Day 8 report

Final Touchdown - Alice Springs

.... zzzzzchng ... zzzzzchng ... zzzzchng.... the 'Tardis' materialized this morning in Alice Springs, the centre for tonight's 2009 'Bash Splash'. All interstate Variety Bashers have now converged and tonight It's PARTY TIME !!!! Our Doctors Who will be there, in the thick of it.

Doctor Who (Russell)

Tonight's input via Dr Who (Russ) with Dr Who (Chris) providing prompts and Dr Who (Dallas) providing static, came through loud and clear via mobile phone, (which was a great relief after having had sat phone for the past week). The boys were back at the motel, comfortably settled and getting ready for tonight's Bash Splash. They sounded pretty up-beat and revved up.

Doctor Who (Dallas)

Having raised in the order of $25,000 for the kids via SA Variety, the Doctors really deserve the chance to let their hair down tonight. (Those wigs must get awful uncomfortable).

Don't get a hair cut. You've done a real (good) job. You've hit the big time with your rock n' roll van.....

So, lets go back to last night at the Glen Helen Resort and take it from there.

The SA Basher's really made the most of the opportunity to celebrate their last experience together on the road in the 2009 Bash before making the Alice this morning and the big noise. With only a short trip into the Alice today, the Doctor's had a late one. They were up until 2:30 am.

Doctor Who (Chris)

The SA Basher's set up an orderly convoy into the Alice this morning and were in town in a little over one hour. They drove though downtown in order of funds raised, so the Doctors were somewhere in the middle of the parade with their 'Silver Door' award proudly showing. Some of the Bash convoy leaders had the chance to show off by driving through the Mall in the Alice this morning which would have been something.

The 2009 SA Bash convoy parked for the last time at the Henley On Todd. The Bashers were all treated to VIP Seating to watch the 'boat' races in the dry river bed (hilarious event - go Google it). It really was a chance for our Doctors to properly relax - yippeee yippeee eye yippeee eye yippeee yo yo!

Doctor Who (Russ) tells me they had an unexpected call over the Bash radio system this morning coming into the Alice to contact Josh Way from Mintabe. Apparently Josh was admited to the Alice Springs hospital with white ants in his wooden leg or something not so nice. Young Josh is a particularly big fan of the Doctors Who. He caught up with the Doctors at Mintabe a few days ago, and having since been medi-vacced to the Alice, he wasn't going to let the chance go by to say hello again to his hero's. In fact, such was his enthusiasm, Josh had his girl-friend push him in the wheel-chair down to the roadway to make sure he didn't miss them as they drove by. The Doctors then caught up with him later at the hospital.

Well Josh - you're a winner mate and that's the truth. The Doctors were really delighted to catch up and were impressed with your determination. They reckon you'll do OK and that's no lie, and they wish you the best for when you get back to Mintabie.

In fact, this is probably a good point to mention that the Doctors have already indicated their enthusiasm to do it all again, and that will impress the heck out of the fans and long suffering familes hahahaha. In no small part, their enthusiasm to give it a go again has come from the support shown by people like Josh, and the kids at Mulga Park.

So, the Doctors may be up for another Bash, but what about the poor old 'Tardis', Car 89? She's already had a bit of a hard life you know as a previous Bash vehicle and this trip has been tough on the old girl.

Well, I'm told that there is a good chance she still has another Bash left in her and following the afore-mentioned 'full-cycle docking' it's likely she will whirl and twirl across the outback again as the 'Tardis'.

The route this year was apparently one of the roughest and toughest for vehicle wear and tear, so to have come through as well as they have is a testimony to a well prepared car. (The damages log indicates one broken axle, one radiator leak, one lost external speaker, one broken dust flag, a blown audio amplifier, and a burnt out fuel tank switching system).

In so far as our heros and their compatriots have also come through pretty much unscathed is a testimony to a well run, coordinated and professionally managed Bash with a focus on safety as the number one priority.

So as the lights start to come on in the Alice tonight around the camp as 3,000 interestate Basher's, and their entourages start to unwind at a well deserved Bash Splash, its probably time to tie the ribbons....

• It turns out Dan (aka 'Muddy') Waters is not only associated with Les B. at the SACA, he is a cousin of the tall, skinny bloke in the 'Flying Scotsman' team. (Small world). Dan - you have to be in it next year.
• No wonder the 'Runaway Brides' all continued to look gorgeous - they each had 5 gowns for the trip. Strewth!
• Speaking of gorgeous, the Fairy Girls stayed gorgeous throughout. (According to Doctor Who, "They're also so cool").
• The 'Tardis' will be coming home by road with Dallas and Chris via Coober Pedy tomorrow night. Back in town on Monday evening.
• No Channel 10 video (that I could see anyways tonight). The focus was on the Crows big win over West Coast.
• Russ is planning to make all his photos available in the coming week. We will put them on Picasa Web and link them to this blog so everyone can enjoy the pix we have so badly wanted to see all this week.
• With Russ's help, we will get the edited video of the start, and all the video he has taken on to You Tube progressively and provide links.
• As for the future, we will keep this Blog up for a while and then make a decision on what to do as the effort shifts to gearing up for the next Bash.
• Thanks to all the readers out there who have enjoyed the Blog. Some even provided feedback which has been appreciated.

From the Doctors to all their supporters - stay safe, be happy and don't miss your next chance to do what you can for the kids through SA Variety.

(its been heaps of fun)

Nifty Nev Thomas

.... zzzzzchng ... zzzzzchng ... zzzzchng.... theme music fades out......

(Davos had fun too. He and his fiends will be back!)