Out bush

We made it to Ruths house. She stays in a flat it town and her parents live on the outskirts of the huge city of Alice Springs, population 27,000. The landscape is a bit different here - mostly desert, no more lush rain forest here! Its dry and really hot here. So lets see, 2 days back where I left off, Ruths sister, Joy made us a lovely dinner of chicken parmesana. I met Ruths mom and dad, one sister, Canadian exchange student, etc. and they are all really nice people. I also got to see Bek! (She also worked at Mihaska with Ruth and me.) Then yesterday Ruth went to work and I went shopping and out for lunch and coffee and stuff with Bek and her sisters and friends. Its so wierd to see Bek and Ruth after so long, but also "heaps" cool! Aussies say "heaps" of everything. The last day has been an ongoing lesson in Aussie. You would think that since we all speak English we would understand each other but its not so! Yeah, anyway, then last night I went camping "out bush" or "out Fink" with a bunch of their friends. It was quite the experience. Basically they just drive out into the bush, sort of near a place called Fink motorbike race track aka "out Fink" and then just set up camp. They don't use tents, they use swags which are these canvas bag things that zip over a mattress and you sleep under the stars and flies. We had a fire and some of the guys cooked up "sausages" (Australian version of an Oscar Meyer hotdog but with a bit different spice) and pork chops. Then I went for one of the scariest rides of my life in the back of one of the guys truckbeds. About 10 of us were in the back holding on for dear life while he flew over the "woops" (bumps) in the Fink track..and all over the bush. It was pelting rain and we were all covered in red mud. It was fantastic We sang stupid camp songs and overall had a good time. I didnt sleep much - I think I'm allergic to smoke because my nose was stuffed all night until the fire went out. Then I woke up a few short hours later to flies buzzing overhead. In the morning we hiked around a bit and then headed back. Today I wasted most of the day away napping and watching movies. I'm currently back at Ruths mum and dads house on their net again. We are going swimming in their pool and having a cake for my b-day Woot! Ugg, I'm geting so old. Oh well, I'm still young at heart. Take care all, ttfn