Very hot to very cold!!

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We spent just over a week in Darwin. It was so hot there and very humid. Most of our days were spent at the library, free internet so had to make good use of it. When we weren't there we were usually found at the hostel across the road from ours using their facilities, the bar! Happy hour (or hours 4-7pm) jugs of ice cold beer for $8. Friends from apple picking Becky and Ailbhe stayed there so they joined us every afternoon for a few drinks too. Thursdays and Sundays were the famous Mindil Beach Market. We headed along there twice, took about a 20 minute walk. I have never seen so many food stalls and there was even a road kill stall. I have no idea why anyone would willingly eat food that they know has been food at the side of the road. But then again what is the difference!

We also took advantage of the free bbq down at Mindil Beach one evening and cooked up a feast of snags and large bottle of VB to wash it down. The sunset down at Mindil Beach was absolutely amazing. One morning we headed to the old Darwin jail and the museum, very long walk in the sun, so decided it was best to get the bus back!

We didn't get up to too much in Darwin except drinking beer to keep cool. I can quite honestly say that i have come away from Darwin with a beer belly!! No joke! I'm gonna have to get rid of that!

We decided that we would leave Darwin as it was their tourist season and the prices of accommodation were just ridiculous! I considered heading back to the East Coast to get some fruit picking work but i had no luck when i rang around the working hostels, they were all full. Nicola and Ross had decided they were heading south to get work but i wasn't too keen at first because obviously it is winter here now and South Australia is very cold! Anyway, we booked our flights down to Adelaide and that is where i am now.

14° in winter probably doesn't sound too bad to anyone but considering i have been over here for almost 8 months and have been chasing the sun the whole time, i am finding it very, very cold!! I have the heater on in the room all the time that i am in there and when i dare to go outdoors i have to put on 2 jumpers and my gloves (thanks gran!).

However, Adelaide is a really nice city. It even has a chocolate factory, Haighs, which we went to for our free guided tour, but really we went for the free chocolate! Amazing choc by the way! Unfortunately, they do not export so i'll just have to stick with our good ole choc when i get back! We also took a trip on the tram down to Glenelg, the beach. It's definitely not the same being at the beach with layers of clothes on and believe me with the wind it was absolutely baltic!!

We've found a nice little bar called Grace Emily which has a pool table that only cost 40cents, what a bargain! The only beer they have on draught is Coopers so we've been sampling that too. Some Pale Ale and last night tried the Sparkling. There is actually a bar at the hostel which has happy hour and the bottles of VB are only $3.50, which is very good. The hostel we are staying in is considerably cheaper than Darwin, only $20 a night plus you get free breakfast and then at 8pm you get free apple pie.

We're on our travels again tomorrow. Heading to a place called Mildura. We've booked into a working hostel and have our fingers crossed that we will actually get some work! It will take about 6 hours on the bus, which is never fun!

Bye for now. X X

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Photos

bbq at Mindil Beach, Darwin
Ross, Nicola, Ailbhe and Becky

another Darwin sunset
loved it!

Darwin prison
very old and interesting

Haighs chocolate factory
i have a mouth full of choc!

Glenelg, Adelaide
wish the sun had been out!

pint of Strongbow
doesn't taste the same as back home but it's still very nice!