Impressions of Darwin

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Enroute to Darwin, NT Australia

Cocooned in the aluminium tube that transports you toward the best part of another hemisphere, it soon becomes apparent that the month that you choose to travel determines in almost exact measure, or perhaps in a unlucky and imprecise game of chance, your lucky draw - to inherit an incessant and annoying cold from five seat rows away!
With over four hours on this leg, you pass through stages for any flight - relief for an on-time departure, dealing with the streaming sunlight (note for next flight, consider the sun and how it might effect your comfort level!), the routine "service" from your attentive cabin crew, then boredom! Time for a good book or Travel Guide.

The large island continent is just that - very large! Beyond the tinge of green which is the East Coast, habitation quickly gives way to that apparently empty brown nothingness which is Australia. I imagine that the view from space taken in by Andy Thomas (our "own" Oz born astronaut) was very similar, albeit with a greater "pan" of the place in one eyeful.

This pursuit is more earthbound, as we seek out proof of habitation and man's ingenuity: An amazingly straight railway line - the Ghan - sneaking in over the horizon from the south; large cattle stations in the interior which themselves require a small air fleet to operate; mankind's tribute to searching our stars just visible - a sort of reverse view of what astronomers see in utmost minuteness through their skyward targets.
And although we fly too far north there is an Alice through a looking glass feeling peering down at this "model country" - there is a type of wonderland, but confrontingly red from its centre to the very edges of the next coast line. More brown than red too.

Darwin appears begrudgingly from the northern horizon - I make a broad assumption that the pilot has seen it first. He or she probably reflects how history delivered two airborne invasions to this peaceful looking place; wartime brought a definitive intrusion, and nature cataclysmically topped that with Cyclone Tracey, completely redefining the "large town" which has since transformed itself into Australia's largest northern and, the locals say presently Australia's fastest growing city.

By day Darwin is most definitely a fully tropical city with palm trees galore lining every median and everywhere else a clump can fit. It has a certain pioneer feel to it. The inviting fresh and salt waterways seem to beckon one to bathe - not a good choice!
There has also been a building design standard common to many warmer places which mimics Tom Cruise's saying "Show me ...", except it is "Show me your air-conditioners!" - they are all roof mounted; some commercial buildings look positively ridiculous, especially as many are low rise.

And by night Darwin fairly hums with life, and what to do, for someone heading to Asia? Of course, head to the sunset market at Mindil Beach. The same eclectic and otherwise non-fascinating collection of crafts, food and uninspiring junk. But also an amazing outdoor eating experience along the grassy knolls and sand hills overlooking Fannie Bay. Very much a local institution (judging by the numbers), it is wise not to arrive too late as it does get crowded. Darwin also has its version of outdoor deckchair movies in a great setting (compared with South Bank in Brisbane) and an impressive set of public buildings and of course its own rendition of the ubiquitous Mall.
The night scene is definitely one out of the book: The backpacker area and the pavement-side bars; great food and international conversations sprinkled liberally at each set of premises all vying for the paying customer. Then a more sophisticated area along the Esplanade with the highest standards of service and menu choice. The central city area presently given over to backpacking and restaurants is distinctly different to most other cities where they are at the periphery because of land values.

Darwin has other notables:

• Doctors Gully - which is actually a bay!
  
• Cullen Bay - isn't, it's more like just a marina with a breakwater!
  
• BayView - doesn't get much of a view of a bay, more an inlet!
  
• East Point is actually reached by going what seems like west at the end of East Point Road!
  

And yet in summary and as an impression after only a short visit, Darwin seems to be a very livable city.

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