Day 55 – Alice Springs

Today dawned and I was up at 6:30. In the dorm I am in, there is only a skylight to indicate day, so I am slower to react than in the tent. After showering and dressing, I had breakfast and prepared myself to go out – I moved ARTIE around to public parking and then sorted out a few things. Just before 9 I headed off to the Flynn Memorial UC church – a long walk of around a few hundred metres. I entered as the musicians were practising. A lady from Sydney sat beside me and we spoke. I introduced myself to the minister, who remembered giving me communion in hospital and was happy to see me so well. He invited me to speak during the announcements (I should have warned him how long I can talk for). Then Jenny turned up, so we spoke a little and then the service started. I spoke but limited my time to a few minutes (for which everyone was grateful). After the service we had morning tea in Adelaide House. After a time I said goodbye to Jenny and excused myself. Just after I left I ran into Lynn who was returning from shopping. Back at the YHA Lynn prepared some lunch to take and I sorted out a few things with the car. We headed off and arrived at Serpentine Gorge and had our lunch and then spoke to a local who was walking the Larapinta Train in stages and was waiting for her ride home. We found out details on the current state of the Hermannsburg Mission area (the local community is now about 2000). Then we walked to Serpentine Gorge (very nice) and returned. We drove to Ellery Creek Big Hole and then walked down to see that – it was much bigger than I remembered (probably not dried out as much). There were a few foolhardy people (jumping in, ignoring the signs about no jumping – the risk of heat attack due to sudden hypothermia is high and people have died in the past). Then it was back into ARTIE and a drive back to Alice Springs, noting the alterations to the advisory signs – kangaroos skiing, horses with top hats and six legs, children wearing witch’s hats and glasses – and then being disappointed when the alterations stopped near to the town. I went to Woolworths Caltex to fill up – just under 170 litres and $215.20. We had tea at Hungry Jacks (no chance after this until Adelaide) and returned to the YHA. Here we booked for Kings Canyon (tomorrow night and the night after) and Ayers Rock (the following three nights). I did some more blog writing, chatted to a few people (including a young lady from the Netherlands [Arnhem]– who agreed their cycle and motoring arrangements are better than ours) and then went to bed. Our dorm is full again!