Darwin NT

Today we did nothin'. Well except for a fruitless search through Darwin City looking for the city; you know big shops, arcades, cafes, hustle, bustle etc. But no, there are two bits of streets that may once have been the thriving heart and soul of the city, but which are now faded shadows waiting for the inevitable developer to finish their demise. The shops, if you want shops, are in places like Casuarina, a huge mall. Its a pattern very similar to a lot of country towns that get big enough to attract a big retailer. They come in and build their own centre, which sucks the life out of the traditional street shops. Cafes are sort of spread around a bit, such as down at the wharf where all the tourists are or in one of the malls where you will find lots of people shopping and then wanting a coffee and sticky bun to recuperate.

We gave up on that and headed up the coast a fraction, just past Mindel Beach, right next to the museum. The museum has a nice upmarket cafe, bit expensive but always crowded. We had heard that you could just wander into the Water Ski Club right opposite and get just as good a feed with heaps of  empty tables on grassed areas under shady trees. They were right. Now we just have to suss out the Sailing Club, The Trailer Motor Boat Club and the Surf Club, just to be sure, to be sure.

We're out tonight. We have to make our annual assessment of the food and service at Crustaceans, which is right on the end of the often mentioned Stokes hill Wharf. Don't have to check the view and the scenery, it will be great, unless they are burning off on the other side of the harbour, in which case it will be spectacular.

Darwin City. Knuckley street toward Cavenagh. Darwin NT

Darwin Water Ski Club. Darwin NT

Darwin Water Ski Club. Darwin NT

Darwin Water Ski Club. Darwin NT

Darwin Water Ski Club. Darwin NT