Alice Springs (Wednesday 2)

I am really starting to feel it getting this far into my trip. I'm finding I'm more tired, and taking longer to recover. So not much got done this morning.
About 11 Gaye and I went around to Bindi to meet the artists, and have a look at the studio. Gaye spent years teaching art, so I feel a little out of my depth when she starts talking art with Sandra, who has an arts degree.
I really enjoyed seeing Billy Benn again. When I met him Sunday, he didn't really speak much. Today we couldn't shut him up! We couldn't really understand much of what he was saying either, but I got as much as old people going to heaven, old men don't have women anymore, turn into vegetables. There was something about young people to, but I think it was just that we turn into old people, can't stand up some days. Not really a very cheerful subject, but the way he spoke was very animated, and I didn't find it sad at all. Gaye on the other hand was almost in tears. Maybe she heard something different to me. While all this was going on, he was painting. It was amazing to see it each step, as he added various colours and layers. It all looked quite simple but I know it would never have come out like that from my hand and mind. I'm a useless painter.

Billy Benn and Gaye

 Another one of the artists, Adrian, was working on a piece while we were there. There were a few of his pieces in the studio I really liked, but I think he get 'outshone' by Billy Benn a bit, who is quite well known. The painting he was working on when we arrived was quite beautiful.
We also met Jane, who has quite an interesting personality. She is a bit cheeky. She showed us some necklaces she had made. You know the caps on top of acorns? Well one of the native plants has caps like those on the seeds, but orange. She has made them these beautiful necklaces, that have this amazing spice smell, that I couldn't quite place.
Gaye and I went and had a look through the exhibition, since she arrived after the opening. There were a few of Jane's paintings Gaye really liked, but they had all been purchased at the exhibition, so we went away empty handed.
For lunch, we all met up at The Tea Shrine. It's a vegetarian cafe on Gap road, with some really nice stuff. Unfortunately mine wasn't one of them, but I had a chocolate milkshake so I was right.
I had planned on going to Desert Park this afternoon, but I was almost falling asleep at the table, so Gaye and I headed back to the house, via the second hand bookshop. We ended up with five books between us, just in case I didn't already have enough! They had such a good range of James Patterson though!

Adrian

I got in a couple of hours sleep in the afternoon, then the boys headed off to get ready to play at the Desert Festival. We had a visit from a couple of the kids across the road just as we were getting ready to leave. I put on my grown up voice and took them home. I was rather surprised when they stayed there! Must be because they don't know me, because they came back three times yesterday when Sandra sent them home.
The performance was held at Olive Pink, in a big top in the gardens. Leon is part of a band called Lucy and the Diamonds, and Andrew played a few songs with them as well. I really enjoyed their performance, though it was a little different to what I expected. More country twang for lack of a better description. The other bands were quite good too, but I bailed quite early since I was struggling to keep my eyes open. And I certainly wont be going back for the camel lasagna I had for tea... It tasted like it was out of a freezer pack you buy from the supermarket, very disappointing.
Another one of the teachers from Acacia Hill came over to say hi, and to tell me raw egg whites are very good for my burns. Sounds interesting though.
I need way more sleep than I will have time for before I leave, so better go to bed!