Monday 14 July 2014

Day 38: the big smoke of Darwin

22:51
0 comments
The Carey's

Wanting to get on the road early we packed up camp as the sun was slowly rising over the escarpment. Being early I was conscious of not trying to wake the other campers however with three children this is never easy. It reminded me of a song adapted from Banjos poem that had the following verses:

There was movement at the station

So wrote down a famous man

But how did the Banjo know this!

P'rhaps he towed a caravan

Perhaps Banjo had been woken

In a van park from his sleep

Some two hours before sunrise

By strange noises from the deep

Even more relevant is the time when you finally need to hitch the camper to the car. Now I must gloat that my wife and I have now mastered this, like a well drilled machine we normally get it first go with just the need for simple hand signals. It is funny however watching less fortunate couples trying this black art:

Because now it's time to hook on

And you hear the circuits start.

More left - not right - I said this way

You pig- headed deaf old fart!

And how dare you call me brainless

You ungrateful senile drone

If you don't want my directions

Do it on your bloody own

Today we were heading to the Big Smoke - Darwin. Wanting to stay on dirt for as long as possible we took the Litchfield Park Road rather than heading back out on to the highway. Arriving at a T intersection with right to Darwin and left to Mandorah and Wagait Beach (the peninsular on the opposite side of Darwin) I made a rash decision that went something like this:

Jim: we have a bit of time. I wonder what the coast is like at Mandorah and the Beach?

Kathy: why?

Jim: The brochure said it is the undiscovered part of Darwin

Kathy: no

Jim: Come on - this is how adventures start. You never know it could be beautiful.

Kathy: no

So turning left we made our way to Mandorah and Wagait Beach, a 90km diversion.

Arriving at Mandorah I know know why they call it the undiscovered part of Darwin. Because there is nothing there. Well nothing apart from a car park and Jetty.

While it had a nice view of Darwin, Kathy's laughter meant I had to get to Wagait Beach as soon as possible to prove her wrong.

Arriving at the beach one of us was disappointed. It was me. The beach is a bunch of shacks facing the coast and little else. However, despite the apparent barrenness of the place there was a council building and library! I tried to convince Kathy that I could get a job here as it would be very peaceful but she was laughing even more at me now. Although she did comment that they had the cleanest public toilets of the whole trip.

We arrived in Darwin, and a few nights in luxury at a unit overlooking the Darwin Marina. We splurged even more with a lovely fish and chips for lunch overlooking the water.