get out while you can.

Alice Springs is the strange middle ground of this whole trip. Its like the excessive elements of Sydney and the extreme remote stripped back nature of Titjikala moulded into one place, that doesnt quite sit comfortably. just back from being in town for a few days, enjoying real coffee, fresh milk, and of course a well earnt beer or 2. went to the movies. inception is incredible, by the way.

walked around yesterday looking in all the tacky, overpriced, innappropriate and politically incorrect souvenir tourist shops, and of course bought up some of the best. plastic aboriginal action figures with huge cartoon eyes are my favourite. genuine kangaroo scrotum on a key chain are extremely overspriced in my opinion, but an essential souvenir for certain people, you'll know who you are when i get home.

just to clear up a few things ive been asked:
- aboriginal people dont walk around the streets in town or in the community wearing only loin cloths
- they also dont carry spears 24/7.
- kangaroos do not roam the streets in town.
- ayer's rock is not in the centre of town, its 5hrs away.

4 different people have walked towards me in the last 24hrs and said 'hey phil' then as they walked closer, said, no - not phil. i wonder who this phil is?

back to titjikala today, then back into Alice Springs next friday. seem a couple of my most dedicated and loyal fans are travelling half way across the country to visit. henley on todd regatta on saturday; thats where people race 'boats' down a waterless river bed on foot, flintstones style. cant wait. being in town lost its appeal fairly quickly, i was limited without a car, all i wanted after a while was to leave and get back out to nothingness. couldnt sleep with all the noise, too used to the silence. who knows how i'll go coming back to sydney if i already cant handle a few days in alice springs. taking the following week off - jane is away with a group of women to a law and culture conference, so the art centre wouldnt be open anyway. just going to be me, a 4wd and 465km's of open road to ayer's rock for a few nights.

oh and election day! really dont care about policies, but election day is possibly one of the top 5 most exciting days that only comes around ever 4 years . i blame my mother, she loves it too. playlist ready - electioneering, take us to your leader, drunk on election night.... will have a beer for tony and a ginger beer for julia. may the best man or best lady win.

to be continued...