Closing Time (Ubirr,Bark Hut,Humpty Doo, Darwin)

Hello, dear reader, and congratulations on making it to the end of the journey. This will be the last post for a while and will feature more photographas than paragraphs. Blessed relief, I know.

A pandanus nut.

A 7am breakfast. Not quite a sleep in but that is just around the corner. Breakfast done, bags on board, we headed to the bus for the drive to Ubirr, an area that boasts some of the world's best rock art. This is part of the reason that Kakadu has attained dual World Heritage status - according to the Parks Australia website.

I just liked the look of it in the morning light.

The paintings document the indigenous peoples' interaction with the environment largely through the depiction of x-ray art. Most of these paintings are comparatively recent, dated to around 1,500 years BCE, although that is even before there were kings in England. About the same time as the demise of the Roman Empire. There is also a depiction of a Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger) that is older because the Thylacine is believed to have become extinct on mainland Australia around 2,000 - 3,000 years ago, possibly as a result of the arrival of the dingo from SE Asia. 

I know I've enthused and clichéd my way around the rock art sites, but they are truly breathtaking in their exquisite detail, considering their age. The red ochre leaches into the rock surface and lasts longer than yellow or white, to the extent where you start to recognise the red ochre bleed on rock walls and start to look for art even if it isn't signposted.

A white man.

There were times when standing on the ground, looking up underneath an outcrop, we wondered how they painted all the way up there. The belief, of course, is that the depictions were placed there by the spirit ancestors. Or they popped down to Kennards and hired a cherry-picker.

This was at 10 metres off the ground. On the ceiling, not the wall.

Within the Ubirr site is a lookout that required minor scrambling to reach the top of the sandstone plateau. The 360° views were well worth the scramble.

A Black-necked Stork (Jabiru) on a neighbouring outcrop.

We stopped for lunch on the edge of Kakadu before our next stop, Bark Hut. According to their promotional material, it is a "must-see historic icon of the Northern Territory". It was built in the "wild era of buffalo and crocodile hunting and is now the central hub of discovery for the Mary River Wetlands and Kakadu National Park". So they say.

Lunch companion #1

Companion #2

Ok, it's a pub. An old pub with accommodation and a general store. It also has a resident crocodile, a buffalo and allegedly, a snake. The croc and buffalo were easily spotted in their enclosures, the snake not so much - if it existed. Doubts were expressed.

Exquisite detail.

Back on the road, we drove through Humpty Doo, interesting only because of its name and the fact that people, avoiding city life in Darwin, have moved out here. There is much speculation as to where the name originates. Speculation but no agreement.

The Rainbow Serpent.

It was then on to Darwin, the Hilton, shopping, coffee, dinner to farewell our new friends and guides and finally a sleep in. Our flight home was at 1:30pm and our transfer wasn't until 11:30am - most civilised.

The drive to the airport was interesting. It was in a Tesla X. Very cool and most unexpected.

The flight was late leaving but unremarkable and we were chauffeured home courtesy of APT.

A Redfern sunset. Home again.

Our next major trip dear reader is in October/November. We're off to Vietnam and Cambodia. Before then we are having a few days away to celebrate Jayne's birthday. There may be a post or two about that - we'll see.

Thank you for sharing our journey. One last farewell, it's closing time, last drinks people. Enjoy Closing Time by Semisonic from 1998.

Bobo.

Stars on 45 (Broome)

Remember the single? Dear reader, do you? It was a medley of hits from Shocking Blue's Venus through to a stack of Beatles numbers - google it and have a listen, you know you want to. So why did I choose this as today's title? Well, it's been a while since I have sat down to record what we've been doing, so today's post is going to cover our arrival and disembarkation in Broome and the next couple of days. This will possibly be the penultimate post of this sojourn. I anticipate Sunday night will be the final word and the unveiling of the next trip. Yes, dear reader, it is booked and it is later this year.

The final night at sea proved to be benign which made for a pleasant stay after the previous night. We packed and had our bags in the corridor before we went to bed. That left breakfast, collecting our passports, immigration and a bus into Cable Beach. At least breakfast went smoothly. It was a tad crowded because it was unusual for everyone to be converging on the dining room at the one time. Ken and Moya joined us for one last time and we said farewell to Rizal who had looked after us so well over the last 11 days.

The queue to pick up our passports and then immigration was long and unmoving for reasons that no-one could quite fathom. It is curious that we had to be processed by immigration since no-one left the ship anywhere but on Australian soil. However, sailing through the night into Indonesian waters and having our passports stamped by Indonesian Immigration ensured we had to complete immigration declaration cards. I'm still not certain why we required a "technical stop: in Indonesian waters "- it was speculated so that the cruise line wouldn't have to pay the staff Australian wages.

Once through immigration, the buses were delayed. The Broome wharf is quite long and pedestrian traffic is not allowed so everyone arrives and leaves by vehicle. With only one lane open due to rectification work, it was a slow process. The captain was at the door to say goodbye and expedition crew lined the wharf as we identified our bags for packing onto the bus. Aside from the minor issue of a temporarily missing bag, all went well.

Cable Beach

The view form the lookout on Dampier terrace

We arrived at Cable Beach Club Resort with 35 others from the cruise which meant that reception was very crowded and they were experiencing technical printer problems which meant no one could check out or in. We opted for a real cup of coffee, the first since leaving Darwin and allowed the queue to look after itself. The Resort is very large and quite well appointed. Around the corner from reception is an Italian style café where we sought refuge. 

There was no rush, we'd already been told our rooms wouldn't be ready until 3pm, so we booked a shuttle into Broome's China Town.

While wandering the pearl shops, one lady engaged us in conversation and suggested that Jayne purchase a single pearl to swapped out with her diamond pendant. Interesting, but not yet.

Same again

We located the Kimberley Bookshop where we wanted to purchase the book on Gwion Gwion art that Josh had recommended. Tim, one of the other expedition leaders was also in there buying books on Aboriginal art as well. We purchased the book after a chat with Tim and the owner of the store. It has an amazing array of books if you're ever up this way and is certainly worth a visit.

It appears that everyone on the cruise had been disgorged into the shopping precinct. We even ran into Ken and Moya one more time - it was like we had never left the ship.We wandered the streets looking at pearls - when in Broome. Until it was midday and time for our appointment at Paspaley Pearls. Disappointingly the talk had began before we arrived and before the designated time. A glass of champagne made amends. The talk was quite interesting and we both learnt a lot about pearls and what to look for when purchasing them. This would have been excellent information in 2015. Curiously, Jayne had brought some of her pearls with her and luckily they all passed the lustre test - we had done well.

Following the talk, we spoke with the assistant and tried to identify the pearl necklace Jayne didn't buy when we were in Darwin in 2009. We discussed what it looked like and flicked through back catalogues, all to no avail. It was not to be added to the collection.

It was a balmy 31° so it was time to seek shade, shelter, food and beer. It is important to stay hydrated. We went to the Roey for lunch. Lou and Jorge (expedition leaders) were also there. Wow too much food, massive serves. The beer was good.

Back onto the Explorer Bus for the 15 minute trip back to the Resort and into our room to unpack. The resort is directly opposite Cable Beach. There are plenty of food options: Zanders on the beach does breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Sunset Bar and Grill, attached to the resort, does breakfast and dinner.

We went for a slow walk along the top of the dune and then down onto to the beach. The water is the most amazing turquoise colour. The tides are massive, around 8 metres, which translates to over 100 metres from high tide line to low tide. The beach is over 22 km long and the section to the north of the designated swimming area allows 4wd vehicles. And camels. Apparently they co-exist. The sunset camel tours wander the northern end of the beach everyday at sunset.

At 5:30pm we were in position to photograph the sun setting on the water. The car park was now bulging at the seams, as was Zanders and the Sunset Bar. Apparently this is a daily phenomenon during the dry. Yes, I was there too, but it's not the first time I've seen the sun disappear into an ocean. I'm really not sure of the fascination.

It was now time to return to our verandah and sit in the shade and sip champagne. There was plenty of wild life to experience as the sun went down. A Tawny Frogmouth camped on the corner of our umbrella before seeking a higher vantage point. A couple of wallabies appeared in the darkness, eating their way along the verandahs of the downstairs units. A flying fox landed in the palm tree and began feasting on the fruit. Not to mention the blue tongue lizard that greeted us in the afternoon.

We decided that we had done enough for the first day back on dry land and retired for the night.

Thursday was another postcard day in Broome, starting with alfresco breakfast as the Sunset Bar & Grill, followed by another stroll along the beach, this time in the direction of the 4wd armada.  The tide was on the way out, creating a compact sandy road for the vehicles and us to walk on.  There were rock pools but they were curiously devoid of any sea life, plant or animal.

The view from breakfast

We decide to book for a late seafood platter at Zanders but we were told there was no need as our preferred time of 3pm would be very quiet.  In the meantime we decided to walk around the corner to the Willie Creek Pearl Farm Showroom to browse this outlet away from the town centre and then to catch a bus into Chinatown to buy some cheese, biscuits and wine for later that evening.  Jayne was also on a mission to try to find a replacement sun shirt for the one that had been ripped on one expedition walk.

The shopping expedition can only be described as a success. I bought a new pair of yellow boardies at Ripcurl. Jayne found a sun shirt. We procured supplies and a pearl from Kailis pearls for Jayne's necklace. Wins all round. We misjudged the bus times and found ourselves at the bus stop 30 minutes early and sat people watching.

The bus spruiks the local sights as you are driven around town. They have deals with certain establishments for freebies, one of which is a 2 for 1 cocktail deal at Zanders. Since we were lunching there we thought we might commence with a cocktail. I had a passionfruit margarita and Jayne had a mango daquiri, followed by a very nice seafood platter for two. We made our way through the oysters Kilpatrick, prawns, calamari, cooked prawns, battered fish, barramundi, blue swimmer crab, fries and salad, washed down with a Margaret River rosé. The food was beautifully cooked and the staff were attentive, the view of Cable Beach is brilliant. We sat and watched the sun move towards the horizon and the crowds built steadily to watch the sun set. If you've never seen the sun set over water it looks something like this:

There goes the sun

There goes the sun

And I say, it's alright

Well, that's what they would have sung had they thought more about it.

We bailed just before sunset to avoid the larger crowds. When paying our bill, we presented our cocktail discount voucher as we had been directed to do by the wait staff, but the manager would not honour it. Apparently you have to have a specific bus ticket. Interestingly we had never been offered a ticket on any trip. I re-read the timetable when we got back to the apartment and while technically he was correct, the wording is not very clear and they are doing sound business as a result. His, "not my fault" claims were not well supported when he also stated "you are not the first people". So, he knew and has done nothing about the misleading advertising. While we would still have eaten, there we certainly would not have had the cocktails. A disappointing finish to an otherwise lovely day.

Back home to some wine and cheese on the verandah once the sun had set to watch the wildlife and the stars.

Until next time.

Blue Sky Mine (Darwin to Wyndham)

As I suggested in my last posting my dear reader, my missives will be somewhat intermittent this vacation. A combination of long days filled with activity and a fragile satellite connection to the internet are conspiring against me. I concluded last time with a reference to the demographic. Might I add that the go-to accessories on this cruise are hearing aids. I apologise if you find my timeline somewhat confused. Not writing each day is an issue for me and there will be references to the full day on the water and the time beyond. Time takes on a fluid dimension on the Kimberley and I shall try to do better.

Today's title is from one of Australia's premier rock bands, Midnight Oil. All will become clear, patience.

There was another cracking sunset last night. The smoke from fires burning all over the Kimberley help make them more stunning. Apparently the stars are something special as well, but at this point a full moon and early nights has precluded us from enjoying them.

One disappointing aspect, perhaps the only one to date, is the serving of Gossips Rosé in the bar. On a cruise that prides itself as being high-end, this is, well, just not good enough. Yes, I'm a wine snob and no, I didn't try it. The French version is, I'm sure, far superior and very tasty.

Jayne  was sick when we woke after the trip out to Indo. The swell was quite noticeable and the sea-sick bags were placed discreetly around the ship, but we don't suspect sea sickness. She had recovered by mid-morning and a lunch-time champagne returned her health and humour.

We had a mandatory briefing around the use of the Zodiacs as our main form of transport and the usual WHS talk. How to get in and out of the craft without damaging our replacement hips and new knees. Well, maybe not for us, but there are a lot of people sporting fashionable scars on their knees. Post-briefing we were issued with our Zodiac life vests. They are small and light weight and activate only in water. Allegedly. Jayne was tempted to wear hers in the shower but resisted the temptation. The vests billow yellow when deployed and are described as 'pop corn' so we don't want to be shamed by having to ask for another vest...

Later in the day we enjoyed a lecture on the geology of the Kimberley and another briefing, this time on the Ord River Scheme and the activities of the following day.

That night was our first gala dinner and we teamed up with Ken and Moya again. I wore my suit, no tie, but it didn't really seem to matter. Some people had gone all out: suits, bow ties, evening dresses,  pearls, superior, arrogant attitudes, (OK that was just one person) but it certainly was not as formal or stuffy as the brochure and pre-cruise information stated. In fact, I only wore the suit because I brought the damn thing!  The brochures say 'required' but the reality is 'suggested' - a world of difference in packing for the cruise.

Lots of space for crocodiles

The morning saw us at Wyndham. Information: forgettable. Google it for interest. The meat works has closed. The pub has closed. We were provided with a potted history of the area on the ship and on the bus en route to Kununarra. Both failed to mention the history of asbestos mining. Cue Midnight Oil and Blue Sky Mine. I'm  not calling it censorship, but how can you ignore something that was a significant part of the history of the area? What's that you say my learnéd reader? Oh, oh yes, terra nullius. Yes, this is Australia, we can forget a lot of things. As we say in Redfern, white history has a black past.

A quiet morning in Wyndham

At this point dear reader I have the opportunity to separate memories. And I shall. Although I have commenced the day of the Ord River excursion, I will end this post. I don't want to overwhelm you with information.

Therefore, until next time ...

Nothing much happens (Darwin and into the sea)

Today's title is courtesy of Ben Lee from the late '90s and is a nod to yesterday as much as it reflects Sunday in Darwin. After a terminally long travel day we slept very well. I am uncertain as to whether that was a reflection of travel exhaustion or the ice cold Kirin I had prior to bed. Regardless I woke very much refreshed and ready for the excitement of the day. Except it's Sunday morning in Darwin, a city better known for starting late and kicking on.

We stayed here at the Novotel in 2008 when we attended a conference. Not much has changed. It is looking a little tired, like the tropical heat has beaten it into submission and could probably do with a make-over. At the very least a gardener is required to bring the Devil's Ivy back to life. It is flourishing in some areas, in others, like outside our room, it is struggling for life against the ravages of scale.

It was time for breakfast, something we enjoyed in the Smith Street Mall last time we were here. It is a 5 minute stroll and it is a beautiful cloudless day, around 25˚ and breezy. Not quite like Sydney yesterday, but strong enough to send café billboards careering through the al fresco areas of the mall to the amusement of the breakfast crowd

Fresh juice and good coffee. Yum. Simple and yet difficult to find in the one place in Sydney. After breakfast we wandered through the few shops that were open. I am after a new Aboriginal flag T-shirt, one without writing on it. I purchased my current shirt hereon the last trip but it was not going to be replaced today. The search continues. There were plenty of the CU in the NT shirts and I was tempted, but no.

Mid-morning I decided I needed to have my hair cut before the cruise. I popped down to the Hair Dude. No appointment, sit and wait your turn. Remember those days dear reader? Checking out the girls in the Pix and People magazines? No? You're too young ... oh, sorry. You've missed an experience and a significant right of passage for Australian males. Not to mention the mirror into mirror experience, mis en abyme. My barber was a young 20 something from, wait for it, Cherrybrook, New South Wales. I know. I travel all that way to let a girl from the Hills area cut my hair.

Anyway, she's been on a cruise and, you know, like, you'll love it. It's like a floating RSL club. The food is great. They had the best mashed potato. And a casino. It was so cool. Hmmm. Hoping my experience will be somewhat different.

Prior to exploring the wilds of Darwin we met a fellow traveller in the hotel. We traded our Ponant cruise information for his knowledge of the Ghan. Another of my bucket list Australian experiences.

Goodbye Darwin

We had a few hours to kill prior to embarkation so we walked down to the Teddy Bears' Picnic. Happily the festivities had concluded and the children were all heading home with their parents. We continued our walk around past parliament and Government House where we caught our first glimpse of Le Laperouse through the trees. It was almost lunch time so we meandered up to the Smith Street Social for a cleansing ale or two and a light lunch then back to the hotel to collect our bags.




Boarding the ship was a relatively simple process and Darwin was soon fading into the distance. Those with cruise experience were easy to identify, they introduced themselves immediately. The first onboard activity was the safety briefing and by the time we headed to dinner, we already knew half a dozen people.

The cabin, sorry, prestige stateroom, was much more spacious than I thought. We have a lounge, a small balcony, queen size bed and an accessible bathroom. There is plenty of storage for our clothes. There is also a colour TV, not that I imagine that will get any use at all.

At dinner we sat with a couple that we met as we made our way onto the ship. Jayne had stopped to take their photo for them. Dinner was low key on level 3, buffet as opposed to the a la carté on level 4 and the alcohol flowed freely. Mind you, we could order from the a la carté menu as well - and did. Champagne, champagne and more champagne. This is my kind of cruise.

The concern I had over the formalities of suits and dress shirts were unfounded. It appears that everything is far more relaxed than the brochure outlines. The first of the galah evenings, sorry, I believe it is spelled gala, is tonight and there is no need to suit up. I am going to though - I brought the bloody thing so it shall be worn.

You would know my avid reader that it is always my intention to write one blog post per day. However, I fear I will not be able to meet that exacting standard on this holiday. Wifi access is via satellite and is, as they say in the classics, dodgy at best. A pathetic excuse, I know, but couple that with the fact that this is an expedition and time is strictly limited. We are off the ship every day except today. And some days commence at 6:30am! Zut alors!

The casual dining area on level 3

Last night we headed out towards Indonesia to go into their national waters for some bureaucratic reason that I will attempt to understand and explain at a later date. Then we turned around and headed straight back to Australian territorial waters and for Wyndham. We arrive there at 4am on Tuesday. All of Monday is on board and it is the only day we don't disembark.

We encountered some swell last night that has continued into today. It is not that big, but it certainly makes navigating the corridors interesting. I'm not sure that it rocked me to sleep either and it is certainly noticeable compared with the calmer water around Darwin.

Today we had a briefing in the theatre around the access and use of the Zodiacs that will be deployed getting us to and from our destinations. The next pier we see will be in Broome. So the Zodiacs are a life line. Then later in the day we had a lecture on the geology of the Kimberley.  This afternoon we have a briefing on our shore excursion tomorrow. We are are heading up the Ord River. Before that I have had a massage. I know, my envious reader, it is a tough life, but someone has to do it.

Lunch today was a buffet. More champagne and a nice little French rosé. The menu was predominantly seafood but there were other options for the Philistines. We commenced with a cheese plate and then Coffin Bay oysters and prawns. Delightful. In the interesting category I would place the sea snail - my first and possibly my last attempt. Interesting smokey flavour, chewy, and not for me. There was a huge array of desserts and breads. Oh my, the bread and the croissant and pain au chocolat. heaven, I'm in heaven.

The demographic on board, you ask? Well, we are not the youngest, but there would only be  handful younger than us and they are most certainly not Australian. My hair colour seems to be quite the fashion among the men, although our mobility and agility is superior to many. It is quite an international mix and there are more Australians than I thought I would see. France, Japan, the US and New Zealand are also well represented. There is a smattering of South Africans too. Many, it would appear, are repeat customers for Ponant. That speaks volumes for the experience.

Until next time.

The longest time (even longer than I imagined)

Well hello my dear reader, it is lovely to be communicating with you again. The title? Read on, all will become clear. Sadly you can't join me on the cruise it is fully booked. Yes, cruise. Surprised? Well, so am I. Still, and I booked this trip about a year ago. I know, I know, a cruise. Me captive on board a ship. Not a pretty picture. To be fair it's not a floating block of flats or a houseboat. Intrigued? This is the same cruise offered in May 2020: https://au.ponant.com/cruises/pacific-and-oceania-australia-s-iconic-kimberley-r080520-db145-5

I had recurring nightmares following the houseboat holiday and that was so long ago I can't remember the year. Trapped. I couldn't get off. This time is different, but, uncharacteristically, let's begin at the beginning.

We packed last evening. Packing for a trip is never fun but this bordered on cruel and unusual punishment. The on-board activities and the fact that is an 'up-market' cruise meant that we packed more clothes than we would for a lengthy European sojourn. Day wear, evening wear, casual clothes, elegant clothes, clothes for scrambling over rocks, a white outfit. A white outfit? I own one white T-shirt courtesy of being marooned in LA on a flight back from Canada. I'm pretty certain that won't meet their exacting dress standards. Then there are two formal dinners. A dark suit is required with a tie or bow-tie. I don't own a dark suit and I don't wear ties anymore. That should be an interesting night. This is a holiday. Allegedly. I was majorly pissed with the pretentious people on Hamilton Island for their 'dress standards'. I know this is next level, but still ... a holiday? 

The taxi ride to the airport was most entertaining in an old school way. The driver was Australian, in his 60s and not pleased with the performance of the NSW Government. We talked politics, we talked about the crisis befalling Sydney apartment dwellers (hopefully not including us), the gridlock that has been created around the international airport, the demise of Kings Cross, the lock-out laws and their impact on Sydney's international reputation as a tourist destination, his dislike for Gladys Berejiklian and his disappointment in the previous leader of the Opposition. Actually, mostly he talked and we listened...Good times.

And so to the Qantas Business Lounge for breakfast. It's not the level of the International Lounge but it is a step up from the Qantas Club and nowhere near as crowded. At least at this hour. My chilled mood evaporated when we received a text to say the flight was delayed. Now my patient reader you may recall the drama I had travelling last year, when almost every flight I had was delayed. Some, in fact were cancelled and I was stranded in LA and Shanghai at varying times. Work colleagues would not book the same flights in case my curse afflicted them too. Today's flight you ask? Delayed by 5 hours. Count them. 5. Why? Operational requirements. Read - the flight crew has to have sufficient down time before flying again. Presumably this would have been a known issue and we might have been notified last night instead of finding out this morning after we arrived.

Not something any traveller wants to see.

I am, however, looking at this as an opportunity not a problem. I now have time to complete a couple of things I've been working on for a while. The down side is the group of three people sitting 10 metres away who don't seem to understand the concept of an inside voice. To add insult to injury they are discussing schools and their failings. Specifically the school system's failure to produce resilient young people.  This balding, loud-voiced, opinionated wanker knows where the problem lies: teachers. Well, he did attend school and compared it to what he believes it to be like today. He is wrong. I am fervently hoping that he is not on our plane because that will mean another 6 hours of this ignorant drivel.

Oh joy! He is leaving and we discover his riveted audience was not actually accompanying him - they depart separately.  We are better off than them - they had to appear interested in what he was saying...

Time passes very slowly. I lap the room for something to break the monotony. The bar does not open until 12 and that seems like a life time away. People come and go, the ebb and flow of a tide of travellers. The loud, who seem to be oblivious to those around them. Or perhaps they believe their conversation is worthwhile for everyone to hear. The quiet men who sit and read the newspaper, flicking from page to page with a passive-aggressive crack that draws my attention each time. The toddlers, unaware of their surroundings who wander happily singing and humming to themselves. The mobile phone users who take the word mobile literally and walk and talk a little too loudly. The bored, the tired, the disinterested, the coughing and sneezing germ spreaders. We are all here. Sadly for Jayne and me we are here for the longest time. Yes, a Billy Joel song from circa 1983.

The bar is open! Sadly, the sparkling white wine is as described and not champagne. Time for a Yarra Valley chardy to break the monotony. And then some butter chicken and jasmine rice to soak up the alcohol. A few laps of the lounge. You can sense my dedicated reader that I don't do sitting still very well. Hence my concern about the cruise. Less than an hour to our alleged boarding time and no gate has been allocated. As a result of my laps of the lounge, I am fairly certain I can identify a dozen or so fellow travellers that are Darwin bound.

The delay is annoying because we are only in Darwin overnight. However, this would have been compensated for had we been flying international. They have champagne in the international first lounge and table service and I have access. Sad face with tears.

New notifications. Confusing and conflicting. We are now going to be boarding or departing at 3:20pm, that's only 6 hours later than scheduled. Not a lot of sorry action going on. Not impressed. Time for more wine ... for the longest time. And some assorted nuts. I'm sure they have extra salt to make me drink more. Like that's ever required.

Pretty sunset as we approached Darwin.

Oh, oh, oh, they just thanked us for our patience. Clearly that does not apply to me. Apparently the plane has just departed from wherever and will be landing in Sydney at 3pm. Boarding shortly thereafter. Excited ... not ... over it.

Flight: uneventful - although extremely beautiful. Refer to picture.

Taxi to hotel: same. There seems to be more high rise than when we last here (2008 according to Jayne) but the drive into town happened in darkness.

It's hot up here. We were thirsty

It was a very long day. Over 14 hours in transit. Cheers to Qantas who knew our flight was going to be delayed before we arrived at the the airport. The date stamp on the original text was dated before 11pm the day before we were to fly. We could have had most of the day at home! Instead we were at the airport by 7am. Cheers Qantas. No, I'm still not over it.

Staring up at the ceiling

We are in Darwin, finally. We have had food and beer at the hotel. Not quite what I had planned for the evening, but refreshing nonetheless. The squid is perfection as you would expect here. It is now time for sleep.

Until tomorrow, or as I would write if I was in France (and I wish I was),
a demain.

Why does it always rain on me? (Hamilton Island)

We didn't expect this after the rain

It would appear that yesterday's beautiful weather was an aberration. Last night was a series of torrential rain squalls that were preceded by strong wind. And so began today until the island to our north was totally obliterated by low cloud and rain. Then as suddenly as it blew in, dear reader, it disappeared and the sun returned. The weather changes more quickly than we change Prime Minister. Which of course allowed us to maintain our pattern. Breakfast, a walk on the beach, back to the unit to plan the remainder of the day.

Today is our last full day here; tomorrow we are out at 10 and on the plane back to Sydney at 1:30pm. As a result of that full stop in our week we had already planned out today. I have a massage at 11:30 following which we will walk into the marina and sample a pie from Bob's Bakery. The afternoon will be spent sipping champagne and falling asleep on the verandah, being lulled by the waves and rustle of the palms. Dinner is pizza, delivered to our door. We have given up trying to get dinner reservations. That is the plan anyway, so we'll see how it goes.


First to the spa for my massage. It had the usual beginning. Welcome, come in, please complete this waiver that says in the event we kill you it's not our fault. The room is comfortable, an Ecoya candle burns in the corner giving of vanilla fragrance. The lighting is muted, there is relaxation-therapy music playing quietly in the background. It's easy to sink back into the chair and think you are being transported to a better place.

Now I wouldn't say the peace was shattered, not immediately, but everyone in the waiting room slowly became aware of something discordant, something that didn't fit. Two pre-teens were sitting on the steps of the spa, just outside the door, with their father. It was the bickering that first attracted our attention. Then they started whacking the steps with some plastic blow up toy and the magic serene feeling was replaced with tension. The tension we were all there to alleviate. Clearly their mother was on the other side of the spa rooms enjoying the last of her massage.

Dad was taking no interest in his miscreant off-spring until one clobbered the other with aforementioned plastic toy. Threats were issued, as hollow as a Scott Morrison promise. Nothing happened. The children became louder until tears from the girl-child resulted in forcible separation. She then turned her attention to the fountain.  Inaudible statement form father. Girl stares defiantly. Another statement from father as she calmly reaches forward and puts her hand in the water. Too late, Dad was on her before she saw him move and as she tried to run his vice like grip tightened on her arm as he uttered the age old line, "What part of no don't you understand?" Simultaneously drawing her to within cms of his mouth he whispered further threats through clenched teeth directly into her ear. There followed a few minutes of quiet before the Balkans erupted into war again. I was then called to the massage room. Poor woman, thought I, she will be emerging from inner nirvana into a maelstrom. I hope the massage was good because it's effects won't last long.

The Hobies were out for the first time

An hour later I floated from the massage room and returned to the unit to collect Jayne before our walk into the marina and Bob's Bakery. Up the hill and down the other side and along the waterfront, being mindful of the dodgem cars. Alright my astute reader, they are golf buggies, they are just driven like dodgem cars. In an unrelated observation, Jayne says that most of them are driven by women with the male as passenger. No further comment your honour.

The pies at the bakery are recommended. Not in the class of a Willis pie, but still very good.  The super large sausage rolls didn't rate. Too much carrot. We had lunch on the waterfront, enjoying a moment of sunshine. We punctuated the walk home by stopping for an ice cream at Ned Kelly's. No, that's not really the name of the store, but the prices they charge are highway robbery, $7.90 for a waffle cone with a sloppy single scoop of ice cream. The two ice creams cost more than lunch at Bob's!

The islands were not visible through the rain this morning

We were a little hot and bothered by the time we returned home and opted for a swim while the sun was still shining. While we were floating around in the Coral Sea, the weather did its thing and the island across the channel disappeared in rain and cloud. Time to make our way to the pool to rinse off the salt and the rest on the balcony and watch the rain that was surely coming. In other words, it's champagne time. The afternoon melted into evening as the showers came and went. We were serenaded by sulphur crest cockatoos and crows - such musical, lyrical sounds.

As relaxing moment dissolved into relaxing moment Jayne decided it was time to increase her heart rate by ordering dinner online. Forms are always a challenge, online ordering systems are an art akin to the highest levels of torture. It was a close run thing - the ordering process commenced at 4pm and the shop closed at 9:30pm, but she was successful. Order locked and loaded, red wine at the ready. It was probably time to contemplate one last lap of the beach. Too late, it's raining again, which brings us to today's title from 1999 by Travis.

And that is just about it from HI. There will be one more post sometime during the week to wrap everything up and share some final reflections. Otherwise, the next major event is August: Darwin to Broome on a cruise - yes I know dear reader, who'd have thought it? Me on a cruise? We shall see.

Until then ...