Top End Escape - The Ghan, Day 7/8, Thursday 23rd May 2013.

The weather forecast for today was for cooler condition, and they were right. The morning was sunny but as we got closer to Alice Springs the sky became greyer, and the air coming through the gaps in the doors to the outside world indicated that it was indeed  a little chillier outside.

Shivering tour guides met the train at the station and our bus even had the heater on. As you will see by the jumpers, jackets and coats on the train passengers the temperature was a little different to that of the previous 2 days.
As in Katherine Lynn and I decided to cover as much ground as possible by doing separate tours. Lynn took the Alice Explorer, a bus tour around Alice, and I took the Alice Springs Desert Park Experience option.

 

Dawn. on the 2nd last day.

 

A cup of coffee brought to your bed 1st thing in the morning........service.

 



The early birds gets.......choice of seat.

 



Ooooorrrrhhhhh, you should have seen that!

 



I love a sunburnt country...................  

I love a sunburnt country,
 A land of sweeping plains,
 Of ragged mountain ranges,
 Of droughts and flooding rains.
 I love her far horizons,
 I love her jewel-sea,
 Her beauty and her terror
 The wide brown land for me!
by Dorothea MacKellar

 



Platinum dinning.

 



Lady Muck making the most of it.................. before getting booted out.

 



Why don't these seats face out so you can see the outside world.

 



Lunch will soon be served.

 



MacDonnell Ranges coming into Alice Springs.

 

'Whistle Stop' tour buses waiting at Alice.

 

At the Desert Park.
Explaining the medicinal uses used by the Aboriginals ........... "and my
uncle says it's also good for attracting chicks".

 

The birds show.

 



Wedge-tailed Eagle and handler.

 



Did I just see a rabbit.

 

Flowers in the Desert Park.
Clockwise from left: Mistlletoe  -  Lysiana exocarpi ??
 Misletoe  -  Amyema maidenii  ??
 Hakea chordophylla ??

 

Eucalyptus fruit capsules and daisies.

 

Eremophila sp. top left and far right.

 



The painting, 'Women’s Ceremony With Dancing Sticks'
 (with the artist, Doreen Dickson Nakamarrag), I purchased this time differs
 a lot to the 20 cent emu foot and snake (being branded with hot fencing wire)
purchased in 1969. Note the piece of broken glass on ground, near the woman's
 right knee, which was used to smooth out the artifacts. 

The MacDonnell Ranges make a dramatic backdrop to the park.

 



Lynn's tour of the Alice.

 

Anzac Hill Lookout.

 

The Alice.

 

Now, and in 1969. They have moved the dirt from the side
of the road into the middle of the road.

 

Another now and then.

 

The old Telegraph Station.



The guide now and, 1st on right front row, in 1935.
(no, I didn't take the 1935 photo)

 

Alice Springs Reptile Centre.

 

Thorny Devil.



Something you don't want to see when you go swimming.



Even worse.



Alice stopover coming to an end.



This will be our last night on the rails.



Some ships of the desert.

 

Leaving the Alice.

 

Homes on the outskirts.



Big sky, ranges and sand.



A harsh place..........





............but there is water out here.

Crossing the Todd River.

Spinifex circles.



Must be good times, the tree has some leaves.

 

These She-oak trees stay small until they reach underground
water and then grow into the size of the one on the right.

 

Just like watching a travel documentary at home on TV.

 

The red heart.

 

Northern Territory / South Australia border.
No MacDonald's here.
Note the water on the side-track, there was water beside the train like this
all the way from Darwin



They are pretty big so there must something out here to eat.



I wonder if this person had something to eat/drink.

 

Not quite the Devil's Marbels.



Another day down, one to go. It seems ages since we left
home but it's only been a week.