Day 10 - Alice Springs 

Today we are expecting the other Briscoe clan and their friends the spooners however not until late this afternoon. Our plan was to stay local and visit places like the Emily & Jessie Gap and Old Ghan museum. 

We set off to visit Emily and Jessie gap first, the below photos will help you learn all about these sites. There were some interesting aboriginal paintings on the rocks and they had a nice little walk around the area. 

After Emily Gap we moved onto Jessie Gap which was also quite a little area of very similar surroundings. 

After Jessie Gap we moved onto to Corroboree Rock which was an awesome looking rock formation which was formed an estimated 8 million years ago. We had a great little hike around this rock, we looked for a goanna type creature that lived there but unfortunately were not lucky enough to see them. 

We then found a sign advising us of the rest of the parks in the East MacDonnells ranges and Phil decided we were to explore a little further, especially to those areas of which were dirt road. The sign we found was below and the destination was back to Alice via Arltunga Historical Reserve. 

On the way we stopped at the site of the Ghost Gum, it was a fairly big white gum tree but interesting all the same. 

From here we moved on to find the Arltuinga Historical Reserve/camping ground where we would stop for lunch. A few stops along the way at some dry river beds and we made it to the pub with no beer. Yep, a pub with no beer available onsite unless you BYO'd. We stopped here for some lunch. 

After lunch we jumped in the car and started to make our way to Alice via the dirt road. Phil checked our fuel (and we weren't carrying any extra) and made a comment to me saying "ooh, its gonna be cutting it fine". I was hardly impressed by this and my anxiety hit the roof. Not only was I concerned about the fuel but there were a number of "crossroads" where we just guessed our way through and the entire time the car GPS could not identify the road we were on and the Hema maps GPS continuously told us to turn around. We finally got to a dead end, we couldn't go any further. Unfortunately Phil decided we should have taken another turn off and we back tracked. At this stage I was starting to totally freak about our fuel levels and being stuck 150kms from anywhere with nothing but raw meat and nothing to cook it on! Not only this, I was busting to go to the toilet. Whilst backtracking Phil hit a rather large dip at speed to which some profanities left my mouth. He turned to me saying "settle down, its alright", my response, "I know its alright but I just identified how strong my pelvic floor actually is, I nearly wet myself!". I got a laugh then, After a little while longer, a stop off at a beautiful old house that I wasn't getting out to view in fear of my bladder bursting, we decided to go back to the campsite and find a toilet. From here, we decided to go home the way we came! WOOHOO!! After the toilet stop Phil confessed we actually had plenty of fuel but he thought it would have been funny to warn me that we didnt, although by the time we would have made Alice we still would have been cutting it fine. There was a very serious discussion from my end as to why that sort of joking is just not on hahahha, 

On the way home I drove so Phil could have a few beers! The highlight was finally seeing some cows on the side of the road, very close! Some even lets us take some photos, others just pee'd in our direction. 

By the time we made it back to camp the Briscoes had arrived and were in the pool. We went over and said our hellos and organised to go to the local RSL for dinner as Pete had said it had great reviews for food. Whilst we were getting ready, two little munchkins decided to grab some selfies on my phone which made me laugh. 

After the RSL it was an early bed for us. The Briscoes & the Spooners being introduced to their first night in below 30 degrees. I feel for them already, its going to be a cold one.