Dispatch #6

I'm back in Adelaide, sitting in a darkened Internet cafe, waiting for the Hilton Hotel to mobi me to say my executive suite's ready. Why am I wasting money on hoity-toity accommodation? 'Cos the World Police And Fire Games are now in progress and the cheaper motel/hostel rooms were taken weeks ago (when I booked).

Filling in the gaps...

Saturday (St Patrick's Day) in Alice saw me perusing the Old Ghan Museum And Heritage Railway and the National Road Transport Hall Of Fame before returning my refuelled and unscathed rental car.

J. and M.'s wedding - the original reason for this trip - commenced at 5pm at the Desert Park. The service was due to be held in an outdoor amphitheatre. However, a terrific storm blew in and everyone had to be shuttled back to the restaurant. With vows exchanged, the alcohol flowed, sumptuous food was served and the DJ earnt his money. I cannot confirm or deny rumours that, at one point, I danced and sang along to Garth Brooks :-)

As the D/P is a proper nature reserve, the plug had to be pulled by 12am. The oldies and I grabbed a cab to Lassetters before the inevitable rush. Having not gambled once during my stay, I played pontoon for half an hour only to finish $15 down (there's no point trying to keep a high/low count when you're the only player at the table!). Sobered up with bottles of water while having an enlightening chat with an off-duty (so he said) drug cop and watching English soccer.

So much rain fell that the Todd River went from dry sand to a torrent that was still flowing on Sunday morning, when I rocked up to the Greyhound bus terminal.

Although 19 hours long, the journey here wasn't horrible. We watched a few old movies and got a fair glimpse at Coober Pedy, where countless giant sandcastles attest to the wealth of opals previously unearthed.

Tamara, I catch the Indian Pacific to Sydney. I won't be sitting up like I did the first time (to Perth!); I've got a first-class, single-sleeper cabin.


Random Alice Springs fact: Just as in Darwin, you're as likely to see someone drinking a carton of iced coffee as you are a cup of the hot stuff. It's hugely popular and there are brands we don't get in NSW - even "extra-strong" varieties.


Three bobs of trivia I couldn't cram into previous dispatches:

1. Around the Yulara (Uluru/Kata-Tjuta) area lives a creature called the itjaritjari, an eyeless marsupial mole that "swims" beneath the sand, eating lizards and insects. It's tiny, gold-furred and too cute.

2. While Mum (with whom I did most of my sightseeing) and I were standing outside the Macdonnell Hangar, chatting to the bloke in charge, we saw a willy-willy form and head our way. The fella told us to point our little fingers at it to make it go away. He was right!

3. The pub/restaurant Bojangles is the main Alice nightspot, with an amusing gents that must have freaked out many others before me. The door swings the opposite way to what the handle and hinges suggest. Inside, the taps don't correspond to the basins and the drier buttons have also been swapped. Do not attempt to operate while drunk!