Hello from Alice Springs

from Jeanette - It has been a big two days since we wrote.  Lots of driving and travelling.  We left Lake Argyle on Wednesday headed for Katherine.  When we got to Timber Creek we had a message from Anne Ball to say they had left Katherine and were now in Timber Creek.  I also had phone reception so I called her and we were able to join them in Timber Creek and actually stay there with them for the night.  It was great catching up with them, we had a lovely time.  We left for Katherine the next day and they went on towards Kununurra.  Stayed the night in Katherine and then the next day went on towards Tennant Creek and made it to a little place called Banka Banka it had been a long day and we were both pretty tired.  This morning we got up early ready for another long day and made it to Alice Springs around 5.30pm.  We are happy to be here and are looking forward to spending a few days here and checking out the place.  I'll let Ross write and put up some photos too.

RB--We really enjoyed our time at Lake Argyle,  weather great, park was good.  The tour of the lake excellent.  Near the end of the cruise we stopped to watch the sunset and have a swim, water was beautiful, actually warmer than the parl pool.  So I have had a swim in lake Argyle, just me, 25,000 crocs (freshies) and 1 salty??? (reportedly). 

As the lake is so  high at the moment many islands exist that dont normally, a few of the islands to the south had a large number of bird life, like a billabong wetlands, also lots of wallabies that have been stranded.   This lapwing not so happy about  the sea eagle being so close to its territory.

Senset over the Lake

There is a great swimming pool at the caravan park, elevated near the edge that makes it look like it overflows into the lake.    The park has lots of birds including lots of Great Bower birds, in fact there lots of them everywhere.  The pic below is a bower belonging to one of the males in a small garden beside one of the accomodation units.

It was great catching up with Ian and Anne Ball (son-in-laws parents) in Timber Creek and spending the evening/night together. 

Our stop over in Katherine was the last of the warm nights.  Last night in Banka Banka started off OK but was very cold this morning.  Anyway we made it to Alice Springs OK today with a stop over at The Devils Marbles.  They are a bit "random" really, kms of nothing but scrub and suddenly a patch of very large boulders?  This is just a sample pic as they cover quite a large area, may be 40 acres at a guess.      I dont know why people say they are going down to Alice as its quite high.  We left Katherine which is about 140 metres above sea level and near Alice we got to 740 metres before arriving in Alice, about 580 metres above sea level, much higher than I would have thought, might help to explain the cold nights in this area?  We are looking forward to having a good look around here before heading to the West Macdonnell Ranges.