Darwin

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Hi everyone, well as we set off from Melbourne on June 27th and we have just passed August 27th I thought we should have a little recap.
Distance driven 12,200km
Amount of diesel bought - 1264 litres
Number of nights camped - 23 (3 before Perth and the rest after)
Number of times I have had to use the spade -0 (I have been fortunate )
Equipment breakages - too many to list
Car breakdowns-2
Most expensive overnight $169 per night on the Nullabor.
Most expensive fuel $2.15 per litre at Mount Barnett.
Arguments- let's not go there! Mind you the frequency and topics of the arguments have changed over time- we are getting quite well practiced at making and breaking camp but doing anything in 36 degrees C with flies in your eyes, ears, up your nose and all over your bare legs tends to make you grumpy. We use the fly nets when it's too bad but they are also annoying.
I think we get along ok much of the time but I do occasionally think Jael (of the Old Testament Book of Judges) may have been onto something. I'm sure Brian has similar thoughts!
Well onto Darwin and out time here, it was a shock after weeks of outback to be in a city and the first night in the hotel I woke up at 01:30 yelling my head off because I couldn't see the sky or the stars.
We have visited the Defence of Darwin experience and the military museum. This was excellent and included lots of information about the first devastating air raid on Feb 19th 1942 (4 days after the fall of Singapore) and the subsequent raids, damage, casualties and the build up of defences and forces. It also covered the social impact of the evacuation and the contribution of the indigenous to the war effort.
Like many Europeans I was aware Darwin had experienced air raids but the extent of the raids on such a remote community and the consequences I was oblivious to.
So Darwin had a massive air strike with more bombs dropped than Pearl Harbour (smaller poundage) and targets hit were ships, aircraft, oil tanks, military targets and civilian targets including the post office where there were many dead , mostly women.
It should be pointed out that most women and all children had already been evacuated since Pearl Harbour but despite the threat being recognised no effective warning was given and the casualties (242 dead 300 plus injured) were very bad.
The 60+ air raids that followed were far less effective as the reinforced defences and anti aircraft guns made a difference.
We also went to the Royal Flying Doctor visitor centre that also had information about the bombing of Darwin with virtual reality gizmos and hologram presentations. Having been into remote areas we are aware the reach and impact that the RFDS has and how it leads the world.
What we had no idea about was the devastating impact of cyclones up here and Cyclone Tracy in 1974 did way more damage than the Japanese Air Force was up to 70% of buildings flattened but far less loss of life thankfully.
So we have wandered around Darwin and the waterfront and I have enjoyed scrubbing my feet clean.
Tomorrow we move on to Kakadu and back into the swags but most importantly we have now begun the journey back to Melbourne and need to get there in about 19-20 days.

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