This morning’s tour was to the Western McDonnell mountain range, where we enjoyed walks at Simpson’s Gap and Standley Chasm. The tour finished with a picnic lunch and a cup of bush tea. These are lovely spots and perfect photo opportunities. It was a very pleasant morning.
Then in the afternoon, I finally made it to Alice Springs. We had a wonderful guide, John, who brought us on a captivating tour of the town itself, the Royal Flying Doctor Service, the School of the Air (remote schooling for children living in the outback), the site of the original Alice Springs and the old telegraph office. Alice Springs is a fascinating place. The history of this little town in the middle of nowhere and the early innovations (e.g. the telegraph service and the Flying Doctor Service), make Alice a really interesting place to visit.
The first thing that strikes on arriving in Alice is the presence of large numbers of Aboriginal people, approximately 25% of the population of 28,000. They live uneasily side by side with the Australians. Having spent a day in Alice, listening and observing, I believe that the Australians are genuine in their efforts to solve this problem. It is a problem and I am not sure how you can ever integrate two such different cultures.
Ann x
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