http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/City-of-Darwin/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Oceania , Australia , Northern Territory , Darwin , City of Darwin en-us Tue, 29 Dec 2009 10:36:29 +0000 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 10:36:29 +0000 20th October 09 01 November 04 November 09DarwinArh Darwin I have grown rather attached to this place. For a city it's really more like a big town Easy to navigate not too many people gardens and open spaces and the most amazing sunsets you will ever see. I have nearly a whole memory card full of just sunset picturesI have been mainly relaxing here in Darwin. I have spent a good majority http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/City-of-Darwin/blog-448535.html Been on the road now 3 weeks all is travelling well. I've had some fun some dramas and some laughs along the way. It's wonderful to see your own country nothing like what I was expecting. Only had a few mishaps one being a foot infection day 4 into my big trip. Got held up for 2 days for the swelling to go down so i could drive. It was from a mozzie bite so now I have become the mozzie repel http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/City-of-Darwin/blog-447117.html Alice Springs to Kakadu.First stop was Wycliffe Well the UFO Capital of Australia. Even the barmaid had seen about 40 UFOs in the 4 months she had been there. Most with rows of blue and red lights. The road is on a bit of an embankment making it about 30ft above the campsite and roadhouse. Interestingly most road trains seem to support red and blue lights along their sides at night I wond http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/City-of-Darwin/blog-445335.html This is a little late now as I'm actually over in Queensland but this blog is for my time in the Northern Territory.Late morning as we got in to the outskirts of Darwin I finally got signal after not having any since leaving Broome and got a message from Ness. Her message said shersquod sorted the hostel for the following night confused I text back to find out that she was staying in the Novot http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/City-of-Darwin/blog-445171.html We left Katherine quite late in the day mostly because the kids were having so much fun playing in the pool with the Aboriginal children who had traveled for the event at Katherine Gorge. It had been 30 years since the land was handed back to the local tribes and the tribes people and their families were staying at the park free of charge to celebrate. The park has a rule that children are not http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/City-of-Darwin/blog-445075.html Clunk...whoosh...rattle...bang...slap...this has been my soundtrack for the last month along with a mechanical cacophony backing track from industrial washing machines driers and sheet folders in the Darwin commercial laundry where wersquove been working.Wersquod planned to spend some time in the Top End capital to find jobs as well as avoid the cold and wet winters they get down south.There http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/City-of-Darwin/blog-440744.html As we leave Katherine behind us and head towards Darwin the first thing that we notice is the amount of lsquonormalrsquo cars that are now on the road very few 4wdrsquos campervans trucks or yutes now just plain 4 door cars which we have not seen for absolutely ages. It seems that we are heading back into city life of sorts having left it for what seems like an age. We make good time b http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/City-of-Darwin/blog-440583.html Next day 9 October 07 was another free day before the tour started. Most people decided to stay by the hotel pool but Sarah and myself decided to see if we could go out and explore some more of Darwin. We were both interested in getting onto one of the crocodile jumping tours but were unable to get on any tours so we decided to challenge ourselves to the local transport and go to Crocodylus Park. http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/City-of-Darwin/blog-438077.html So this is my first trip on my own so I decided to stay in Oz rather then take off overseas my first time. Much easier to save for too and I love Australia and always wanted to explore it so here was my chance and I took it. I decided to sign up for Contiki Aussie Explorer so I would not be on my own be able to see a lot more meet lots of people and connections from around the world and have eve http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/City-of-Darwin/blog-437875.html Day 138 DarwinNo alarm call no early morning cruise basically no need to fly out of bed so we didnrsquot Itrsquos true to say that the less you do the more knackered you feel and at this moment in time wersquore feeling pretty knackered after our first day of lsquorestrsquo yesterday. We need to find some long walks to reinstall the energy levels After getting ourselves showere http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/City-of-Darwin/blog-435935.html Getting into DarwinWe left Kunnunurra in the morning joining the Victoria Highway and shortly afterwards entering the state of Northern Territory commonly referred to as the Top End. It literally is the top end of Australia and with a population of only 200000 yet a land mass of 1400000 square km. Very sparsely populated and very big.It was also a big old way to go until we got to Darwin t http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/City-of-Darwin/blog-435590.html Started today with lots of intention...after such a lovely esplanade sunset walk last night I wanted more of the beauty of Darwin.Took a walk down to Cullen Bay clearly where the people with money live and own boats Very pleasant nonethelessAfter went in the opposite direction to the botanic gardens and an attempt to find the museum. Darwin is very well signposted useful if you have direction http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/City-of-Darwin/blog-432906.html I slept for a very long time yesterday....and had several cases of not being able to sleep at the right times but I seem to be sorted about now been up all day exploring Had a walk down to the beach this morning it was fairly beautiful but the sand is golden rather than white and a little grainy Is that being picky Walked back the other way into town and found some new shops Quite exciting http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/City-of-Darwin/blog-432293.html Once we hit Darwin and had a look around we thought we would stay around here for a while because it reminded us of home well Mandurah actually Oh and because my mum and dad are flying up to visit us all YIPPEE I soo can't wait to see the look on Axel's face when he see's them cause we havn't told him and kept it as a suprise.We booked into 1 caravan park for 1 week and after 3 days we ha http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/City-of-Darwin/blog-429040.html Yo Its been a while. apart from updates on facebook i haven't had much of the blog side of things mum has stolen the show P.We have been having a BRILLIANT time in Darwin mum hates camping and i cant see why. if its the dirt what did she expect on a 'Camping' trip x3. She isn't in her element me however i like this side of the holiday i have transformed my 'bunk' into a mini version of m http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/City-of-Darwin/blog-424079.html DAY 260Sleeping in the trailer tent with both the large end flaps open and all the side flaps open is just heaven as throughout the night a gentle breeze wafts over you and its like natures anaesthetic.In the morning it takes me a while to come around where usually I am out of bed like a bullet from a gun. The last thing I need is anything to help me sleep because at the moment its hard enough http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/City-of-Darwin/blog-422150.html Day 50 Tuesday 090609 NJJFree day for washing and ad hoc stuff. First time Jay and I had an hour apart since we've been away. Both enjoyed the time on our own. In evening had buffet again at Casino made me ill again although I didn't eat that much. Such a boring that we only took 2 photos and they weren't worth the time to upload. http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/City-of-Darwin/blog-420951.html Day 46 Friday 050609 NJJNot the best night sleep as the hostel is not great. It's clean but the mattress had a plastic cover very noisy when you move the bed springs creaked and every time someone leaves their room the door slams shut as they are fire doors. We wandered around the city for a few hours. Booked our trips for the next few days and then took advantage of the free Darwin opent http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/City-of-Darwin/blog-420933.html DAY 256Today was another warm start to the day we were up and about relatively early i.e. before 8.00 We already had a plan but there was no rush to get out and about.By 8.00 I had done one load in the washing machine which was now hanging out to dry and by 9.00 the second load was hanging out to dry finally I had chance to sit down for breakfast.We said our goodbyes to Laurie and Jo they are http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/City-of-Darwin/blog-420568.html DAY 255Today is a much warmer start to the day and incidentally we are both starting to wake up earlier again I think it must be psychological knowing that we are moving on later in the week perhaps our minds are starting to get back into needing to wake at 7.00 so that we can get ourselves moving and packed up early and on the road in good time.The only question mark over us at the moment is wh http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/City-of-Darwin/blog-420274.html