Well it's all hapening here in the Alice!

Did I mention that its Show week here? Kaye and I along with 10,000 others attended yesterday and it was a great event. Finale tonight was a fireworks display which was impressive.

Pig racing was a favourite with young and old.



Armed forces recruiters had a display with what must be one of the Armys oldest operational vehicles, a Landy 110.



Took a while but found the cattle just in time for the 'Junior Handler' judging.






Next weeks the camel races but we'll miss that. Off to Old Andado in the morning. Fuelled up and stocked up today, bullbar fitted and looks good. In an earlier post someone referred to the ECB bar as being 'pants' which I think was less than flattering, but then again my youngest once told me something was 'totally sick' which meant it was OK ? Never the less it's on now and Kayes happy with it and after all it is her Disco. I'm allowed to drive it (sometimes) and pay for the accessories, maintenance etc.

Dullbird, I checked my bird book and of course there's no mention of a 'Native Miner', it's actually a Yellow Throated Miner which looks similiar to the Common Myna, sometimes called Indian Myna which is an imported pest. My fault for using colloqual names instead of proper ones.

As TREX noted it gets cool inland at night so Kaye will just have to cuddle closer . What's that dear ?......................you've got your thermals. I think I've just been rejected.

Interesting point for travellers unused to the centre and places further North. Up here petrol sniffing is a major problem with the indigenous locals. To overcome this BP has developed a non-aromatic petrol called 'Opal'. It costs the same as normal unleaded fuel and comes in regular and premium grades. Whilst it is good that it reduces petrol sniffing it can be a trap for the unwary traveller. Opal petrol does NOT smell (very much) and is pale yellow to clear in colour. Double check your bowser when you fill up as you cannot rely on your nose to tell you its not diesel. I've come accross several travellers who have been caught out by this. It gets worse as you get further from 'civilisation' you cannot rely on the coloured plastic shrouds on pump nozzles to denote whats being pumped. I've had diesel with red, yellow, black and no shrouds at all. So check and double check your pump when you fill.

Don't know when I'll next be able to access the internet, hopefully Birdsville but there was no mobile coverage when I was there 2 years ago. I'm typing this up on a Panasonic Toughbook and 'interneting' using a USB NextG connection.


Kaye & Deano.