Early departure for the Alice Springs Desert Park. We learned a lot about Central Australia. We liked the bird show, especially the vulture using a rock to break open a model emu egg (other guesses were a coconut, avocado, football). The snakes and spiders creeped me out.
Lee gave a lecture on Desert Landscapes, Flora, and Fauna. We had lunch in the classroom. It was much more pleasant once Ted (a.k.a. Teed) figured out the air conditioning.
We drove to the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). They do such amazing work, providing urgent and primary care for Australians that are far from community hospitals. I need to watch the TV show about them.
We then drove out of town to Simpsons Gap (not Bart, Jessica, or OJ). Due to the recent rains, it had more water than Lee had ever seen. You know it's unusual when the guide actually takes a picture. There were locals hanging out, enjoying the water. The rock formations and cliffs were quite stunning. We didn't spend a lot of time there. The black flies were numerous and persistent. Unfortunately, I had left my fly net in my backpack in the bus.
We had some free time to relax. I took the opportunity to check the inside of my eyelids for light leaks (there were none). I was woken up by the sound of thunder and heavy rain.
We drove just a few minutes to the Olive Pink Botanical Garden. It looked cool, but we didn't get a tour. We had a lovely steak dinner in their restaurant. We were entertained by Skip, who also works at the Desert Park earlier. He was hilarious. We sang the national song (not the anthem) of Australia, Waltzing Matilda. Skip educated us on the true meaning of the song (hint: it has to do with being a hobo). Then it was time for Skip to form a band. Bruce played the "wobble board" (a far cry from Carnegie Hall). Mel played the "lager pole" (a stick with beer caps that rattled when she banged it on the ground) with great gusto. It was hilarious!
We drove back to the hotel. We have an early departure tomorrow for Uluru (Ayers Rock)!
Photo: Me at Simpsons Gap.
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