No matter how hard to rained during the day we were always treated to a magnificent sunset every night of our stay in Alice
Slowly making our way down to Alice Springs we were really looking forward to meeting our next new friend. We spent a week working for and staying with a lady WWOOFing host host called J9. An artist and part-time permaculturalist, who had invited us to stay in her home. She lived just out of the centre of Alice, opposite the impressive East MacDonnell Ranges.
An effervescent woman, she showed us around her self built house surrounded by red hills, introducing us to the artwork we came across around her home and gardens, comprising of colourful and unusual uses of natural materials, some examples of her own work and some pieces her students presented her with. J9’s home is full of self expression with all manner of tools and brushes, making what some people would throw away into sought after decorative pieces.
Phil gets grumpy when his hair grows to long so he asked J9 to cut it for him, do anything you like he said, I don't mind as long as it gets cut
Phil gets to work sawing some pieces for the decking
One thing we did notice upon our arrival into Alice Springs was the seemingly sudden appearance of many Aboriginals around, in groups telling stories in public spaces or walking along the road sides. We find out that Alice Springs is a sort of cultural capital for Aboriginal people. In order to introduce us to some Aboriginal history J9 took us to a gorge at Emily Point. It was here we met a couple of women drinking beer by a waterhole under a rainbow, their children playing in the muddy waters.
A rainbow shines over Emily Gorge
We worked for J9 the next day, gardening and preparing the ground for some decking she wanted put down. We also did a fair bit of weeding, sorting through the left- overs from the house building and a bit of sanding, cleaning and painting with the vibrant colours J9 likes to surround herself with. The heat was still immense so we couldn’t work during the hottest hours of the day but the day was not wasted as we set about the task of talking to the Centralian Advocate newspaper, who printed a story about us, talking to the radio and finding other various labouring jobs to get funds for Book Aid. Toddy’s Backpackers worked us for a morning, gardening, Wendy the manager then donating our wage online via the blogsite.
Emily Point Gorge
J9 entertained us, cooking some delicious food, with veg fresh from her garden. She took us to a clay pit, which was full of water due to the rain, where we swam and had a picnic outside as the sun set, lighting a fire to see by. On chatting to some of J9’s friends, we realised that there is a common thread amongst the people we met that day, they all work in professions that help; through education, non profit organisations or caring for the land and environment. The topic of concern during our gathering was uranium mining and its effects on the environment.
On our last evening J9 invited us to a Christmas show at one of her art galleries, which show case her work. She was one of the acts, wielding a broom and donning a sexy cleaner’s outfit she danced in front of the cheering crowds with provocative, comical and daring moves never before seen with a sweeping implement. Early the next morning J9 had left a note to say goodbye along side our wages to be donated to Book Aid. It was lovely to meet you J9.
An Aboriginal design with modern neon lighting, an istallation at J9's Christmas party
J9 sweeps people of their feet with her comical dance performance
By this stage it has become way too hot to be sleeping in the van or the tent so we had to find shelter to cool down at night. This meant that we would have to approach hostels or hotels to put us up for a while. Of course, given the spirit of the trip we are always willing to work in exchange for what is given to us so that weekend, we stayed at the YHA Hostel and for the first time on the trip we worked for our beds. Folding, sweeping, laundering, wiping, washing and wiping away, we earned our keep in an air-conditioned bunk.
YHA staff members allow us to work in exchange for a bunk bed
We didn't expect to see highstreet shops in the rain in Alice Springs
Wicked Bakery come to our aid with a box of pies
After the three day tour we were given to Ayers Rock (Uluru), we were fortunate to be able to stay at the Haven Hostel for a couple of nights, and even more fortunate, when Shelley, the manager, asked us if we liked beer.
A Haven Holiday staff member wishes us luck
“Because the guests, have a lot of parties here, and, like, just leave the beer behind. You guys might as well have it”
“Well if it’s going to waste then…Hummmn-ah-umnna-bunna”, I think we all mumbled in disbelief. As Shelley took can after can out of the back for us, a fella came and stood behind us with two cans of Pepsi in his hand, and with the same breath she uttered the words ‘do you guys like Jim Beam’ to us, and ‘that’ll be $5 please’ to the fella. He paid for his can with an audible frown in our direction, that I felt, I really did. He was entitled to think that thought.
Light rain is illuminated by the last of the day's sun
Later than night we were entertained by a lovely Dutch couple called Ed and Girde, who left more beer for us to pick up in the morning, as they were leaving, their tour having been cancelled due to the rain. So, the next day, taking the van to the depot for a quick service we talked to Richard Hawkins, the owner of the Wicked Camper garage, and asked him if he knew of anywhere we may be able to work. He might, he said, leave it with him.
Richard gives the cheeky van a top up of oil and gives us the thumbs up
He came through for us and we found ourselves at Alice Scrap and Metal Yard, where Richard’s mate, Russell, had us in a skip, peeling paper from the back of hundreds of aluminium presses from the printers, ready to stack the aluminium, to transport it to Adelaide, and burn the paper. We got into a production line, strippers, stackers, burners and within a couple of hours managed to get it al done. Then it was striping copper wire, bunching the wire and putting it into containers on the basis of good, ok or shit wire.
A Tough Job, the heat from this furnace was immense!
We strip wire for an afternoon, another $150 for Book Aid
A 15 year old practices for the derby the following day
They put the wages in the charity pot and the next morning, after cleaning the grounds for the great folk at the Haven Hostel in exchange for our bunk beds, we left, heading North.
J9's beaustiful garden and art pieces
Another glorious sunset
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