Our last days is Alice and we are busy.

Saturday is the big day here in Alice with their Henley On Todd.

The day starts with a parade through the center of town and most of the contestants take part.

 BOATS AND THEIR CREWS

SOME BOATS MIGHT NOT PASS A MARINE INSPECTION FOR SEAWORTHY

ALL IN CORRECT UNIFORM

 THE NAVY SHIP

PIRATES

THE VIKINGS

The crews all walked along handing out lollies to the kids as they passed by.

Then after lunch the regatta begins in the end of the Todd River, complete with surf rescue, racing eights, kayaks, double skulls, and all manner of nautical events. Capping off the day with a battle between the Pirates, the Navy and theVikings.

These three teams are in motorised ships of war and they circle each other firing cannons, throwing flour bombs while high pressure hoses drench all the crews and some spectators.

We passed one of the channel two TV camera men as we walked out and his clothes and waterproof covering around his camera were covered with smoke and dirt from being too close to the action.

 RACING EIGHTS

THEY ARE OFF, AND ROWING/RACING

THE BATTLE UNDERWAY HIGH PRESSURE HOSES FIRING

FIRING ALL CANNONS

We were only going to stay for a couple of hours but stayed till the end.
The people's choice favorite this year was the Navy, who have not won in the past 10 years or so they have been entering the event.

Next morning we were collected at the park gates by a tour bus and off we headed for a tour of the West MacDonnell Ranges. This one day tour covered, the Stanly Chasam,, the Ochre pits where the traditional owners of the land got all the ochre for their painting and cerimonies etc, Simpson Gap,Ormiston Gorge, etc

EMURUN TOURS 

 STANDLY CHASM

1. GOOD LOOKING COUPLE

 FINE LOOKING GENT

 OVER LOOKING THE FINKE RIVER

 THE OCHRE PITS.

The ochre varies in color from bright yellow too dark brown and an almost white  range, and was used for barter between tribes who used the ochre for body painting.  The beginning of the BODY SHOP range of goods,  adopted and bottled by the British company.

 ORMISTON GORGE

SIMPSON GAP

THAT WOMAN AGAIN

The tour dropped us back at camp about 5.30 tired after a very interesting day in the outback.

This camp in Alice Springs has an entertainment program with something on every night for the patrons at the camp.

The first thing we attended was a local photographer who has a light show of about 300 of his pictures displayed on a big screen as he sings a wide range of ballards and songs from home and many well known songs from mostly aussie singers.

Next was a session by the didgeridoo man we saw a few weeks ago at his light and sound show. Tonight he explained about how to play the didgeridoo and get the breathing working and displayed a wide variety of instruments.

The last night was line dancing. We started but the first try got the writer totally confused and I then watched the remainder of the dancing from the sidelines. We did arrive late and after the other dozen or so people had been instructed in the steps for the first dance.

Another thing we had to contend with was a caravan in the camp that every night was selling rather large hot pancakes with fresh strawberries, cream and ice cream splashed with either home made strawberry sauce or maple syrup. These are washed down with a variety of hot drinks and coffees. The couple that run the business are from South Australia and they come to Alice for the peak travel season each year and operate from the camp ground.. Twice we had to force ourselves to have a treat to reduce the water we would have wasted by washing the dishes if we had cooked our own dinner.

Monday and we are off South heading for home. First night and we have made it to Marlo about half way to Coober Pedy. Tomorrow we are off to Coober Pedy and then planning a couple of days in Port Augusta dreading the expected cold weather.