Filming episode two of Epic Trails was a whirlwind of wildlife, wild landscapes, and wild characters.I didn't know what to expect of the Outback. I suppose I had a picture in my mind of flat red dirt for as far as the eye can see, with a few kangaroos hopping on the horizon. In reality, the Outback is a diverse place, equal parts imminent-death and a land teeming with life.In the north, Lukasz (the director of photography for Epic Trails) and I met up with Sab Lord. Sab grew up in the Australian Outback before it was a friendly place. He grew up in the days when roads didn't really exist, there were literally only two or three outposts for hundreds of miles. With his short khaki shorts, weathered Akubra hat, and leather skin, Sab is a Crocodile Dundee-type guy. He's exactly who you'd think of as an iconic Outback expert.During the days, we would explore the many hiking destinations, often exploring beautiful gorges with glorious swimming holes, or climbing to the top of sandstone bluffs covered in ancient Aboriginal paintings.At night, we would return to Sab's rustic camp to sit around the fire, grill up kangaroo steaks, and watch for the possums, toads, and creatures of the night to fill the forest with activity. If you sat there quietly, it sounded as if the Outback was practically bubbling over with wildlife. A land that during the day seemed so harsh under the sun, contained more wildlife per square yard than anything I'd ever seen before. It was truly stunning.Halfway through, we traveled to Alice Springs in the bullseye-center of Australia.  Alice Springs is an interesting place in its own right, a small town with a quirky vibe. It plays an important role in Australian history. Pioneers, people trying to cross the country to connect Australia found a water source (although not an actual spring). And it became a telegraph outpost that connected the cities on the outer ring of Australia.At the telegraph station lies the beginning of the Larapinta Trail. We set off to explore the 140-mile trail as it winds up and along razorback ridges, through orange gorges speckled with white ghost gum trees, and across the rocky, beautiful outback desert. The Larapinta trail is a relatively new trail, but it is quickly catching on as a worldwide destination. We put in some hard days on the trail, ending some days well after dark.I've always felt that there's nothing quite like exploring a new landscape on foot. Hiking opens you up to a certain kind of intimacy with a landscape you just can't without slogging some miles on foot. And hiking the trail was a wonderful and unique experience. My favorite part of the day was arriving to camp as the desert pastels painted the evening sky and then watching the stars emerge. I've seen some truly spectacular stargazing sites, and this place was right at the top alongside the Atacama desert in Chile.I consider myself blessed in many ways. And I feel spectacularly lucky to be able to explore the world, to hike, and to create. I can't wait for this episode to get edited and to air. I am extremely confident that when the final product hits Outside TV, you are going to love it.