Alice Springs - Day 76

Fletcher : Today it was freezing only reaching 17 degrees.  We were shopping and we saw a free 2 hour underground car park but the maximum height was too low and the roof of the Pajero hit it so we had to reverse to a 1 hour park in the street.  We went to EB games and traded in a game and I got some money back so I got a Mario Game.  Then went to Coles and Mackenzie got some mooshlings.  We went back to the van and then had dinner.

Mackenzie :  Today we went into town and had a look at EB games, Fletcher got a game from there.  We went to Coles and I got mooshlings.  Then we came back to the van and unpacked the food and had lunch, we played for a while.  Dad put a coke can in the freezer and it had gone like a slushi.

We all had the best sleeps last night.  I woke at 6am to hear rain, yep it was cold, dark and raining.  My 1st thoughts were Dan's boots from the night before but they were under cover so back into bed to sleep again till  nearly 9.  So this is what I call a sleep in, not the kids 7.30am.  We got organised pretty quickly as we were out of water and we were all desperate, even my Aqua tabs haven't helped the bore water along the way, I think we are pretty lucky in Melbourne & spoilt to have great water quality.  Have I mentioned back in Broome Daniel, not realising he hosed & washed the car with Bore water and it has almost wrecked the paint work, he has worked on it long & hard and it is still in a terrible state, so imagine what it does to your stomach!  Dan was also desperate for a cup of tea and Fletcher was wanting to get to EB Games.  We had got him a game for his birthday that he already had, yes parents of the year, so since then he has reminded us daily we needed to swap it at Alice Springs.  We found the game store which of course was more important than our water and returned the game and he put a bit of his birthday money towards getting a new Mario game so he was thrilled.  We headed to Coles which was jam packed full of people stocking up to go out to the Finke races, most people had 2 trolleys full of stuff and as for the alcohol the trolleys were over flowing and there was an armed policeman on the door of the bottle shop.  The ice truck was pulled up out front to deliver to the bottle shop and most people were just buying out of the back of the truck.  The atmosphere is buzzing though and there seems to be so many people camping out, after the rain overnight I'm guessing its going to be real muddy.  The Police in town ride around on trail bikes and look absolutely amazing, like out of a movie, with their black helmets with cameras on top, even the bikes have flashing lights.  They ride very slowly through town constantly and the noise of their bikes coming seem to make the crowds loitering move on but for those too affected by alcohol or too busy fighting with a relative the police stop and talk and move them along, only for them to come back as soon as the bikes turn the corner, and so this repeated for hours while we were there.  Daniel and I were saying today how the communication seems to be either yelling or at times unspoken, today I was standing next to an aboriginal man who kind of grunted a word, I heard him quietly but didn't understand, 2 traffic lanes away in the car park another man was driving a V8 land cruiser and responded to him?!  They were having this conversation that was so quiet but over all the traffic and the craziness of the supermarket they were talking to each other,  I can stand next to my kids or husband and no one hears me?!  So Alice shops are just like any other bigger towns, Kmart, Target and the malls and supermarkets.  We went to a great fruit and vegie store which had so many great foods including organic and gluten free.  We stocked up on our water and bits and pieces and headed back to the van.  It has rained lightly on and off all day so we will sight see tomorrow.  I wasn't going to mention the car park fiasco but now Fletcher has I will too!  We are driving around and around and the boys see this free 2 hour park which is underground with the normal height restriction metal bar dangling from chains up high across the entrance, so I ask the question are we that high, only to be told not to be silly (yes I'm sure that's how he said it hehehe) that of course we will fit,  even my chatterbox daughter knew not to speak when the beam hit and hit hard across the roof and sunroof.  And not deterred Dan decided to keep trying to get under, it was only when I reminded him he may get under the swinging beam but once in the car park there will be a concrete roof or pipe that will not be so forgiving on us and will probably take our roof clean off like a sardine lid.  After some thought this seemed like a good thought even coming from me, but by now we were more than half way down the roof of the car and traffic was banking up to come in behind us, yes Dan was very impressed and we all knew not to breathe until we were out of the situation and the roof was inspected, I'm sure he heard the kids cracking up laughing when he got out to look, but we stopped the instant the door opened.    It is cold now and today saw us in long pants and sleeves, the others wore shoes for the 1st time in 3 months but I'm still in thongs, 3/4 pants and short sleeves, although about 4pm I put a jacket on and joined in saying how cold it was.  I was master chef according to my kids tonight, with all our fresh vegies and new foods, I had a few bits to use up first so my baby carrots & corn spears both out of a tin and the best peas ever, from a dehydrated pack were a hit, the tins were in the bin before they looked up from their school work and along with all the fresh stuff,  I was " nearly as good as Auntie Kerrie" (my very talented chef sister)  I'm taking the compliment and running with it, especially considering my tin sneakiness!

 our huge site, Monica gave us the grassed area near the office to give the kids room to play

                                                                   The police in town