Delightful Darwin

6th-11th August

We’ve made it to Darwin. Settled into Camp, done some washing, had a swim and picked up a hire car for the next couple of days. Lilly tells me she can finally go shopping, not sure what shopping will be like here but that is our plan for tomorrow. We found out where the best mall is and Lilly is up and raring to go early the next morning. We are heading out to Casurina and Lilly has money to spend. Philip finds a massage place and enjoys an hours pummelling while Lilly and I check out the shops. Some purchases are made by both of us and we are all happy.

Later in the afternoon we find an amazing caravan spare parts store. Philip says it’s the best he’s seen in Australia. They have the bits that he wants and some more. Back to the van late afternoon for a swim and relax. Philip has had his truck serviced today as well. That’s the main reason we got the hire car. Good job done while we are here in Darwin.

Late afternoon we drive down to Mindil Beach Sunset Market and enjoy some tasty treats for dinner while we listen to some good music and watch the sun set.

Friday we head into the city in the afternoon. Currently the Darwin Aboriginal Arts Festival is on at various places around the city. We venture into the Exhibition Centre to check out some of the artwork, paintings, weaving, books and fashions. (P:- last time I was in Darwin Exhibition Centre was to go to the “Big Boys Toys” Camping and out door show, Some of the Indigenous Art on display was impressive, and with price tag to match. Certainly worth a look). Then to the city centre where we find an icecream shop and sit and enjoy a tasty Icecream. Around 5 pm we head down to the dock where we are catching the Cape Adieu yacht for a sunset dinner cruise around the harbour. It’s a beautiful evening with barely a breeze and we are all looking forward to the next couple of hours.

Dinner was delicious, prawns, ceviche and oysters for starters, barramundi or steak for mains and chocolate panna cotta for desert. A lovely way to spend the evening and watch the sun set and the moon rise over the city

Saturday is Lilly’s last day before she flies home late tonight. We are driving down to Batchelor to visit a butterfly farm but are very disappointed when they tell us that they don’t have many butterflies currently. Waste of a couple of hours for nothing. We drive back towards Berry Springs as we have been told this is a great place to visit for a swim. First stop though is the Berry Springs Tavern for an early lunch. Then on to walk down to the springs and check them out. The water here is from a geothermal spring and is a constant 28 degrees. Several clear blue pools overhung with pandanus and various other trees are very enticing and it doesn’t take long for me to jump in for a refreshing swim.

We are then back to the van for Lilly to finish packing and have a nap before her late flight home tonight. It’s been a wonderful time spent with her over the last two and a half weeks, showing her some of Australia’s awesome places. (P:- what fun the last 5 weeks has been, first with Hugh and Emily and then Lilly Joined us for the Alice to Darwin leg ( via Ayres Rock) it’s been great to show some of our Grand Children some of the Aussie Outback – how lucky are Judith and I to share this time with them! Gunna be quiet now as these Grandies seem to thrive in stirring the crap outta their Pa).