorkshire.

It really was special and something that I will be always in awe.

Back to the resort for a quick lunch then in the intense heat an afternoon in the pool.

Another couple from the walk were in the pool and we had a good chat whilst trying to stay cool in the pool.

This evening we have been to the drone show, it was interesting as a lot of the stories from this morning were now being shown and told with the light show.

It was a stunning venue and the drones were amazing, with the stars showing their best too.

A long drive to Alice springs tomorrow.

The coach arrived and we sat off for Alice Springs. The coach driver kept up a commentary about where we were, the history of the cattle stations and people that have developed the land we were travelling through.

I was not expecting this and it was so informative which made the six hour trip enjoyable and much quicker than expected.

The scenery as with all this country was spectacular even though it is very sparse, there is always something to see and is always beautiful.

There was even a twister! Dorothy was no where to be seen, maybe she’d already gone over the rainbow, Aunty Em was proper annoyed.

We also stopped in the very middle of Australia, it was so hot and fly central, but I’m glad I got to visit , even said hello to some emus at the farm.

Arrived at the hotel in Alice Springs, a very short stay but just had a fabulous meal and chatted with the manager about my trip and her travels in Europe, a really good way to end the day.

With the trip I booked I get collected from the airport. Steve my driver(I’m so posh), was from China, he had a big merc and it was really good not to have to fight for taxi.

He was very informative about the city and advised me wher to go and which were the best districts, luckily I was staying in a good part.

He was also very interested in where Leeds was and my accent, he thought I was from London, I told him it was the north but I don’t think he’d ever heard of Yorkshire.

The hotel is one of the best I’ve stayed in, I was really pleased apart from the scales in the bathroom, they definitely did not get used.

I went for a walk and was impressed with the city, I only saw a little of the centre but I think I would like to come back.

A couple of pints later, including Old Peculiar, that’s a drink not a description of me.

I ate at a Indian restaurant and had a good meal( butter chicken obviously) and went back to the Pig and Whistle for a drink and watched a bit of rugby.

I finished off the night with a couple of vodkas in the roof top bar, the view is spectacular, apparently it’s called Brisvagas, it’s a bit like casvegas but without the leggings.

Steve picked me up and proud to say that he’d been googling Leeds, he knew the size of the city, the make up of the population ethnicity and that we are called loiners. I think he was a bit disappointed when I couldn’t tell him why Loiners, I will have to check that one for myself.

Anyway all booked in for Hamilton island, on too the next adventure

On my way back to the room, I came across Bob, I nearly fell over him, so brilliant to see wildlife up front.

Unfortunately, I received the news that the train journey had been cancelled, flash floods have made the track dangerous, I am really disappointed as this was going to be a highlight, but it’s hardly a first world problem!

I have managed to extend my stay in Perth which is something I really wanted to do and am waiting for the hotel in Sydney to confirm the same. It’s still all good!

Anyway went for tea at a harbour side restaurant where the food was great.

I made the mistake of going for a drink in the only place you don’t need a reservation. It is Hamilton island Merry Monk, lots of very pissed people playing pokies(slot machines) and watching sport.

It was dangerous just a bit chavtastic!

Next we travelled to the next pontoon to catch the helicopter. The transfer boat was scary enough, standing on a flat platform with only a handle for safety, I definitely had my Health and safety hat on, didn’t mention it though.

Then the flight. What you see from above is so much more than from the level, you get a real perspective on how big this reef is, this is a relatively small one and obviously part of the whole reef.

The ride was exhilarating, the pilot doing big long turns to let you see as much as possible, really stunning.

I then took a small boat ride which was supposed to show the reef, but as the rough sea had churned everything up, visibility was poor. Some coral seen buyt was a lot more vibrant when I went snorkelling.

A skin tight stinger suit was not my best look, it took 20 minutes to cram my extra flab into the suit, any sharks would have realised I would not be tasty, no muscle only fat!

On our way back the sea got a lot rougher, we weren’t allowed to mover around and it was just like the Grand National at Blackpool, glad I took my motion sickness tablets, there were people throwing up all around.

I also got a bit carried away with driftwood artistic photo shots for the pub, they may look better when printed.

To go swimming you have to wear the dreaded stinger suit, getting these off is difficult and most have looked bizarre .

Swimming in the sea here is a real privilege and I am so grateful that I got the opportunity, very special, even if I was dressed in a blue condom and looked like a bouncy castle.

Back at the resort I visited the animal centre, not really a zoo but interesting, conflicting emotions would of course prefer to see the animals in their natural environment but still a privilege to see them up close.

A great meal last night , special fish course both hot and cold. I couldn’t move after!

Finished the morning having coffee on the terrace and the flight back to Sydney .

Thank you Hamilton Island you have been a blast,

Arrived in Sydney to rain and every restaurant closed cos it wa Monday!

Harbour bridge tour tomorrow!

d a seat at the window.

Our guide Ron, was really informative and a friendly. Having a guide on trips really makes a difference, loved it. We also had a great lunch and couple of glasses of wine as we cruised round the harbour.

The views didn’t disappoint, I took many many photos, everyone on t(e boat was taking selfies and also ones of each other.

A lovely woman from the USA, insisted that she take my photo with the opera house in the background. Really was another highlight.

A great day out and iconic for a trip to Australia.

As not only my luggage seemed to have put on weight, my expanding belly shamed me into going to the hotel gym in the afternoon. I did my excercise and then cooled off in the pool on the roof,

A great meal in a restaurant called Nomad finished the night, I was sat at the bench by the kitchen. Very unusual to be able to see how a professional kitchen works, the food was superb!

The trains are quick, cheap, on time and clean. It would be great to have something like this in Leeds, dream on.

It was about half an hour walk down to the beach(thank you google maps), which gave me a chance to see yet another side of Sydney. The city is massive and the different areas all seem to have their own personality.

I like Bondi, it has an older feel and there are a lot of traditional buildings, slightly run down that give it loads of character.

So the beach, yet again an iconic view, great to see and because of the weather fairly empty. I did have a bit of a paddle and was planning on having a sit down but it started to rain.

With the rain and the older buildings it did remind me of a British sea side resort, but without the fat blokes in vests and women with tattoos.

I did try and get a picture of a life guard( for Kate!) but due to the rain and lack of people they were hiding in their shed.

Now being soaked, I stopped for lunch before walking back to the train and back to Sydney.

My next adventure, I still can’t believe I booked it, was for a meal at the top of the Sydney tower.

82 floors up, it is a revolving restaurant that gives a panoraview of the city.

The lift ride up scared me to death, making noises and rattling. The view is spectacular and as long as you don’t look directly down is not too bad.

The food was great and I had a long conversation with the waitress about visiting the UK. She is coming to London, I told her there are much better places in the North! The north is going to be full of disappointed Aussies next year.

The restaurant slowly revolves and takes about an hour to do a full circle. Occasionally you can feel the motion but it is mostly so slow you don’t notice.

By far the worst part is the lift. Whilst on the way up it was by myself, there were five other people going down, far too many.

Again it rattles a little and only takes about a minute but it feels much much longer.

A couple of beers in a nice pub finished off the night.

Now on to Perth.

I had a couple of beers in the sun and then a lovely Italian meal.

Today I decided I would have a beach day.i got the train ( really taking the piss) to Cottesloe beach.

Again a stunning beach with white sand. The west coast is just as beautiful as the east.

Shark nets and spotter helicopters were slightly unnerving but everyone else was swimming so I thought I’d go for it. So glad I did, another privilege.

A proper sunbathing day, loved it followed by lunch in a beach front cafe and a couple of beers of course.

Went out tonight and had a walk round Perth , some lovely old buildings, including the one I’m in.

Korean bbq followed by vodkas in a little bar.

Another lovely beach although this sign put me off a bit

I came back to explore Perth a bit more and went to the marina. A different atmosphere and it was chilled and trendy( I didn’t fit in of course). A couple of glasses of wine made me relax.

Arrived at the island with hundreds of others, I thought I would never see a quokka but then,

Proper cute, but they don’t smile much, too many bloody tourists.

Then saw another one who was busy licking ice cream off the floor. Don’t think that this is very good for them and their natural diet!

My trip started with a train(again, bastards) to the war gun. Got talking to one bloke, bit weird so moved on to a really nice couple and w3 swapped stories of our recent adventures.

We then visited the old war gun an tunnels which was really interesting and informative, loved the guide , she was a volunteer and really funny. Quick lunch, the weird bloke was now actively ignoring me, I made a good decision.

Now a bus tour around the island, stopping at various places of interest, beaches and of course more quokka.

Parakeet beach was particularly stunning with a huge sand dune which kids were sliding down.

Dog on a rock!

Dog on a rock

Parakeet bay

It’s not dead, it was sleeping honest

Boat back and tapas for tea. Last day tomorrow!