At
the mid-point of the Stuart Highway, and the mid-point of this exceedingly large
continent, is a town called Alice. (not a bad name for a song
really...)
I'm in the Red Centre - so named due to the all invasive red dust (bull-dust) which
covers the landscape, and you when a 150m long, four trailer Road-Train passes
by.
Like
a Roo in the midday heat, I need a rest. However, for me, its from the
backpacking circuit that I have survived for a fortnight. Staying in hostels,
living on 'free food' vouchers and sleeping in the back of the Beast has taken
its toll. So, after one night in a mouse-infested hostel, I move into a four star hotel for a few nights. Oh, its hell
having an air-conditioned room to yourself with a mini-bar. Its not the 4
star Michelin would appoint - more a a motel with a marble reception - but it
seems like luxury to me right now... lush!
While the local repair shop looks into the overheating problems I'd
experienced for the last... well, 1400km or so, I take a tour of Uluru (Ayres
Rock), The Olgas and Kings 
Canyon. Its a great trip - made special by the characters
who are on the coach and the nights
sleeping under the stars in Swag-bags (which are a self contained canvas
sleeping sack which contains a mattress and fly cover - dispensing with the need
for a tent).
The Swag-bag also featured in the superb post-tour party held at Malankas,
where clothes swapping and snakes were in abundance... and many prizes.
Alice had a strange feel about the place, kind of a no-one belongs here
feel. As if to underline this, each evening drunk Aborigines were herded
into paddy wagons by the Police and shipped out of the town centre. Presumably
this to prevent the tourists getting the wrong impression of the place.
So forget Alice for a moment - nearby is the main event. Think of
Australia, and three major sights spring to mind - Sydney Harbour Bridge / The
Opera House, The Great Barrier Reef and Ayres Rock. The so called 'Golden
Triangle' for tourism here. Yes, the main attraction was the Uluru-Kata Tjuta tour
(Ayres Rock and
The Olgas) - and it is these plus the dramatic Kings Canyon which made Alice a well worthwhile place to visit.
Apart from that, all I can say is that its in the middle of nowhere - and bloody far from anywhere.
