Night Bus

Day 96 – Alice Springs, Australia

I decided at the last minute to go straight to Alice Springs without stooping at the Devil’s Marbles. I wasn’t sufficiently prepared, I will probably go back (my bus pass allows it), but I will first store my luggage in my hostel here and go with the minimum.

Greyhound bus

I was wondering why the bus had so much storage, with its trailer, since we weren’t that many passengers, but in fact the bus stops at small places along the way and the driver drops off stuff in locked boxes, which I guess are deliveries, maybe mail, etc. Since they drive a regular schedule, that wouldn’t be difficult to arrange.

There is a longuish pause for a change of driver in the evening, with the possibility of a quick diner, there is a long pause in the middle of the night where the passengers have to leave the bus, mike between 2 and 3am, and wait in the road station (that’s awful), there is a breakfast break…

Breakfast break

The road stations are just that. You have a gas station, a diner, a motel, and that’s it. If there are further houses, they are hidden.

It’s not really comfortable, but one makes do. The sunset (on the right) and the sunrise (and the left) were spectacular, even if I had difficulty keeping my eyes open for the latter.

We arrived in Alice Springs in the middle of the morning. It’s not as hot as the North and Katherine, and I hope that it will stay that way!