The day started very early. I was picked up by a bus at 4:45 am to be whisked around to the Uluru sunrise viewing area. We watched the sun come up through watching the effect on the rock. Again, the colours it goes through are amazing. Hopefully, the photos will work out!

The climb was closed again today, so I went on one of the short walks around the base of the rock. It turned out to be very beautiful. There were some quite weather-worn rock paintings but the natural environment right at the base of the rock is what took my breath away – again, it was an oasis and quite stunning. I got to see a second sunrise when the sun rise over the rock as I waited for the shuttle bus to return me to the hotel.

Another bus – this time for the trip back to Alice. It was a pleasant enough ride – another nice bus driver – but it was just a bus ride this time. Bought some souveniers at Mount Ebenezer Roadhouse.

The bus got us back to the train in good time and after a short wait, I re-entered train-board life. I elected to take the late sittings of dinner and lunch. Foolishly, it turned out – boy, I got hungry! So, the rest of the day was read, eat dinner with nice but unremarkable folk, then head to bed. Slept OK, this time.

Wake up at 6:30 am so that I could eat my ‘breakfast in a box’ before arriving in Katherine. I’d bought a river cruise because Mum had told me that the Katherine Gorge was the thing to see.

We were loaded onto a bus and whisked out to the Katherine Gorge, then loaded onto boats. The trip involved put-putting up the first section of the gorge – fairly low-walled area – then a short walk to another boat for another punt up some talleer-walled gorge. It was all very spectacular. A beautiful and serene place. On the return trip, we also saw a freshwater crocodile coasting along by the river bank.

Back to the bus, then back onto the train. Despite drinking water steadily during the boat cruise, I pulled down my bed to sleep off the heat exhaustion prior to the late lunch sitting. Had a pleasant lunch with a woman from Katherine who was heading to Darwin for R&R.

Arrived at Darwin on time but then got on the wrong transfer coach – the slow boat – and only arrived at the hotel after another 90 minutes.

Dinner in the hotel and a relatively early night.