As he walked across Australia's barren landscape, Mark Cundy could not help thinking his timing could have been a bit better.

The enormous country - much of which is desert anyway - was suffering the worst drought in its history as the Shoebury man tried to trek across a section of it on foot, as part of an attempt to walk around the world.

Each day the heat haze shimmered in the distance, distorting the path of the road.

Mr Cundy admitted: "I was quite keen for it to rain. I got an Australian tan. My hands and face are brown from being in the sun every day but, when I took my T-shirt off, I was quite pale.

"Finally we got some rain a couple of weeks ago and I can remember thinking, 'rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, it's raining'."

Mr Cundy's journey began in chillier conditions outside the gates of Buckingham Palace eight months earlier.

His plan was to circumnavigate the globe on foot, winning a place in the Guinness Book of Records.

Visa problems at the Russian border and an enforced train journey in Siberia due to poor weather conditions have meant no records will be broken, but he has continued with dogged determination.

Mr Cundy, 39, of High Street, has now completed the Australian leg of the journey, walking from Melbourne to Sydney - much of it along the Hume highway.

While looking forward to a couple days' rest in Sydney before flying to America, Mr Cundy reflected on his time Down Under.

He said: "Australia has been a joy from the very beginning. It was nice to come back to an English-speaking country. Language was a problem in Europe. I managed to find places to stay and eat, but it was difficult trying to have a chat with people."

Mr Cundy has covered almost 4,000 miles, including the Siberian rail journey. The next stage of trek will see him arrive by aeroplane in California tomorrow, where he will start his trans-American journey.