Saturday 27th January 2007. Cairns to Alice Springs, Northern Territory.

This morning it is more sad farewells after breakfast as I send my son out into the world on his own. Then its off to the airport and we are entertained by a DVD of Scared Weird Little Guys singing Deadly Animals by ED in honour of The Professor (that's me) and my bites.

Our flight up to the Alice (as the locals call it) is a joy. That said, I broke the soap dispenser in the loo and Rob and Caroline couldn't believe I was in there so long trying to fix it. As Heather said, "before I met you, I thought things like that only happened to me".

Anyway, flying up to Alice you get a bird's eye view of the arid landscape as the soil gets that famous Aussie red colour.

Well here I am in that icon of Central Australia Alice Springs and it is much greener than I expected. But oh, the flys. My first purchase is a net for my hat, but in true educational style I bought a charity net made by children from special schools with the money going to support the educational support programmes that the schools offer.

Here in Alice Springs the major creation forces are the caterpillar ancestors, Yeperenye, Utnerrengatye and Ntyarlke.

The creation stories of the Central Arrernte People abound with drama, beauty, humour and ecological facts and reveal in a humble and understated way the triumph of the indigenous people as sensitive observers of the natural world. Such stories offer a wonderful cross-cultural opportunity to educate, inspire and uplift us all.

Checked into Aurora Heavitree Gap Outback Lodge and then off to work on the project in an internet shop that has got to be Irish owned as we are serenaded by the old time classics like the Soldier Song and Black Velvet Band.

This afternoon I explored Alice and learned a little about the role of the camel in outback exploration. The early camels in Australia were brought mainly from Afghanistan along with the most skilled cameleers.

I saw the memorial to the Cameleers and the camels who from 1870 and for more than half a century made pioneering and settlement of the Outback possible. Camels were essential for the settlement of Central Australia because they could travel dry stages that were impossible for other animals and thus they provided a vital transport link during the early exploration of the vast interior.

To mark the bi-centenary of Australia an expedition of the South Australian and Northern Territory police forces re-enacted a camel expedition travelling from Darwin to Adelaide between September 6th 1987 and January 1st 1988.

Tonight the Queensland eleven are on our own, the new people arrive tomorrow and so its into town for pub grubb at Bojangles. I dine on a mixed grill of Australian specials enjoying camel, kangaroo, crocodile and buffalo.

Note to Bo and Phil...My eldest has returned to the fold and the Prodigal Robert has taken on the role of official carer in your absence!!