A camel called Trevor

There are over a million feral camels in Australia, so we're told. They're descended from the ones brought here by the Afghan (really Pakistani) cameleers that the Ghan train is named after.

Trevor, Jack, Digger and their mates were all feral camels once. Then men caught them, gelded them, named them and trained them. Now they are the friendliest outback tour transport you could ever hope to meet. They patiently carried us through the dunes near Uluru, responding to commands like 'stand' (stay) and 'hoosh' (kneel).

On our own feet, we've been on a few bushwalks in the National Park - at the base of Uluru and to a lookout at Kata Tjuta. It's like doing a sculpture walk - amazing colours, shapes and textures on a huge scale. Aboriginal rock paintings pattern some of the walls. It's easy to see why it's a spiritual place for the local Anangu people.

One evening, Susie and I went to watch the sun set over Uluru. With friendly people from India, Germany and everywhere cramming the sunset viewing area, we watched in awe as the rock changed from luminous orange to purple-blue to chocolate brown. Then the full moon rose.