Thursday 1st February 2007. Alice Springs. Northern Territory.

A very early wake-up call which Wayne and I slept through and so Heather was banging on our door at 4.30am. I am off this morning outback ballooning to witness the sun rise over the MacDonnell Ranges . I also got to see Kangaroo's hoping across the plains from my basket 800ft in the air.

The balloon was all of 18 storey's high from the floor of the basket to the top of the balloon and we flew at just over 1000ft for most of our journey.

The oldest form of air transport in the world, a hot air balloon is good for around 1000 flying hours before it needs to be renewed.

My day today is spent working on the project although I manage lunch with Heather and Paula at the local Thai.

Tonight we head to The Opal Miner where I get to hold Trevor the Kangaroo. The owners of the store also run a home for abandoned or orphaned Kangaroos and they care for joey's until they are old and fit enough to be released back into the wild.

I purchased a locally created piece of Aboriginal artwork this evening and also got a lesson in playing the didgiredo.