I'm in Alice Springs after a whirlwind 3-day trip aboard an airconditioned coach. Luxury.

Day One : Darwin to Katherine
Stop in Adelaide River at the WWII cemetary. Very sad. And hot.
Canoed in Katherine Gorge. Breathtaking. My wrist hurts for days afterwards.
Permanent camp site just outside Katherine.

Day Two: Katherine to Tennant Creek
Lots of ground to cover.
Swimming in hot springs; was just like a morning bath.
Lunch at the Daly Waters (pop: 7) pub; a VERY old pub in the middle of nowhere
Swimming in Tennant Creek Dam water hole.
Overnight in former horseback riding farm. Permanent camp, but I slept outside in a real Aussie swag (like a sleeping bag with a mattress), just like all the hardened outback station hands.

Day Three: Tennant Creek to Alice Springs
Heat starts to lift a little. Cloudy.
Battery Hill Gold Mine Tour
Devil's Marbles
Ti Tree (small town with lovely art gallery where we had lunch)
Tropic of Capricorn
Staying at Melanka Hostel.

Tomorrow, I'm off to see Uluru/Ayers Rock. Up at 5:30am.
Who says this is a VACATION?!