The Wilko's Australian Adventure: Melbourne To Alice Springs

Day 10 - Melbourne To Alice Springs

Alice Springs

Monday, 1 August 2011

Up early this morning (5:45), got ready quickly then left for Melbourne airport. All six of us got in the car with our bags and we drove to the airport. The traffic was busy and we were cutting it a bit fine. Dropped the car off at Thrifty then headed for departures. The check in is automated, a bit like the self serve at a supermarket. It was only when we were through security that Wendy realised she had left her coat and hoody in the car. I phoned up and they had found the clothes but by that time we only had minutes to spare and so Cathy will go and collect them when she gets back and post them home for us. Unfortunately this means that Wendy is without her coat and hoody which wouldn't be a problem if we weren't camping out this week. The temp in the desert can drop to freezing at night but fortunately the forecast is for lows of 6-7 degrees and highs of 30, so she will be ok if we share out our jumpers etc.

Arriving in Alice Springs was great...it was warm. We caught an airport transfer bus which dropped us at our hotel for tonight (Desert Palms). It's a nice apartment hotel, although our family room is a bit cosy for the five of us. Lizzi, Anna and I went swimming in a freezing cold pool and I'm sure I was a bit hypothermic afterwards. We went to Alice in the afternoon for a bit of shopping and to pay for our camping tour which we leave on tomorrow morning. When we were in Alice we had a drink at Bojangle's saloon, which is a great place with a snake pit in the corner and crocodile skins on the ceiling. We each had a crocodile meat spring roll with our drink (even Lizzi). Alice was quiet apart from a few Aboriginal folk as today is a public holiday.

For our camping tour, we are taking minimal stuff and leaving the main bags here at the hotel. We have to be ready and waiting at 5:45am for the bus and so we are off to bed now.