I've spent the last six weeks reflecting on my experience, and, like most writers, I do this sort of thing best through words, so let me tell you a bit about it.

As the big purple bus split through the open country, I was both nervous and excited for the week ahead. Us volunteers all got to know each other on the four and a bit hour drive from Alice to Lilla. We were a diverse bunch, from teachers to lawyers to creatives like Chris and I, but we all bonded over our passion for the festival and its mission. We spotted brumbies and circling hawks from the bus window while Reg from Remote Tours NT told us about the Desert Oak trees over loud speaker. You could tell Reg loved it out here, and I could see why, the landscape was enchanting. There wasn't a cloud in sight. It was my first time in Central Australia, and it's true what they say, the outback is big, but the outback sky is bigger.

We arrived at Lilla as the setting sun threw deep shades of orange across the mountain range. The whole place was glowing with colour and heat and life. After dinner, Vera and the Traditional Owners smoked us all into Country, and I crawled into my swag that night smelling of Emu Bush smoke and sunscreen. The milky way glittered above me, brighter than I'd ever seen it. This place is special, I thought as slipped into a deep, peaceful sleep.

The view from camp at Lilla

The next day was a flurry of action. We had breakfast before dawn and hiked Kings Canyon and walked the cultural sites at Lilla before lunch time. The kids were arriving soon, so we sat together after eating and went over our plan of action. The driving focus of the annual Sports & Storytelling Festival is to encourage young girls and boys who live in remote communities to attend school. I had no doubt that this was a worthy cause. School attendance rates in remote areas are concerningly low for Aboriginal children. I looked over our activity booklet, which had notes on how to play various sports, drama and arts games. I was full of anticipation. I'm a writer, I thought, not a teacher. I hoped that I would be fun.