Darwin

Leaving Kakadu on May 28 after more walks through monsoon rainforest and layered sandstone, and for contrast a view of Ranger’s uranium oxide mine, we drove westward across the broad grassy floodplain of the South Alligator River on the Arnhem Highway towards Darwin, and some serious socialising. Kate Geyle told us of the welcome we could expect from her friends and she was right. Thanks to meeting Lee and Ross, Libby and Peter, and catching up with cousin Celia, we discovered the many joys of Darwin. The open-air Deckchair cinema, great cosmopolitan markets (Mindl beach at sunset, curry laksa breakfast and tropical fruit smoothies at Parap and Nightcliff weekend village markets), the sailing club and a drift in Darwin Harbour on “Swindler”, and the Darwin renowned famous JR pizza – thanks Jeff and Ross. Those of you on Telstra’s consumer council with me will not be surprised to hear that Tricia knows how to show people a good time along with some education about Darwin. After one of her lunches I’m surprised we didn’t drown in her pool.

Ian renewed acquaintance with Parliament House and the Law Courts which he’d worked on in the early stages, and we made visits to the Art gallery and museum, and the Military Museum ensured we learned much more about Cyclone Tracy and the bombing of Darwin in WW2. With so much to do having to wait extra days to get the phone car kit mended was not a hardship – thankyou hospitable Darwinians.

I’m currently reading Nicholas Rothwell’s Another Country (2007) and his evocative essay on Darwin describes it as a mental place – Capital of a second chance. For a challenging and often unflinching look at the Top End and Central Australia I find this book hard to beat, especially to expand on what are the inevitably limited experiences of being a tourist.