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Darwin 2021
  • Lexie Magill
  • Lexie Magill

Darwin 2021

A 14-day adventure by Lexie Read more
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  • Trip start
    June 26, 2021
    Lexie MagillDarwin 2021Traveler

    Tasmanian novelty

    June 26, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    It's by some miracle that now, 18 months after this thing kicked off, is the first time we've needed to wear a mask. It's therefore still a novelty for us and Richard bought these quite beaky examples without a reference point for personal preference. We'll get acquainted with them over the next eight hours as we travel.Read more

  • Lexie MagillDarwin 2021Traveler

    Two carefree hours

    June 27, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    We met Matt for drinks last night, making it into bed at about 2.30 after fully appreciating how much we'd underestimated the pace of the night-life here.

    Spent the morning getting our bearings by wandering around, via the ANZAC Cententary Park (4th picture) and a lovely nature path dedicated to the women of the Northern Territory (pictures 1 to 3).

    We popped out in the Waterfront precinct which was, again, beyond what we expected, with lots of comfortable chairs and daybeds, restaurants and cafes, a wave pool and a fenced off section of beach (because crocodiles).

    Unfortunately that was as far as we got.....    Read more

  • Lexie MagillDarwin 2021Traveler
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    48 hours of some cares

    June 27, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    At the Waterfront area we got the news that Darwin was heading into a snap 48 hour lockdown starting at 1pm, which was in 90 minutes.

    Cue running around to prepare for that, frustrated yet resigned that it's out of our hands. The Northern Territory hasn't had a case in a year and it had to be now didn't it.

    It's an extremely cautious approach and we hope it will be only two days but it's a tricky thing to predict.

    Our lockdown could definitely be less comfortable than it is so we're extremely grateful for the fact that we have company, a private room, and our accommodation has a pool which is yet to be closed.

    Crossing our fingers that it's all over on Tuesday afternoon and we haven't just thrown all our money down the drain to watch Netflix in a different room.

    Not sure there's much to say in the interim so see you on the other side!    Read more

  • Lexie MagillDarwin 2021Traveler

    Scratch that, more worries

    June 27, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Tasmania has just closed the border to the Northern Territory HAHAHAHA.

    There's not a case in Darwin yet but we are classified as a high risk area and Tasmania is not accepting arrivals.

    We can only hope that changes by the 4th when we're due to fly home. Otherwise we're stuck!

    Fun. I knew I should have brought my work bloody laptop.    Read more

  • Lexie MagillDarwin 2021Traveler
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    1

    Exercise excursion

    June 28, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    You are allowed to head out for an hour of exercise within 5km of your residence - these are some sights from our walk this morning, plus one mural (last photo) from yesterday - isn't it great!

  • Lexie MagillDarwin 2021Traveler

    Um

    June 28, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Well that could have gone better.....we've applied for an exemption to be able to return to Tasmania as planned. Now just to wait and see what happens and see if we're approved. Books and accommodation pool and daily walks in the meantime!Read more

  • Lexie MagillDarwin 2021Traveler

    Jumping ship

    June 29, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    The inevitable happened at the hostel, the outdoor section required masks and was only accessible for eating, the pool closed, and everyone got confined to their rooms. That removed the last benefit to the hostel (it made heaps of sense when everything was open but not now) so we canned the rest of the stay and found an AirBnb for the remainder.

    We just got here and have definitely made the right decision. We have couches, a TV, a kitchen and a balcony with a view. Hurrah. It's right on the waterfront but they've closed the outdoor beach and pool - swimming is completely off the cards sadly.

    Despite the border closure we have been approved to return into Tasmania on the condition we quarantine at home and have covid tests on days 3 and 12 of our 14 day isolation period.

    Now just to wait out what is hopefully the remainder of the lockdown until 1pm Friday, in substantially more comfort.    Read more

  • Lexie MagillDarwin 2021Traveler

    Botanical exercise

    June 30, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    On Wednesday we took a big walk to the Darwin Botanical Gardens as our daily exercise, it was really lovely and verdant. You'll see Rich and I doing some expert pointing throughout.

  • Lexie MagillDarwin 2021Traveler

    New digs

    July 2, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    The first apartment was only for one night to allow a guest extra time to get out of the one we booked. The ultimate landing point is a fair bit smaller but still nice, and still at the waterfront area. We're playing a ton of cards and reading. We expect an update on the lockdown status at 11.30AEST today. Fingers crossed but due to the news of an isolation breach late last night, bracing ourselves.Read more

  • Lexie MagillDarwin 2021Traveler

    Lockdown lifted

    July 2, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Lockdown lifted at 1pm YAY.

    There are still some restrictions for the next week, including masks when you can't social distance, sitting down at pubs, and no big events which means Mindl Markets and NT Day are off the table. But we can go out!

    We celebrated by going for a swim at the caged off (and thus croc free) beach we've spent days looking at, and going for a beer.

    Then we got takeaway pizza from Alfonsinos which is INCREDIBLE and the best I've had in Australia and ate it on the grass on the Esplanade.

    We saw some lil possum type things. It was a good day.    Read more

  • Lexie MagillDarwin 2021Traveler
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    Berry Springs

    July 3, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    On our first full day of freedom of the whole trip we got our money's worth.

    We started with a visit to Berry Springs Nature Park. It was truly stunning. Three deep connected freshwater pools, one with a waterfall, for quiet cool soft paddling. Not too many pictures as our phones aren't good swimmers.Read more

  • Lexie MagillDarwin 2021Traveler
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    Humpty Who?

    July 3, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Then to famous Humpty Doo Hotel, for a taste of the NT, via the boxing crocodile, both of which were helpfully pointing to in the below. Matt had a trio of burgers - one fish one croc one buffalo. We had the biggest parmis we've ever seen.Read more

  • Lexie MagillDarwin 2021Traveler

    Jumping crocs

    July 3, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    To top the day tour off we did a jumping crocodile river cruise at Adelaide River. It went for a bit more than an hour and it was amazing!

  • Lexie MagillDarwin 2021Traveler
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    Sunset on the Esplanade

    July 4, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    Well our flights home on Sunday night (arriving Monday aftetnoon) got cancelled so we rescheduled them for Friday 9 and extended the trip. We'll work from here Monday and Tuesday, then use some more leave on Wednesday - Friday to get out and do the things lockdown got in the way of like Litchfield.Read more

  • Lexie MagillDarwin 2021Traveler

    Lunch at the Trailer Boat Club

    July 5, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    It's not a bad lunch break when you can get picked up and have it here. Enjoyed a meal with Jo and Mark who are still here, having extended their stay too. So lovely to see each other properly.

  • Lexie MagillDarwin 2021Traveler

    WFH

    July 6, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    We moved to the best place yet, a three bedroom apartment at a hotel off the Esplanade. Its set up well for us to work remotely, although I couldn't resist taking a few meetings out here today - a few people commented my video background looked like a virtual fake it was so lush! Oh and staying longer has definitely worked out, we no longer have to quarantine when we go home, meaning by extending the trip a week we have actually ensured we're back in the office a week earlier than expected.Read more

  • Lexie MagillDarwin 2021Traveler

    Bitey bois

    July 7, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    Our first stop in Litchfield National Park was the termite mounds.

    Not at all specific to Litchfield, these are absolutely everywhere up here, and support a whole ecosystem by themselves, giving things like echidnas a food source, birds a resting perch, and lizards and small mammals a refuge during the wet season.

    There are two types - one is called a cathedral, which is a roundish column. It's the type we're both pointing to in the first picture. This one had been overtaken by ants, as you can see crawling around.

    The second is long and flat, a bit like a book. They orient them north to south so one side is always in shade, which is cleverly done through magnetic sense given they're blind.

    It creates an interesting effect where if you look at a field one way it's full of mounds and if you go look at it from a different angle they seem to disappear.

    I entertained some irrational fears about accidentally harbouring some termites back to Tasmania with me, and what an act of eco terrorism that would be. I don't think any stowed away though.    Read more

  • Lexie MagillDarwin 2021Traveler
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    Florence Falls

    July 7, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Still in Litchfield, we gawked in awe at Florence Falls from our platform in the trees. There was a track to walk down and swim but we opted not to because it took about 150 vertical steps and given we were on a slight schedule, another waterfall swim with easier access was on the cards further in.Read more

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