Alice Springs in the Outback of Australia

Stepping off the plane onto the tarmac at Alice Springs, the heat hit us like a blast furnace, seeming to make the air around us thick and difficult to breath. And flies hovered around our faces. They were everywhere in the Outback, a constant irritation.

From the airport we drove into the little town of Alice Springs for lunch. And I do mean little; it was mostly comprised of one main street and a small but fairly new and modern mall. Most of us didn't walk around too much, instead finding an air conditioned spot to have our lunch and wait until it was time to get back onto the air conditioned bus again.

A brief repreave from the heat and then we went to visit the first telegraph station in the Outback, built in 1860. It was named after the station master's wife. No doubt it was an effort to help her forget her rather deplorable living conditions and surroundings. It wouldn't have worked for me but she did stay and raised several children in this very isolated area. Another story goes that the kitchen staff had to constantly whistle so the station master would know they were not eating any food they shouldn't be. The reason for this was because all the supplies had to be brought in on the backs of camels from Darwin - and they were only able to do it once a year. It was a hard life for all of those living at the telegraph station because of the heat, flies, lack of water and the constant fear of being attacked by the Aboriginals.

From there we checked into our hotel, thankfully with air conditioning, surprisingly luxurious, and with a lovely pool. We hadn't expected it in the middle of such desolate surroundings. A dip in the pool was heaven before we headed out to a dinner in the bush with a stop first to see some rock wallabies. They were small, friendly creatures with front paws not much bigger than my thumb nail. They ate out of our hands and held onto us tightly if they thought we might take their food away.

We also met some Aboriginal children and teenagers from the Ulpma, Wongkatjeri and Urrundie tribes who played drums and danced. A few were training to be medicine people and several said their tribes drank warm kangaroo blood. One group of Aboriginals, the Walpiri, said they didn't become Australian citizens until 1967. On our visit into the bush, they cooked a kangaroo tail over an open fire and we were given an opportunity to try this delicacy as well as other types of bush food. I found the kangaroo tail to be very grisly and greasy, however, in other less exotic meal situations, those who tried the meat said it was really quite good. We were also given the opporunity to try and throw a non-returnable boomerang which is the type used for wounding and not killing.

Our actual dinner in the bush was a choice of either beef or chicken and spotted dog (not of the real dog variety but a loaf/cake filled with raisins). This was cooked in a heavy pot under a thick layer of hot embers. It was served warm with butter and honey which would have been delicious if we didn't have to wrestle it away from the swarms of flies before we could get it into our mouths. After dinner, lights were switched off and we turned our attention to the sky overhead. It was a beauty that most of us surrounded by pollution and city lights don't usually get to see. The stars were like diamonds twinkling on a black cloth of velvet and the milky way floated across the heavens. Later we were entertain with songs of Australia.

There are no schools for the children of the Outback because they live so far apart at the numerous sheep and cattle stations. However, schooling is compulsory until they are sixteen years old so they are taught online, hosted by the School of the Air. They have regular hours and must be tutored by someone who is trained to do so. It is usually a parent who does this. They also meet twice a year so they can get together with other children. There also is no hospital in Alice Springs. But there are a group of doctors who are called the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Although it happens in few other places, in the Outback, doctors still do make house calls.

I felt that the Outback was harsh, lacking in amenities, overrun by flies and hot beyond belief, but it is loved by those who call it home. I was glad, however, to have had the opportunity to visit, to learn about the area, and to see the art of the Aboriginal people with their talent for colour and design. But it is not a place I would choose to live.