Cairns to Alice Springs

8th June 2012.
We took off from Cairns straight out to sea. A bit disconcerting, as Alice Springs was in the opposite direction.  The little smudge on the sea is the shadow of a cloud.

At least we did get to see Green Island before we turned around, lying like a little jewel in the many shades of aqua of the sea.


Then we flew back over a bit of Cairns.


I think this is Lake Tinaroo, on the Atherton Tableland, west of Cairns.


I have included this because I don’t know what it is – still on the Atherton Tableland, I think.  Whatever it is has extra-terrestrial overtones, especially the white circle with the green zigzag running through it.

As we flew inland, away from the lushness of the coast, the country became flatter and browner.  Then it started to go red…..


…..and redder…..


…..and redder.
As we drew closer to Alice Springs, we came into the McDonnell Ranges with beautiful shapes and colours:










After flying for so long without any sign of human habitation, I thought we’d finally arrived.  It did seem rather small.


Well, that little settlement turned out not to be Alice Springs after all.  Here we are coming in to land in the real Alice Springs, still out of sight.  You can see our shadow!