Or should that have been the title yesterday? I finished the Day of the Flight in a warm alcoholic cushion, having regaled anyone who didn't move quickly enough with the tale of my excursion.
Day 2 on the Ghan found us stopping at Alice Springs at about 9am. This time I had opted for the slightly more sedate (and cheaper) trip to the Alice Springs Desert Park. On finding the bus I was invited to sit next to the driver. I wondered if was because I looked like the only passenger who could manage the climb to get to it! Anyway, I love sitting at the front. Today's reward was the revenge of the birds - on the pavement along the way was a small, dead, black cat with a large bird of prey standing over it. Now I don't know if the bird had killed the cat or was about to do some scavenging but it was a definite role reversal. One part of me wanted to take a photo but we went past too quickly.
The Desert Park was really good. Our guide Matt pointed out how the park was designed to demonstrate the different types of habitat around the area. He showed us things like the Witchetty Bush (where witchetty grubs grow) and another wattle that you could use for wart removal. He knew his stuff. We were treated to a wonderful bird display, then taken to the nocturnal world where I discovered my new favourite animal - the ghost bat. It was breathtakingly beautiful and eery at the same time. After a tea and cake break, we were treated to a chat about the Thorny Dragon sitting in the display area in front of us. Then a lady called Alison told us about aboriginal story lines and how they are specific to your land, your people and even your men or women. She was really good and showed us what some of the symbols mean in aboriginal paintings. Then it was the gift shop, of course. I keep seeing all these wonderful books that I would like to buy....
Back to the train for lunch, more light refreshment and I settled in by the window in the lounge, determined to see some wildlife. Graham and I were not competing on this score, but he'd already
seen three kangaroos and two emu and all I'd found were cattle and general birds. After lots of staring I did spot more cattle (lots really) and five kangaroos. The scenery was much greener than the last time I'd travelled across the Red Middle - there were even waterholes with water in them, rivers which were flowing and puddles on the ground! A quick shower, change, sit in the lounge (aka the bar) and off to dinner again.
Meal times were great as you'd get chatting to new people, if you hadn't already hooked up with them in the lounge. I think everyone is fascinating and has a story or two to tell. I liked the Ghan travellers as they were mostly Australian whereas in the YHA it seemed like everyone was German! So I had
conversations with a pool maintenance chap from Perth, a couple from Hobart, Graham (from the flight) and Murtha from Townsville, a couple from Gravesend (yes in Kent), an electrician from
Brisbane among quite a few others. All great fun. The man in charge of seating us for meals was
Dutch and a bit of a character. So your enjoyment was in his hands!
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