The weather was fine and there were plenty of people on the streets to support us. Approximately 2500 Ulyssians made it to Alice Springs which is a pretty good turnout considering the huge distances everyone had to travel. Colin put on his new 30th Anniversary Melbourne Branch shirt and joined his branch members for the Parade.
After the Grand Parade there were the usual speeches and then the actual AGM where the new National Committee were elected. The Mayor of Alice Springs cut a dash in an aboriginal kaftan!
In the evening there was a dinner in the Convention Centre with the theme "The Mad Hatters Party". There were some very creative costumes and a good time was had by all. This year they had the music in a separate room so we could still talk to each other at the dinner. This was a good idea and will probably be used in future AGMs. Colin tried to join his own Branch but they had been there for an hour and there was no spare seat. So he had to join Alan's rough mates in the Northern Beaches Branch right at the back of the hall. We were one of the last tables served our meal, which was very good when it arrived.
The last reveller with the wasp hair style deserves a special mention. He had decorated the stump of his left arm with some hair and balls! His parting comment was "at least I always have a bone!!"
This is the end of the first leg of our trip.
Alan is due to fly back to Sydney on 18th May but had a few anxious moments when he discovered that his flight with Tiger to Sydney had been cancelled along with his return to Alice Springs (Tiger is withdrawing the service). He had to buy another ticket and almost got whacked for luggage as well. Colin will fly to Melbourne on Monday 19th May.
We return to Alice Springs on 5th August to resume our trip. Colin will be retired by then so there will be no time constraints. When we come back we will travel from Alice Springs to Halls Creek (approx 1000kms) on the Tanami Road (mostly dirt), then on to the Bungle Bungles for a couple of days before attacking the Gibb River Road from the Kununurra end to Windjana Gorge and on to Fitzroy Crossing. We then pass through Halls Creek again before we take off on the Buntine Highway heading east to meet up with the Stuart Highway 417kms away. After that we will be on sealed roads all the way back to Brisbane and Sydney. We should be back in Sydney/Melbourne by 7th September.
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