Darwin - 5/5/2009 to 31/5/2009

Hello everybody,
We arrived in Darwin on 5/5/2009 & went straight to a caravan repairer for a quote, & to get the repair process on the way. As you can understand, I wasn't impressed when I was greeted by a big hairy bloke who greeted us with, "What the F**k is your problem." This was our introduction to Darwin. The big hairy bloke suggested we stay at "Malac" caravan park. This we did, & have found it to be a reasonable place to stay, although it's not cheap & you pay extra for electricity (metered). After we had been here for a week, the insurance assessor came for a visit & I told him I didn't have much faith in the repairer. He organized another chap who came an hour later to do a quote. This man appears to be professional & has a nice manner. He will begin work on 9/6/2009, & will need the caravan for for 11 days. During this time, we need to find alternate accommodation which is not easy during the peak tourist season. Although we love Darwin, we will be pleased to move on.
Darwin's climate is warm & still humid. The average temperature has been 32 degrees with about 63% humidity. Luckily the evenings cool down to about 25 degrees with humidity of about 45%. The general atmosphere is a strange mixture of vibrancy / relaxed. As I have already mentioned, nothing happens quickly in Darwin. We have dined a couple of times on the "Stoke's Hill Wharf", where your table is right on the edge of the wharf, & whilst dining you can feed the "Moon fish" & "Barramundi", & watch all the boats as they go by. It is a great atmosphere. There is also a beach market each week at Mindle Beach. They always have at least one band and other musicians, & lots of food & beverage stalls, & general stalls. On Sunday mornings we have shopping at the "Rapid Creek" market, for fruit & veg. There is a big Chinese population in Darwin, & much of the fruit & veg is asian, so we are eating all sorts of things that we havn't seen before. The Museum & Art Gallery, is combined & half a day wasn't enough time, so we'll be going back. We were lucky enough to visit on a Thursday morning, when a local chap gives a talk about "Cyclone Tracy". He was here then, & is lucky to be alive. The actual display is very well done, but it was great to get the emotional aspect of what it was like. Yesterday, we spent the day in "Litchfield National Park". We were taken there by a young couple who live here a couple od doors up. We had a great time & swam in rock pools at waterfalls, through the park. All in all, a loverly day with loverly people.
Love to you all,
Avril & Doug.
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