The Red Centre, Australia

The Australian outback had been calling - something about space and a stark but beautiful landscape, neither of which are offered with much generosity by a life in London...

So I arrived at Alice Springs airport and stepped out of the air conditioning, to be hit by 38 degrees of dry heat and some flies. Helpfully, an airport shuttle bus was on hand to take me the 15km into town to my hotel. This A$12 (£5) journey gave me the chance to take in the view - which was as different from the UK as I had hoped.

Designed to blend in with the flat desert terrain, the Alice Springs Resort had the air of a far-flung military outpost with its low, understated buildings. Inside, however, all was air-conditioned comfort, tastefully presented, and a welcome retreat from the dry heat of the great outdoors.

As a woman travelling alone, I was advised to avoid the dried-up Todd River bed after dark, a traditional camping site for some of the local Aboriginal community. Advice duly noted, I set off to explore before the sun went down – and discovered that even in the outback there is retail therapy.

Craft markets are held in Todd Mall and Aboriginal art galleries showcase the most striking dot paintings and carvings. The adventurous can buy outdoor equipment, the less-adventurous, gifts, clothes and the requisite Australian opals. The Yeperenye Shopping Centre provides the basics – a supermarket, off-license and chemist.

My best purchase was a fly net. It cost about A$7 (£3) and worn over a wide-brimmed hat, it became my closest friend, along with walking boots, a 2-litre bottle of water and factor-30 sunscreen.

The Visitor Information Centre (www.centralaustraliantourism.com) on Gregory Terrace was the first port of call.

Seeking immersion in that dramatic landscape, I skipped visits to the much talked about School of the Air and the Royal Flying Doctor Centre and booked a coach trip into the Macdonnell ranges.

This included stop-offs at Simpson's Gap, home of the black-footed wallabies, and Angkerle (Standley's Chasm), a spectacular 5m break in the range with rock that burns fiery red in the sun.

In the afternoon, the coach dropped us off at the award-winning Desert Park. My vague notion that nothing much was likely to live in the desert was proved spectacularly wrong.

I travelled on from Alice Springs by coach to Kings Canyon Resort, a remote oasis in the middle of an empty landscape and a 20-minute drive from the canyon itself.

My deluxe room included a spa next to a huge window with a view of the orange rocks outside and two king-size beds. This is a remote place and aside from dwelling on the dramatic scenery outside my bedroom window, there wasn’t much else to do. Delicious buffets that have you going back for dessert at least four times proved to be the main evening entertainment.

On my first morning, I was up before sunrise at 5.30am for the guided Kings Canyon Rim Walk, a location featured in the film 'Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'.

After the steep Heartbreak Walk up to the top, the pace was leisurely, the view spectacular.

Discovering the verdant 'Garden of Eden' and the 'Lost City' with its strange, beehive-shaped rock formations, I felt that of all the things that could be done before 9am, this rated pretty highly.

A four-hour coach trip later and I was at Voyages Ayers Rock Resort.

The resort consists of two campsites, a backpackers' hostel and five hotels, which start at A$85 (£35) per person, per night, going up to A$221 (£92) at the five-star Sails in the Desert, based on two sharing.

And there was plenty of food, ranging from five-star fine dining to a laid-back feast of Australian 'tucker' meats char-grilled over an open flame.

Prices varied from the regional delicacies at Kuniya, which started at around A$61 (£25) for a starter and main course, to A$23 (under £10) per person for a group meal deal at the Outback Pioneer BBQ Bar.

The Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is a hive of tourist activity and the Tour and Information Centre in the resort was permanently a-buzz with the sound of decision-making. Does the Rock look better at sunrise or sunset? And is a Harley Davidson, a helicopter or a camel the best way to get there?

Desert Awakenings was a tour that stood out from the rest.

After a 5am pick-up, our group of five was taken to a remote sand dune, far away from the crowds.

Over breakfast, we watched the stars fade and the sun rise and then, comfortably full, moved on to the Cultural Centre, which offers a fascinating insight into the local aboriginal people, the Anangu.

Then it was on to Ayers Rock, to visit the Mutitjulu waterhole and hear the story of Kuniya the python, ancient Aboriginal lore which is literally marked out on the face of the Rock itself.

Having not had an enormous meal for at least four hours, the culinary indulgence of a Sounds of Silence dinner was most welcome.

Against a backdrop of night skies and flickering candlelight, temporary best friends were made over generous amounts of wine. It was a great evening - in spite of the crickets which joined us at the table and the promised didgeridoo player who didn’t!

Kata-Tjuta (the Olgas) is also worth exploring. For the Anangu, the 36 huge domes surpass Ayers Rock in spiritual significance. The oranges and reds of the many slopes and gullies are stunning in the morning sunlight.

For a truly authentic experience of the area's spiritual and cultural history, Anangu Tours, lead by an Aboriginal guide, provide a unique insight into the land that the Anangu people have belonged to for 30,000 years.

It is ultimately their beliefs and traditions that give this incomparable landscape its grandeur and mystery - and make it worth the long journey from the UK to see it.

All accommodation was provided by Voyages. For details, go to www.voyages.com.au or email travel@voyages.com.au. Internal flights to Alice Springs and from Ayers Rock were booked through Travelmood (www.travelmood.com). Coach transfers in the Red Centre were provided by AAT Kings (www.aatkings.com).

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