Alice Springs
Alice Springs is pretty much in the centre of Australia.
It is about 1,500 km to both Darwin, in the north, and Adelaide, in the south. It's existence is a result of the building of the telegraph line from Adelaide to Darwin in the 1870's. A repeater station was built there and exists still although it is no longer operational.
So the shot below, as shitty as it is, is the only one I have of our group. The folks on the right are brits, the folks sitting beside Terri are yanks and the people at the back are the rich Mexican kids. There was also a Swiss family of six who flew with us from Darwin to Alice Springs but they carried on to Ayers Rock for a couple days and would meet us back in Alice Spring in the evening before we flew to Cairns.
The gal in white, on the left, is Ianna. She's the Silversea rep who "chaperoned" us. I am pissed off at her because she took many photos of the whole group and promised she'd email some of them to us but I haven't seen one as yet.
We arrived in Alice Springs around noon so it was time for lunch. After lunch we visited a wildlife preserve. I guess they don't like the word "zoo" and in reality I guess it wasn't a zoo as most critters were not caged but allowed to wander around.
A few were kept in captivity like this guy.
Lots of funky birds
Thus guy (or gal) was actually sitting on a nest full of eggs.
Lots of reptiles.
And what Aussie zoo would be complete without a kangaroo?
...or wild dingo dog.
Back at the hotel this guy was right outside our room.
After dinner eight of us when for a camel ride. The two yanks said they'd ridden camels before and once was enough.
Such sexy beasts!
The two brits were up for it though.
And Ianna our chaperone was too.
Very stark and beautiful country.
Terri and I had to share a camel as did the brits. The mexican kids each got their own.
Our camel was very inquisitive - she (or he) kept pulling to the side so she (or he) could see what was going on in the front. We were last in the line and I think she (or he) resented it. As she (or he) was tethered to the camel in front there was nothing that could be done.
A small video of the camel ride.
So that was pretty much it for day one in Alice Springs.
This was the pool area at the hotel - pretty decent and they served cold Aussie beer.
On day two we went further out into the country and it was smoking hot.
In the morning, while waiting for our guide outside the hotel, I noticed that a flock of swallows had created a condo complex under the eaves. Very cool.
Today was mostly about exploring the various landscapes of central Australia.
At the first stop we saw these little kangaroo type critters.
Trees growing in a riverbed. Our guide explained that water rarely flows in this riverbed but there is water flowing in it only deep in the ground.
Some local boys enjoying the water.
The last stop of the day was at the telegraph repeater station that, as mentioned earlier, was the reason the Alice Springs exists. It was mildly interesting.
And lastly Ianna strikes a sexy pose.
That's pretty much it for Alice Springs. I wouldn't go back but it was good to see one time.