Tuesday 6th July – Monday 12th July – Darwin Week 1
After our pool hopping tourist day in Litchfield we made our way into Darwin to check in to the Darwin Free Spirit Resort. About thirteen kilometres from Darwin CBD, right on the Stuart Hwy, it has ben recommended to us by quite a few people. Really should have thought that through: If it's been recommended by so many people it probably gets quite busy. Especially in the peak season, which is now. The travel Gods smile upon us again and we managed to get booked in for a week. Even better it's quite a pleasant site, with a bit of shade, close to one of the 8 amenities blocks and one of the 3 swimming pools. Did I mention it's quite a large park.
Despite the size of the park it wasn't really a surprise when five minutes after we set up one half of our Westy Besties pulled into a site three up from us.
Editors note: Westy Besties = our new best friends from the western Suburbs (Sunbury). Also referred to in the blog as the Sunbury mob and our WB's.
The other couple have gone off to Kakadu while L & R are relaxing here in Darwin. I can see this leading to a bit of Wine O'clock action.
So this week becomes a bit of a mixture of relaxing holiday: reading; spending time at the swimming pool; few touristy excursions; bit of socialising
and then a few chores: washing for Di (quite a bit); couple of supermarket stock-ups; finding somewhere for Elke to live (Steve and Marita), a couple of TEDs and finding a job for Steve.
What – Steve, job? Surely you jest.
Hopefully it's just an anomaly but there have been a few phone calls, an internet job application and more phone calls. It will pass, don't worry. Not until November anyway.
Two days into the stay we decided that we needed a holiday from our holiday and checked in for another week here.
SUMMARY:
Chores:
1 x TED
3 x Loads of washing
3 x trips to supermarket
2 x Shopping Centres
Note: split decision on this one. Steve thinks it's a chore. Di thinks it's touristing
1 x trip to camping store for new chair. Very comfy.
Note: sadly I have to report that new chair was required to replace our $7 K-Mart special which broke
1x trip to caravan store for new seal for toilet cassette.
Note: don't panic it was a pre-emptive replacement. No unfortunate incident(s).
Numerous phone calls, emails (and 1 on-site visit for Marita) to sort out accommodation for Elke
Note: this will also function as somewhere for us to stay when we get back
Numerous phone calls, emails for Steve's job prospects
Note: this also included numerous “lay downs” and deep breathing exercises to calm Steve down
Socialising:
5 x Wine o'clocks with WB's
including two that continued on to dinner and after dinner
2x Wine o'clocks on our own
2 x Dinners out
1 at Bistro in the van park
1 Farewell dinner for WB's at proper restaurant in Darwin CBD
Relaxing
Many Swims in pool(s) at van park
Lots of reading
Note: Di & I have re-discovered Frederick Forsyth. Apparently he didn't stop writing in the 70's after the Day of the Jackal and The Dogs of War. His two latest novels The Afghan (2005) and The Cobra (2010) are just sensational pieces of story telling.
Touristing
Mindel market – $8 bus from the van park to the market and back. The market is apparently the highlight of a trip to Darwin. Well, 15,000 people thought so the night we went. Nonetheless it was a pleasant evening, market stalls, live music, watching the famous Darwin sunset and for dinner: some sensational crepes. Cajun chicken & avocado to start and strawberries & cointreau to finish. Not quite the Paris atmosphere but tasty.
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| You can't actually see the sun in this sunset shot That's because when the sun was going down I was eating my crepes |
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| You can't see the 15,000 people in this shot Because it was dark |
Cullen Bay & Mandorah Island ferry
Short cruise across Darwin Harbour on the sea cat and then barra burgers for lunch at the pub. (Steve's first barra of the trip).
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| Mandorah Island pub |
Darwin Tour in MM
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| Darwin from the harbour |
Drive through CBD, past the docks. Out to Fannie Bay (no really), Lake Alexander and East Point
Darwin tour in (public transport) bus
Well Darwin is a cheaper place for transport than Bathurst. $5 gets you an all day ticket to use any of the local buses. Free if you are a pensioner.
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| Our stretch limo for the day |
Took one bus into the CBD and then transferred to the Mindil Beach bus to watch the beer can regatta. An iconic local event since the 1970's, apparently it was a lot bigger event in the 70's. I think that's a reflection on Australian drinking habits.
To continue the sightseeing we then took the bus to Casuarina (shopping centre). Di, trying to get her shopping fix in before we head off into the wilderness again.
Finally a bus from Casuarina back to the caravan park and that's pretty much a lap of Darwin. All for $5 each
Harley dealership
OK, technically this probably doesn't qualify as a tourist event but I had a good time anyway, chatting to the guys in the motorcycle shop. You have to plan ahead you know, there are a lot of Tattslotto draws between now and when we get home.
Special mentions
In return for us lending our WB's some cleaning products to help them with cleaning the Maui vans before returning them, we received another food and care package. (So this is what being a welfare recipient feels like). To say they over catered for their trip just doesn't do it justice. But not to complain, every little bit helps to get the magic spreadsheet back in the black and I am sure MM can cope with the extra 100kg's. A special special note should be made of the amount of toilet paper that was in the care package. Honestly (and not to put to fine a point on it) if all four of them had contracted dysentery they would not have used all the toilet paper they gave us.
Given the flurry of activity on the employment scene I thought it prudent to solicit a personal reference from our WB's. Ever the thoughtful person, I decided that since they were on holiday I would help them, by writing (my) reference and just get them to sign it. I won't include the whole document here but I thought I had captured the “essence of Steve” quite well with such understated comments as “Steve is charming, witty and urbane and a delight to associate with. Despite his obvious intellectual capacity he has the ability to make normal people feel comfortable and at ease.”
While clearly touched by my effort they responded with a reference of their own, running to four pages. Again, an extract only:
“Stephen is a real doer. He does nothing if he can swing it.”
“His computer skills are outstanding, as is his knowledge of Royal Family weddings, fashions and paparazzi photographs.”
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