Every day has been jam packed with an itinerary of one sort or another and I like the place we're staying (Holiday Inn Esplanade), so I figured a day off might be a good idea. Alex and I have gone swimming, played in the playground in the park, listened to some of his nursery rhymes in Bulgarian, laundry - nothing exceptional here so far.
Since my videos apparently do not work, I was able to find one that accurately depicts Darwin's climate (although I am not sure how many 80's models we have running around here). http://youtube.com/watch?v=KAaF33O80sM - Note: the link doesn't work anymore, but it was the Firm's "Satisfaction Guaranteed", set in a sweltering hot bar in the tropics. Actually, on second thought, this video is pretty accurate (right down to the thunderstorm and rain), as we are right off Mitchell Street, which is the live music epicenter for the Top End.
Speaking of Epicenter, Darwin felt five earthquakes yesterday. Seriously-five. According the the Northern Territory News, there were five including one as high as 6.2 (in the sea between here and Indonesia) that were felt here.
Getting back to Mitchell Street, I had said earlier that I was looking to give out stickers and whatnot from my alma maters in pubs that want such things and I finally found a place to do it. Last night on the way back from dinner, I noticed this BBQ/Cajun bar & restaurant with a good bit of memorabilia and thought it might be a worthwhile target. Today for lunch we swung by (Note: food and service were good) and brought up the topic. They were delighted to get a few South Carolina stickers and "Stubby Holders" (beer coozies) which they will both display and give away. I've got more of both and plenty of open road between here and Cairns, so I will keep you updated on that.
Right across the street next to the playground, there is a memorial to the USS Peary, a destroyer sunk in Darwin harbor defending Darwin during WWII. Because Northern Australia was a major staging area in World War II, there are lots of memorials to that effect (American and Australian) around here. Note: while I have not seen memorials to those from New Zealand, Britain, or Canada, I expect that they are also around here. Darwin itself has a tough history, having been leveled in WWII and again by a Typhoon in the 70's. That (and maybe those earthquakes) is why there is not much in the way of breathtaking architecture here. Still, I like the vibe in this little corner of the Northern Territory. The entire NT has 200,000 people and has twice the landmass of California or Japan.
Tomorrow, we are off to Kakadu National Park, one of the truly great wildlife parks in the world. I promise to try to resist the urge to swim in Jim Jim Billabong (real name) or the South Alligator River. En route we'll drive past Humpty Doo and I just can't wait to see their town slogan. Depending on how long we linger, which may well depend on the rain, we'll end up in Pine Creek, Katherine, or somewhere down the Victoria Way heading towards Western Australia. There is not another city until Perth (see map, above), so it may be a while before I get to post again.
2 comments:
While in Darwin, did you see any significant industries that show what people do for a living?
From what you say it seems to be very sparcely populated, but why? If Australia is large, empty and mostly dry one would think that places with rain will attract more than the 200'000 souls who choose to settle there.
Also, where do immigrants from Asia go? Don't they just stay there? Probably they don't come from dry places and their true destination is further south to thoroughly enjoy some serious dryness.
I hope you'll at least get a picture of Jim Jim Billabong. That's too good to resist. It would be even better if you could get a photo of yourself (or Alex) standing in front of it wearing a Hokie head ala Corso but you probably didn't pack one of those...
- Bekah
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