Tuesday 30 July 2013 – Elley Creek Bighole at dawn

Early morning - how beautiful and peaceful the Bighole was – full of birdsong, and little fish popping, and little family of waterbirds waking up and enjoying the morning.  The moon was still up!

Three falcons above circling this gorge too.

Breakfast, goodbye to John and Helen then off to Simpson’s Gap

Again another lovely gorge.

Also stopped to look at John Flynn's Grave - he started the Flying Doctor Service.

Drove into Alice and stopped at the Cultural Centre – who should pull up next to us but Bill and Anita and family – said hi and they took off.

Checked all the caravan parks – most very expensive $38-$45 for a powered site for two people, however, Heavitree Gap Lodge and Caravan Park gave senior discounts costing only $25.50 so we will stay here for 2 days to stock up before travelling on.  It’s a nice little Park, nothing fancy but everything we need, including free internet access.

Just sorted our spot when Bill, Anita and family pull up – they are camping here too!  It’s nice catching up with fellow travellers again.

Gave the van a spring clean to get rid of the thick layer of dust on everything, including inside the cupboards!  We also showered and did 3 loads of washing – it’s so good to feel and smell clean again! We were now in a fit state to go to see David Blackman for afternoon tea.  We support David and his work translating the Bible into the Alyawarr language, so it was lovely to catch up with his news and see him and his two boys, Paul and Simon.  David and a colleague, David Moore, have translated most of the NT and some of the OT – their aim is to finish the NT then complete the OT.  What they have completed to date has been published by the Bible Society.  David and I have similar tragedies in our lives as David lost his wife Marie back in Dec 2004, a few months prior to me losing Wendy.

It was good to be able to contact and chat to Mum as we now have phone access in Alice.  Vodaphone really needs to get its act together in the regional areas.  As the park had internet access we were also able to Skype Tim.