Been working with a marketing company from Adelaide, raising funds for guide dogs and amnesty international. Working with a great team of 7 mostly from Aus and three girls one from England, Botswana and French Canada. We recently went on a road trip to Alice springs. After a day on the streets we would end up in Annie's place, other than being our hostel its also the host of various themed nights with a bar and restaurant serving $12 jugs and $7 plates. Close to the centre of Alice springs CBD which is convienient, as a quick walk down the road you have Bo Jangles and another bar called Monte's both with novel interiors. Bo jangles is done up similar to an outback western with old school cars, fire pits, bull skulls complete with horns, old signs which have been shot at and other items reminiscent of the old days, a real western feel. Monte's is another cool spot reflecting a sort of crazy circus type atmosphere with some great Australian ciders.. People we met in Alice were pretty laid back and easy going but you also have a problem with aboriginals who for whatever reason have come out of their community's and attempt to live in the western culture. For anyone not aware of the difficulties these people face, it's hard to nail an underlining issue maybe it's the past 200 year history of australia where murder and disease were the common methods of gaining territory or the way which the country was colonized, maybe its the way the natives are seen in the western eye, but from what I see the main modern problems generally stem from alcoholsubstance abuse and the way they act and are acted towards in the western society there is a lot of begging and violence. In the northern territory it's compulsory for ids to be scanned and documented as a rule. Anyone caught drinking in the wrong place ie public parks ect you have three strikes, then game over and your no longer able to buy alcohol. This is an obvious indication of the problems caused by drink. As the aboriginal people are one of the only races not to have fermented or distilled anything to create alcohol they have not adapted to deal with it and generally find it harder to cope with the side effects. I look forward to meeting the real communities in the outback, where a sense of culture can be understood. Considering only 2% of the australian population are aboriginal (amnesty), I should get my act together and go see before its too late. Darwin itself is an awesome place to be if your young and have a good job, the bars are great the beaches are off tap and the people like all the people I have met in Australia have been genuine and accommodating. I've met awesome people here such as the guys im working with and a newzealander who takes people to the outback for tours. Currently living with the crew on the sofa where for the next week will be my home. This Friday it's off to the north of western Australia, where we will be doing our thing for charity! Butters and cream, ltd.