We had a somewhat restful night of sleep trying to get used to the rhythms of the train again. After breakfast, we have a stop in Alice Springs where we explore the sites and history of the town.
Alice Springs was crucial to the development of the telegraph system linking Australia to the rest of the world. We also visit the Alice Springs School of the Air, operational since 1950. Started using short wave radio and snail mailed lesson packs, today the internet, it provides education to remote children across the Northern Territory. These students follow the same curriculum as traditional students and they are in the top 10% of the education system in the Northern Territory. The Alice Springs School of the Air was the prototype now adopted by the other territories in Australia.
Mary
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Well, I’m glad Mary slept as I sure didn’t. Actually, our cabin is quite nice and the beds are ok (bunk, with yours truly on top), but once light starts filtering into the cabin that’s it for me.
The touring options for the Ghan at this time of year are somewhat limited, but nice. Alice Springs is a surprisingly large community, 25,000 or so. That’s far more than what it takes to support pure tourism so there must be some other enterprise going on. Can’t imaging what it would be in this very remote area. Hardy stock!
Dick