Alice Springs Day 4

This morning, Monday, was a little cooler as was the day although it was around 30 degrees

I went for my bike ride before the traffic and too many people were around. I followed the Todd River along until I reached the High School then wound my way back through the Todd Mall and various streets. The Henley on Todd regatta site showed absolutely no sign of an event having even been there it was so tidy. The normal creek bed dwellers have not moved back yet. Prue had a bit of a walk around the park.

We went into the town area and in particular up onto Anzac Hill. It does give quite a view of the town that has the ranges and hills as a back drop. It allows you to see the railway yard and the various schools and ovals. The whole town gives the impression of being in a valley with the mountains and hills splitting parts of the town.

We came down to the CBD as I needed to get another pair of sunglasses as my old ones have succumbed to the rigors of travel. In other words, they have a cracked lens. We spoke with the owner who was quite upset as his business had a glass cabinet smashed by an aborigine who just wanted something out of the cabinet. He told us he has been broken into 16 times in the last 2 years. It is the same type of people doing it all the time. Today’s culprit was detained and was to be charged. The estimated damage cost is in excess of $2000.00.

As we walked around the CBD, we noticed that the council workers were only white and the local residents said the aborigines refuse to work at all. Some just sit around and harass passersby.

On leaving the CBD, we went to the cultural precinct. There are a large number of buildings that house various displays such as the Namatjira paintings, Air Museum, etc. Prue went to the paintings and I went to the Air museum. A lot of the display told of the story of Connelan Airways that had a very big impact on Alice Springs and the region. The remains of the aircraft named Kookaburra that was found in the Tanami Desert is in an air-conditioned building.

Then we went for a drive around the area. We wanted to see the residences that are not evident from the roads we have been on. There are a lot of beautiful homes around. Most are not very old. We passed by the Alice Springs Casino and its associated accommodation and other buildings.

We drove around and travelled out of town a little where Prue managed to take some nice photos of the ranges to the south, East McDonnell Ranges.

We came back and had lunch. For about the first time I was able to have a reasonable snooze during the afternoon. Then I serviced the door catches and a few other bits. Then put some things like a carton of Yellow Tail Merlot into the back of the Bravo canopy. I have rearranged a few boxes so they are not in the road and have to be moved to get to other items.

Dinner was preceded by some nibble and red wine.