Thursday 3rd July. Hugh River to Alice Springs

There was ice on the "bee water" when we woke this morning!!

Today we are off to civilisation in Alice Springs but first, we called into Simpson Gap.   We must be back to civilisation as we even have phone reception near the Simpson Gap turnoff our the first since Marble Bar.  We're only 18 km out of Alice now.  Stopped at the Information Centre on the way in.  No one about but there were flushing toilets!

Simpsons Gap

Simpsons Gap is pretty stunning - a gorge carved out of the West MacDonnell Ranges by Roe Creek, where water flows through a small gap in the range.  The Gap is a sacred site to Central Arrernte Aboriginal people and is called Rrengetyirpe (Rrung-GAH-chip-uh – trill the double ‘r’ as in Spanish) the local language. It’s a place that’s associated with Perentie (goanna), Eagle and Rock Wallaby Dreamings.  No swimming here.  Apparently, the gap is a popular spot for sighting the Black-footed Rock Wallaby but guess you need to be here at dawn or dusk for that.  Quite a lot of Mulga about.

To Alice Springs and the Big 4 West MacDonnell Caravan Park.  While we were at reception booking in the power went off (Something had happened in Hermannsburg, apparently) and wouldn't be back on until the late afternoon.  Fortunately, they did have a generator which kicked in after a while.  Three loads of washing and it dried on the line - it's 27 degrees today which is a bit of a shock after waking up to 3 degrees.

Drove into town - sorbet, grocery shopping and a walk around Todd Mall.  Bought some shot glasses with aboriginal designs on them.

Dinner at Alice Vietnamese - about 10 km south of town near the airport.  We all had a banquet - lovely food - lovely garden (gourds hanging above the pathway - fairy lights and big white marble lions.