Clean, clean, clean

Washing has been a major focus of the past 24 hours. Everyone was in the same boat - we were all on a mission to get all the sheet, clothes and towels washed and dried ready for leaving today. However, we are not moving too quickly and we even had a sleep in.

Fixing cars was the priority of the morning. Lee's car needed a lot of work. They workd together to replace the wheel studs and replaced the front universal left hand front wheel joint. Peter Wynd was a local hero in this case. Today saw us wave goodbye to the Wynd family as they continue their trip in another direction and we will continue to the west and then south. Then Peter K got tyres and Tim fixed his front lights all out he front of Repco Auto. We were a living advertisment for the store! Then we decided to high pressure wash the car and you should have seen what come off in the drains - it was filthy! We walked over to the McDonald's and had a quick bite to eat and we had to wait for everyone to be ready. There was so much that needed to be done - washing and drying of clothes, reorganising the ute, packing the clothes away in a new way for better access and shopping. I went food shopping with Urma, Joan, Leah and Amy. We some how managed to fit all of the three families groceries into the one car! I don't know if I need all of what I bought but I went a bit mad to see such great produce and at such good prices too! Tim went in the the Beferage family and bought a few more things too.

Anzac Point on the hill overlooking Alice Springs and it offers a great 360° view around the whole of Alice Springs. The monument was dedicated to the Rev. Harry Griffiths (1895-1987) in 1934 where the ashes of his wife have been interred. The aboriginal people call thi hill "Untyeyeartwilye" a name derived from words meaning corkwood and story. This hill is the site of the Corkwood a Dreaming and tells of the explanation for the creation of the landscape. Their story is about a woman who lived alone on the hill and avoided the company of women. This site is also associated with the Caterpillar Dreaming where reference is mad to the rocks in the Todd River. The Corkwood tree is a small, gnawed tree with cork like bark and spider like flowers. The aboriginal people suck the nectar directly from the flowers or mix it with water and the bark is burnt and the charcoal ground for medicinal purposes such as sors and cuts. Alice Springs is one of the world's oldest and most stable geological areas. It is biot on the Todd and Charles River flood plains in the heart of the MacDonnell Ranges which extends 400km east and west of the town. These ranges are encircled by thousands of square km of desert. The aboriginal people, the Arrernte, have lived through hunting and gathering in and around Alice (Mparntwe) for over 20,000 years says one sign up on the hill and this makes me think deeply about creation and the sheer amazing power of God. 

We are planning on heading to the MacDonnell Ranges that are intersected by waters. However, after fixing Lee's car, getting two new wheels on Peter and Leah's car, washing, refuelling and a McDonald's  fix we now have new problem - Rob and Urma's car has an issue but fortunately it is Monday afternoon (3:45pm) and Nissan dealer is open so we will wait and see what their diagnosis is, let's hope it is nothing major as this might mean another night here in Alice. I have been sitting upon the hill writing this post today and I am surprised at the high volume of tourists that all come here, some in buses (4 while I have been here) others in expensive clothing smelling lovely who take a few snaps and leave. I have loved reading the stories up here today as I so wanted to visit the Ryoal Flying Doctor Service and see the school of the air that my cousin used to work at. However, between shopping, cleaning, washing, drying, fixing and helping we have not seen much. Everyone says there is not much to see but from here I can see the church, the Our Lady Collage and even a shopping centre with a target sign in the distance. Many people have come from the GHAN which is in the distance and I am sure there was a movie director looking at scenery and discussing shoot locations with a very, very glamours lady who looked like a movie star and she was even wearing stockings...camping is taking its toll on me, miss the creatures of comfort from home a lot today.

This afternoon five of eight cars made their way to the Simpson's Gap. See welcomed Chris and his son Ben who are travelling in a Mitsubishi Pajero. And we also welcomed Kim Mosely and her son Travis who is on his L plates and driving a red 100series Toyota land cruiser. We met them last night in Alice a springs. So together with the Beveridges, Gary and Deanna Chaseman and ourselves we went for a drive leaving  the Krikas family with Lee Youn and Rob and Urma who are awaiting to hear about their car. We went past the John Flynn burial place and had a great discussion about his life chanigning works with the royal flying doctor service. The  Chaseman's went to the Royal Flying Doctor Service Museum this morning so a lot of great information was shared between us all.

When we made it to Simpson's Gap we were all amazed by it's sheer awesomeness. My camera could not fit the grandness into one image.