Alice Springs

The view over town from ANZAC hill shows a considerable distance.

Alice springs is the Aboriginal equivalent of "Where's Wally".... these people are hiding in the bushes all over town in between trips to the wholesalers and careful avoidance of hygiene products.

The luxury accommodation was suitable for red-neck-white-trash.

The first time either of us had stayed in a trailer for 20 years.

We didn't ask for number 13 with the rattling air-con either but we did appreciate the joke.

Most of our time was spent at tourist information trying to negotiate passage out of town. It seems the whole town is price-fixed for everything from accommodation to tours to car rental..... a very strange place.

Did we mention the flies?

Two minutes away from the car, you too could be covered in this many flies.... and they fly in your ears, nose, mouth... nice! There is nothing but flies for thousands of miles.

The redeeming feature of town is the pub.... although the bearded, mulleted and Aussie accented 'flies' in the pub were even worse than the flies in the desert.

To compound matters, the worlds-worst-winners had just finished off India in a real hiding in the cricket.

This was also our first experience of a 'real-life' Contiki tour where you too can shag your way around Australia.... they made excellent people watching, and not only could you play 'guess where they are from?' but you also play 'Guess who they've had and who might be next?'