A town called Alice

---

- PEOPLE: Doddery old bus driver; many more Aboriginal people

- AREA: Small ghost town with lots of tourist tack

- WEATHER: Blistering heat (at last!)


Mon 5th: Woke up at 6.15 just in time to see sun rise - a strip of deep red and then the glowing sun. The landscape was red sand with a lot more trees than I was expecting - big patches of them followed by little shrubs. A bit like the South American desert but much more colourful.
Midday arrived along with Alice Springs. My hostel pick up wasn't there so I hooked up with Caiterina, the German girl who I'd been envious of the whole trip as she had the 2 seats to herself, and we caught a bus into town. That was quite an experience - the frail looking old guy who was the driver could hardly lift my backpack, banged his head when getting into the bus which caused him to stumble lots and look like a cartoon character who has just done the same thing - dazed, cross eyed with stars over his head. We had to repeat our destinations about 10 times and even then he still stopped at the YHA first where none of us were staying. He informed us towards the end of the ride that he must've lost his glasses when he banged his head and then at the end of it all he gave us his card in case we needed him again!! Don't think so!

The hostel was ok but quite a walk from the centre of town. Normally I wouldn't mind that but I was thrown suddenly into blistering heat - much more how I expected Oz to be! This Town Called Alice is quite dull and a bit ghostly. The usual tourist tacky shops and agents and a noticeable population of Aboriginals (possibly the first I've seen so far).

---