Hi all. Thanks for reading the update as you are all now thinking those layabouts should come home and get proper jobs - but at least this way you don't have to reply to a block email pretending you're really happy for us (as you plan what winter knitwear from M+S to buy this year!)

There's not too much to report on really so I don't know why i'm writing an update, but there are loads more pics in the gallery. I am feeling a bt sunburnt at the moment as we are in Darwin and just 5 minutes of wandering around without factor 100 on turns you to a crisp.

We arrived here yesterday in our campervan, having run out of petrol 1 km from the drop off point-this I think demonstrates why campervan companies hate scummy backpackers. Still, after a small fiasco, we managed to drop off the van in one piece.

We are in Darwin for 10 days (far too long really), so we found a backpackers place that did us a cheap deal for a long stay. We could have cleaned for free board but things aren't that bad yet (I hope). Darwin is pretty small, and has a very laid back atmosphere.

It is the first place that has reminded us of South America due to drunk people taking a nap on the pavement at about 2 in the afternoon. We are pleased to have left the Outback though and not be sleeping in a small metal heat trap.

At least in most of the national parks we wet to there were natural pools for a dip (with reasssuring notices saying that there are no crocodiles..probably). On our campervan trip we went to Ayres Rock (Uluru to be PC), The Olgas, Kings Canyon, The Devils Marbles, Katherine National Park, Elsey National Park and Litchfield National Park...And all without insect repellent- very clever! The distances between places are huge, so we took turns in driving until the day with the longest drive where I managed to crick my neck. Seeing as I couldnt look left, Phil had to drive about 800k in one go-oops. We had one near miss with kangaroos in the road-apparantly they can do terrible damage and we were paranoid the whole time about hitting one.

I now have to decide which identical picture of ayres Rock to upload!

Love Bec and Phil xx