Cool maps

[A HERETIC I AM]

19. Pop worked for the government

And was stationed here;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pine_Gap

We had a house in town, I attended school at Alice Springs High School...

And.....I absolutely loved it. Every second.

My dad sent us all home about 4 or 5 months before his tour ended and I BEGGED him to let me stay.

I think I was 13 when we got there...hard to remember the exact month we arrived, but since the seasons and therefore the school year is opposite here in the US, I know it was summertime here/winter there because I had to go right back to school after just getting out for summer vacation in the states!

He bought a Land Rover like this one;



We went all over in that. Took it down to Ayers Rock (Uluru), we would take it for weekends out and about....

I had the opportunity to look after a Thoroughbred while I was there, A 16 hand Gelding named Robber Boy;


(That's not me up, BTW)

Had an absolute blast with that horse.

I got a chance to spend time on a Cattle Station - a small place of a mere 787 square miles! 5 or 6 hour drive from Alice Springs, 3/4 of that on dirt roads. You went to town once a month, if that. Nearest neighbor was 35 miles away.


"How was it"?


Wonderful.


I got the chance to go back several times in the 1990's when I was working in IndyCar racing. They raced in Surfers Paradise, on the Gold Coast of Queensland. I would love to go back and spend 2 or 3 months in an RV and go all over. Take the train from Melbourne to Perth and from Adelaide to "The Alice" and up to Darwin. When we were there, the rail line ended in Alice Springs.


Yes...I loved it. And for anyone reading this, if you EVER get the SLIGHTEST CHANCE to go to Australia, DO NOT PASS IT UP!