The red centre has turned green! This is something that happens only once every few years or so. The last time was three years ago. For a very short space of time a few weeks ago, there was water in the Todd River that runs through Alice Springs - all gone now, but the rains also enabled the grasses to grow turning the landscape green, albeit with red still showing through. It is a strange feeling - I was looking forward to seeing the red centre in the colour you expect it to be, on the other hand I feel privileged to see it in its green glory. Take your pick!

As I write this at just after 10pm, waking in Adelaide this morning seems light years away. Had breakfast then caught a taxi to the airport. Flight from Adelaide to Alice Springs at 11.20, but as there is an hour's difference in time zone between South Australia and the Northern Territories, we landed at 12.25 making up an hour of time which we will lose again when we move to another state. Very weird!

The flight was interesting. Big lakes, huge flat expanses, red everywhere, dried up river beds. As we descended on the approach into Alice Springs the flight became very bumpy due to cross winds. The heat - high 30s - hit you as you climbed down the steps from the plane, but it is a dry heat. Humidity is very low but UV is very high.

Checked in. Nice big room with a balcony overlooking the dry river bed. We were both surprised by where we've booked - usually we try to be in the town centre and hadn't realised this is a 5 minute walk from the Chifley, over the river. Normally this would faze us. It would be a totally acceptable stroll if the weather wasn't so amazing and HOT. Though it was tempting to stay in the cool air conditioning of the hotel, we wouldn't have forgiven ourselves for not seeing the town as the chances are we will never be here again. Reception phoned through for a cab. No question of walking.

Town centre feels like a South Yorkshire town in the late 1960s, not so much run down because it isn't, but it is just fulfilling the needs of its clientele and nothing more. There is no need for it to be anything different and there is no competition for hundreds of miles, so why should it change.

The main thoroughfare is Todd Mall, green leafy street of commerce with a small air conditioned plaza at one end. In the middle is Adelaide House which was built in 1926 as the towns original hospital, now a museum. Unfortunately it was closed. The building is of historic importance, not just because of its original use but also because it features an innovative air conditioning system with an additional roof structure above the main roof providing a zone into which hot air could rise. Clever. As everywhere we've seen in Oz most of the roofs are corrugated tin, even here in the 4* hotel. It's practical!

Close by the hospital is an ancient river gum tree, a reminder of the days when the Todd river was once a wide flowing river where river gums, a type of eucalyptus, thrived. This tree is the last remaining example in the town centre though there are many other, younger versions all around. It is revered by the indigenous population, having great spiritual significance to them. There is lots of evidence of the aboriginal origins of the area, both in the number of aboriginees in the town centre and also the many shops selling aboriginal art and crafts.

We sought refuge from the blazing sun in a regular jewellers shop where I was taken aback to hear a good strong Yorkshire accent - an assistant who hails from Sheffield. She has lived in Alice for 25 years since marrying a man from here whom she met in Sheffield. Chatted for a while. Swapped common knowledge of Sheffield.

Took a cab back to hotel. Our driver was Bob who suggested, if we were interested, that he would pick us up from the hotel at 7pm and take us up to the top of Anzac Hill to watch the sunset. Decided to do this. In the mean time we took a very welcome plunge in the hotel swimming pool before getting ready for our evening.

First though, two things I've not mentioned. One is the constant incredibly loud sound of cicadas in the trees around the hotel - caught a glimpse of one of these on the ground - about 2 inches long with beautiful iridescent wings, like a reddish opal. And the other is that having been into the centre of Alice we are so pleased we did choose this hotel that is ever so slightly out of town because: it is a much better hotel than the one in town, it has a pool, it has a decent restaurant, we are not the only people here (not particularly interested in talking to others right now, but it is never so good to be the only people staying in a hotel / eating in a restaurant!)

Bob arrived promptly and whisked us up to the top of Anzac Hill in perfect time to watch the sun coming down over the westernmost peak of the surrounding MacDonnell ranges that extend 400km to the east and west of Alice. Spectacular. He described how amazing this same spot is when there is a full moon as you can see this rising over the easterly range as the sun drops to the west. He was a great guide and we were so fortunate to have tumbled into his cab by pure happenstance.

Anzac Hill is the memorial hill of Alice Springs, having a war memorial to those who have fallen in both world wars and in the more recent wars including Afghanistan and Iraq. Anzac stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. Two flags fly to either side of the memorial - the Australian national flag and the Northern Territories flag. Took my breath away to view this with the setting sun in the background.

On the way back to our hotel we talked to Bob about the greenness of Alice. There is a little green every year for a short time, but the amount of green we are seeing only happens occasionally when there have been particularly heavy rains, which happened this year at the start of January. He told us that 8 inches of rain (200mm) fell in less than a week. Despite the greenery the Todd river is completely dry. It is a wide sandy expanse with trees around and in the river bed.

Dinner was in the hotel restaurant overlooking the pool. Small offcuts of char grilled kangaroo fillet as a starter for me - first time eating roo and it was gorgeous, tender and tasty. Eddie of course had the calamari. He then had a small whole roast barramundi and I went for a barramundi fillet baked with a dukkah crust. Mmmmm.

Organised a late check out for tomorrow. Will have breakfast then chill in the hotel for a while before heading to the airport for our flight to Uluru. So exciting. So privileged to be doing this. I count my blessings every moment we are here.