Madness in the Desert?

Jane’s Blog

Tell me the desert hasn’t driven me mad, but I love Alice Springs! It’s a beautiful place. It’s not a flea bitten dust bowl (sorry Alice!), but nestled in and around magnificent pink mountainous rocks that glisten in the sun. I’m mad at myself for believing the portrayed stereotype of the place when it’s quite the opposite. Personally, I can’t wait to go back again and I don’t say that about many places. And I don’t buy a key ring of many places either, but I now proudly count my ‘Alice Springs’ keyring as a prized possession.

It’s been quite a week. We have tried hard to keep our blog as up to date as physically possible but because of our rigid schedule, with 0645 starts mostly all day drives and displays, there’s been a few lags before updates. I’m writing this from the back of the Saab as I just finished a 2 hour driving shift.

Dinner was at The Overlander Steakhouse. Fantastic menu including camel, crocodile, kangaroo and of course steak, chicken and lamb. But the interesting thing was locals ate there too. I’m glad that I had camel, as I don’t think I’d see it on a menu again for a while. It was really good! The Team had a great time, and maybe a bit too much drink but I put it down to the desert drive. I’ve discovered that Team member Syd is quite good on playing the wobble board.

I’ve discovered a lot driving from Darwin (and heading towards Uluru at the moment). I discovered giant ant hills, (aka termite mounds) in the hundreds of thousands generously dotting the NT landscape, some taller than me.

I’ve discovered ‘whirly winds’ which are mini cyclones of sand created by intense heat. Driving from Katherine, I spotted 12 happening all at once, which were dotted around the desert landscape.

While talking to a fantastic couple, Marilyn and Warwick at the Alice Springs solar car display, had the WSC cars arrived a day earlier, they wouldn’t have made it into town. Apparently there was a dust storm and Alice was closed for a few hours. That would have been great and part of me is sorry to miss being in a dust storm.

I also love the red earth and red ochre rocks. It’s so pretty with the green bushed plants.

As for the Team, well, as the ABC says, we’re a ‘motley crew’ and they are right. There are 11 of us from various backgrounds and of all ages, from 24 – 80 and somehow, we all muddle through it all ok.

Tonight is Ayers Rock. For once I’m looking for the blanket of stars at night. (Why do caravan parks insist on all night lights?) I suspect the caravan park at Ayers Rock will have the same all night lights, but I’ll drag my swag to some unlit spot I hope.

Oh, the good news is that the flies haven’t been as bad as they could. Yeah they annoy the hell out of you, fly in your eyes, ears, mouth, nose, but not in the hundreds, so that’s good.

I’m hoping for good things from Ayers Rock. We’ll be heading to Coober Pedy in the morning for another long driving day.