THE I’m A Celeb campmates have been tucking into camel, even gnawing on the odd hoof or two.
Well, I suppose there’s enough of the beasts Down Under, with 1.2million roaming the wild.
As hosts Ant and Dec told the reality contestants, there are more of the grumpy humps in Australia than in any other country in the world.
They are regarded as a menace there, destroying vegetation and fouling waterholes, but they were once treasured by Afghan traders.
They used them to carry goods across the outback — and the desert trail they used became the route of the famous tourist train, The Ghan, named in honour of the cameleers.
The 2,540ft-long train (that’s 77 London buses lined up) has 36 carriages and trundles along for 1,850 miles between Adelaide in South Australia to Darwin in the Northern Territory.
It’s an amazing bucket-list trip — which my husband and I went on through Journey Beyond.
You can book two or three-night breaks with off-train experiences, do the marathon trip in reverse or go halfway to the town of Alice Springs.
Alice, the spiritual home of the Aboriginal people, is the gateway to the majestic MacDonnell ranges and the breathtaking phenomenon Uluru, or Ayers Rock.
My adventure began by taking Journey Beyond’s overland service from Melbourne to Adelaide, a comfortable ten-hour journey.
It got me into practice for 54 hours on The Ghan.
Uluru was our target, so we split the trip and hopped off at Alice, boarding a four-wheel coach to join an Outback Spirit tour.
For the next eight days, brilliant guides Glenn and Colin brought the area’s history to life through sensational sights, stories and songs.
Our group was a bit like the I’m A Celeb campmates — a bunch of all ages with bossy leaders and faithful followers.
We bonded on our first night, while tucking into juicy steaks and salmon and singing along to Waltzing Matilda at the Original Outback Bush Barbie.
We were up early the next day to visit nearby Simpsons Gap, where the blue sky peeps through rocks, creating beautiful reflections in the nearby watering hole, home to black-footed wallabies.
Alice to Uluru is about 300 miles so we broke the drive at Kings Canyon Resort.
Time for another early morning walk.
And the witchetty grub — often gulped down on I’m A Celeb, which has its final tonight — made an appearance. Fortunately, no Bushtucker Trial
But I chose not to do the 500 uneven steps to the top of the 330ft high canyon followed by four miles round the rim.
Instead, I opted for one-and-a-half miles through the creek on the canyon floor.
In true Bear Grylls style, we learned about bushtucker and medicines used for healing, at the Karrke Aboriginal Cultural Experience.
And the witchetty grub — often gulped down on I’m A Celeb, which has its final tonight — made an appearance. Fortunately, no Bushtucker Trial.
Finally it was time for Uluru itself.
The giant sandstone monolith rising from the scorched earth is staggering in size. At 1,142ft it’s taller than The Shard and twice as old as the dinosaurs.
What’s even more incredible, is that there’s another one and a half miles underground.
The name change from Ayers Rock was made in 2002 to show respect for the Anangu people and acknowledge their ownership of land.
Six years ago, visitors were banned from clambering up it.
But you can still walk or cycle round it, touch it in places, go into caves and peer through others to see Aboriginal rock art.
Besides Alice, The Ghan made two stop-offs.
The first was in Marla for a spectacular outback sunrise, accompanied by a bacon butty and coffee.
After a full-on expedition, we relaxed in 30C temperatures by the pool at the lovely Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Esplanade
And then in Katherine for a tranquil boat tour through the gorge to see crocodiles and rock art before The Ghan finally reached Darwin.
After a full-on expedition, we relaxed in 30C temperatures by the pool at the lovely Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Esplanade.
We explored the tropical city on the Timor Sea by taking the hop-on, hop-off Big Bus and visiting its brilliant museum and art gallery.
We also went to Mindil Beach market and the bustling waterfront.
But it was soon time to swap a train for a plane and head home.
Like the cameleers, our Australian outback adventure had, sadly, come and Ghan.
GO: AUSTRALIA
GETTING THERE: One-way fare from Heathrow to Melbourne from around £600 and returning from Darwin from £465.
See qantas.com
TRAIN THERE: Full-board trips on the Ghan from Adelaide to Darwin cost from £1,677pp.
Excursions from Alice Springs can be added on.
A one-way fare from Melbourne to Adelaide on the Overland costs from £72.
STAYING THERE: Rooms at the Doubletree by Hilton, Darwin, are from £111 a night.
MORE INFO: See northernterritory.com and southaustralia.com.
