Because of COVID-19 restrictions we had to complete an application form in advance for a cross-border permit to enter the currently COVID-19 free Northern Territory – listing all the places that we had been in the last 28 days. If any cases of COVID-19 had occurred in one of these locations then we would be stopped at the border and not allowed to enter the Northern Territory. Because South Australia was also COVID-19 free at this point, we would have to have been very unlucky to get stopped, as it would mean that COVID-19 had gotten into South Australia from another state during our two day drive to Alice Springs.

Fortunately this didn’t happen and we successfully made it to Alice Springs, where we stayed at Alice on Todd serviced apartments. Our friend JH was due to visit from Sydney at the end of our time here – so for the last two nights of our stay we moved to a two bedroom apartment in the same place and JH stayed with us.

The apartments were about 2km south of the town centre and it was also walkable to the Olive Pink Botanic Garden – which we visited twice after work.

We also went up Anzac Hill for good views over the town, and took a walk to the old Telegraph Station (about 3.5km each way) – which mostly followed the banks of the Todd River (which is nearly always a dry riverbed).

Further afield on our ‘day trips’ we went to Trephina Gorge, Emily and Jessie Gaps, Corroboree Rock, Standley Chasm, and Simpsons Gap.