The second part of our Australian Adventure was in deep contrast to the first half as we stepped up from 5+ hour driving days and outback type “Bate’s Motel” lodging to an upscale private National Geographic Expeditions itinerary with two traveling photog friends. Starting in lovely Sydney we flew up to Lizard Island in the northern reaches of the Great Barrier Reef, then to the dry, hot, red dirt desert landscape of Uluru Rock (aka Ayers Rock) before heading south again to the wildlife rich Kangaroo Island (blog #4), ending our trip back in Sydney (blog #5)..