Diary: Tuesday 18 July

Tuesday 18 July 2000

Ken, who operates the Alice Springs base for the 4wd Radio Network, very kindly set about locating a replacement fuel tank, after we called in this morning. Before we arrived at Alice, he had called us back with details of a firm who might have one in stock and to also let us know that we were booked into the caravan park. Many thanks, Ken. Much appreciated.

Unfortunately, the tank in stock wasn’t appropriate and it would take well over a week for one to be made and sent up. We checked into the van park to mull over what we would do. After contacting Matthew at the ARB factory in Melbourne, we came up trumps and one is winging its way up from Adelaide to the ARB dealer here. We can have it fitted on Thursday so we will be able to cross the Simpson Desert this trip, after all (Freds ambition for the trip).

Pottered around the centre of town. Obtained a South Australia Desert Parks Pass for the next major leg of our trip.

We also visited the School of the Air. Really interesting. Remote education for Primary aged kids via radio, the postal system and of course e-mail. Apparently, on average the children are a year ahead of their conventional classmates when they reach secondary school. Most of the children will attend boarding school in town although some continue with correspondance courses to complete their education. Everything is extremely well thought out.

Drove out to the ‘Alice Spring’ waterhole and had a wander around the old telegraph station while we were there.