What better way to start the tour than with a blown tyre? It gave us all a chance to stand about and chat and get to know each other a bit at least.

The Pinnacles, some sticky-uppy rock formation thingies.

That's some of our group up on the lookout, with a strange and interesting rock in the foreground. Woooo.

Duncan gets stuck into cooking a bunch of steaks in adverse conditions.

Our handsome hero exhibits perfect form on a sandboard with no foot straps. I am all that is man.

A purple lake, one of many strange things they have in Australia. Apparently the Big Companies (we don't like them) are mining it for food colouring.

Our handsome hero in front of some cliffy thing or another.

One of Western Australia's many spectacular gorges. I'm not sure which one though.

James makes an entrance into a flooded mine shaft that we stopped at for a swim.

On the Shotover Catamaran out of Monkey Mia, we get up close and impersonal with some dolphins.

One of whom goes in for jumping about a lot.

Josefin, Duncan, Paul, Helen, James, Mareike and myself aboard the Shotover.

The aptly-named Shell Beach.

Duncan and Tommo assist Trevor in essential routine maintenance.

Judith, Stefan, Josefin, Mareike, Paul, myself, Yutaka, Stephen, Trevor and James fairly far into the New Year's Eve celebrations. Paul woke up in the trailer the next day and James woke up inexplicably naked.

Another gorge. This one's in Kalbarri National Park, I know that much.

The group hikes through a gorge en route to a refreshing swim in Handrail Pool. I cannot emphasise how pleasant the weather made going for a swim.

The most spectacular sunset I've yet seen in Australia (looked better in real life, of course). What you can't see is the huge electrical storm that was simultaneously dominating the sky to the right and behind me.

Our handsome hero takes the plunge off the top of a waterfall.

Yet more swimming, in a flooded open pit mine this time (really, it was essential) and our handsome hero's makeshift craft is about to be hit by a Swiss torpedo in the shape of Judith.

James with a friend he made at the side of the road, an unlucky kangaroo.

I've uploaded the slideshow with a bunch more photos and some funky sounds as well! It's about 20 Megs and requires Quicktime and sound capability.