Re cap Darwin

Re-cap on our month in Darwin I enjoyed it so much I did not make time to write any notes. Bowls played a big part at both Nightcliffe BC and Darwin we left lots of money at both Club’s and spent many hours meeting and chatting to some top people from all around Aus. BB and the boys played 14 days of bowls and yours truly and the girls played 5 which was more than enough for yours truly. . Prize money won between us was pooled and then divied up. Total of $1600, however there was an additional $300 won by the boys for their Triples which was ‘not’ handed into the Banker so it has not been included in my official tally. Apart from Bowls we had outings on our own, and some with company they included meals at Coolalinga Tavern, Howard Springs, Berry Springs & Humpty Doo, The Vue Restaurant at the Casino, Breakfast overlooking the Beach at the Museum, Afternoon Tea at Parliament House, Aviation Museum, Lunch with ‘young’ old friend Judy (Taylor), Crocodylus Park, Berry Springs,movie arvo with BB to see Elvis Movie, then 2 visits to the Movies with Champers and shopping with Vicky and Bev to see Falling for Figaro & Where the Crawdogs Sing, Op Shopping with Vicky was fun as we tried on all the same clothes! Rode on the Big Wheel at Stokes Hill Wharf followed by drinks, visited the Underground WW2 Caves, Fish feeding at Cullen Bay, Sunset Dinner Cruise, Mindil, Nightcliffe, Parap Markets, Shopped in Darwin itself and visits to Casuarina and Gateway Shopping Centres. We stayed at Coolalinga Caravan Park ( 26km out of town on the freeway). A nice spot, flat and shady in the oldest part of the Park. We were not there very long and were joined by Vicky, Gary, Pearl, Bev and Steve so we had quite a big group. BB and I could not have wished for better neighbours with a beaut little family Jade, Shaun, and their two little boys Oliver and Jack on one side and Tony on the other. The Coolalinga Shopping Centre was on the opposite side of the busy Freeway (no pedestraian crossing) I literally risked my life dozens of times crossing that road to shop! I am now quite a fan of food shopping at Coles. It would have been easy to stay in Darwin longer, wake up put on a pair of shorts and then decide what thongs to put on your feet and sit outside to do nothing all day, but all good things come to an end. I arrived in Darwin with a single pair of thongs and have left with 3 extra pairs due to a ‘pop up’ shop in the Coolalinga Shopping Centre.
We are now solo travellers as the rest of the gang are not as retired as us! currently we are at Bitter Springs NT (thanks to Ros P, Maxine R & Cass) nice little Park the Hot Springs just down the road are awesome, and we are travelling home slowly. Again we have great ‘neighbours’ this time Paula and Mick from WA who are sharing their Noodles with us! Happy hour together last night, dinner date tonight at the on-site restaurant everyone is saying the Pizza’s are awesome. 3 nights spent at Katherine BB did a helicopter flight and together we did the Gorge River Cruise the day ended with BB getting a big win a Trifecta in the Darwin Cup Race, it topped off our stay! Now on our 2nd day here and our air con has not been turned off it is 33 hot and very humid. BB came back from his shower this morning wet and bothered as he reckoned that despite how much he ‘rubbed and rubbed’ he could not get dry. In a rush to get out of the small shower room (no ventilation) he was so flustered he came back to the van with his pants on back to front :-) So I handed him a roll of kitchen paper towel, to dry himself properly! Not much at Mataranka but there is a Centrelink Office located next door to the Hotel. Driving past the Hotel we hummed and arred about going in, in the end it was a “nah” too many sitting on the ground near the door and groups loitering nearby. Finishing off for now, back to the ‘Springs’ again we have had another offer to share noodles. It is not about the places you visit, it is more about all the great people you meet along the way. Watch this happy space :-)Read more