Darwin 2016 Week 1

OK so we mad it back from Arnhemland safely despite Outback Spirit trying to choke us to death with miles of good food and hospitality. Our last night was at the Hilton and then we were on our own.

We arrived back at Howard Springs Caravan Park and enquired about or van, 'Had they put it back on a site for us?'

'No, but go down and the yard-man will be with you shortly'

Howard Springs CP is fairy large and in places a bit chaotic, and we weren't surprised to find that our designated spot was right down the end again, not far from our first location.

It is blazing hot, pushing 38c and its not 11am yet. Our van turns up behind a small truck and is duly backed in, except it's almost not inside our line. The truck-man complained that he can't see the lines on the ground and acquiesced to our suggestion that he have another go and that we will stand on the lines as markers. Finally it's in and we make our camp for the next 8 days.

The first thing you notice is that despite our putting out the awning, and the end shade screen and the long shade screen, the temperature underneath the awing is almost as hot as outside. We string up a clothes line and hang an old blanket, towels, sarongs, anything we can find, to act as a shade screen. It makes it tolerable. We have a light lunch and head for the main pool for a swim and to cool off. It's a nice pool actually, but it's the main pool for the park and is getting busy.

On arrival back at the van we discover that we are going to be in the full sun, all day, and that by 3pm   the temperature under that awning is not much lower that the furnaces of hell. We take evasive action by heading to the No2 pool, which is up by the front gate. As you walk the 1/2 km to the pool, you pass into the older part of the park resplendent with big trees and lots of shade and it must be at least 10c cooler. We lament our bad luck and wonder what we can do, the prospect of being in the full sun for 8 days is not something to be relished. We find the pool, which itself is mostly hidden by trees and being in the shade is a few degrees cooler than the other pool, but oh my, it is bliss. And did I mention it was empty? We stayed for an hour or so. Other like minded couples turned up and we lived on our Arnhemland adventure stories all afternoon.

Next morning, the two vans a few spots up from us and in deep shade left and we politely asked yard-man if we could move. The yard-man was not impressed. 'No, I don't think so, you'll have to ask at the office.'

I duly took that walk up to the office where the desk-lady said she would have to check with the manager. I went back to our site and next time yard-man cam by I told him how I got on. He puffed himself up and announced that he was the manager, and that he would have a word with them and see what could be done. The long & short is that two others vans lucked into that big pool of cool shade and we sat and stewed for the rest of our time.

Talking of the yard-man, he took it upon himself to help direct the odd driver as they backed vans and trailers and things into their sites. Now we have seen this done a heap times, mostly you could close your eyes and just follow the instructions, they are that expert at it. But this fellow, who obviously thought he was god, was hopeless. We sat and watched as he told one poor sod that he'd have to move over about 2 metres and after much backing & filling and left-hand, right-downing, the camper trailer ended up in the exact same spot! It became a bit of sport for us and the fact that he invariably went away before the job was done, muttering incantations about 'bloody stupid tourists and ungrateful @$*%$s', but, he was the manager.

It's funny how when your under a bit of stress and not really a happy camper that you start to become involved in every little failing of your chosen park. Ours was that right opposite us they had a whole raft of sites that were big enough for a pup tent and a small car but the front office kept sending caravans, and motor-homes and huge campers down there. One mob had this camper thing. They had told them explicitly how big it was and were dumbfounded that they had been allocated a pocket-handkerchief of land to put it on. They were visitors from OS and not happy. Eventually the moved to a proper van site and they were right, it was the biggest tent on wheels we had ever seen! People came and squished in. A group of three camper trailer turned up and after an hour or so, were allowed to move over to a large grassed area, but no power. On our last day, three more turned up on dusk and started to unpack. It was obvious from the start that they were going to spill over onto the road and to the adjoining site. They seemed not to care that the fellow next door now had to park right on the road, as they themselves did, or that their 27 screaming kids ran amok for the next 3 hours.

Thursday dawned and we had a surprise call from Free Spirit CP, enquiring as to our health and well being and asking when we might arrive that day as they looked forward to our company. The agreed time was 11am, so after breakfast, showers and a slow pack-up, we got-the-hell-out. As it was only 10am we drove down the road a few kms to McDonalds and went in, drank coffee, scoffed cakes and read the paper for an hour.

Finally we turned up at Free Spirit. Judy comes out all smiles from the office. We have our spot. Driving in was like coming home. We backed in easily and set up, getting all the toys out ready for our stay over the next few weeks. Then we made some lunch and collapsed in our chairs. It was like coming from hell to paradise. Lots of shade and trees and big grassed sites and peace and quiet.

We will never go back to Howard Springs, but you know, they just don't care because it is totally full every night with people being turned away all day from 7am.

What a difference a day makes, as they say. Today is Territory day and the 100s of pop-up firework shops are doing a roaring trade. Well before dusk you can hear them going of, and it doesn't stop until midnight. No fireworks in the CP, for obvious reasons. There are a few public shows on, one at Mindil Beach the other up the road at Palmerston. The park itself is oddly quiet: there isn't anyone here! All the vans are here but no cars, obviously they have all gone out for the firework fun. We are content to just sit and wallow in our new found tranquility.

Saturday morning; it can only mean one thing: Park Run is on. Park run in Darwin is held in the park next to the Esplanade, overlooking the harbour in town and starts at 7am, not 8am. There's a good reason for that: the sun is just climbing into the sky and ts already 24c and 99% humidity. It the standard 5km course following the paved path, but, to get the length, you have to do two laps! A bit confusing for a first timer and a bit of a psycho challenge because the first turn point isn't half way as it is at home. Speaking of home, I called Amy who was crunching here way through the ice and snow of a -6c Canberra morning at our home ParkRun, to see how she was going. I may have mentioned that it was 24c or so before the line went dead...

Speaking of a run in the park and fireworks, the Bicentennial Park, which is it's proper name, and where the Park Run is held, must have had a huge crowd making their own display of pyrotechnics as the amount of rubbish about led you to think that their must have been enough ordnance here the previous night to arm a small nation. I apologise for these snaps, I used my telephone which is good for making phone calls and telling the time. What it's telling me now is that it's time to get a new one...

Every bin looked like this'd worse.
Fireworks for Territory Day.
Bicentennial Park, The Esplanade, Darwin NT

They cleared the paths for us to run, but these were left sitting up on the wall,
 possibly to defend Drwin from sea-borne attack.
Fireworks for Territory Day.
Bicentennial Park, The Esplanade, Darwin NT

What have we done since? Laid by the pool, swam, laid by the pool and drank cold drinks and ate a 'Trio of dips and baguette'.  Laid by the pool etc. As a break we sat by the van reading books and writing stuff. We had one foray into the shops for some food, but are pretty happy to hang around here.

Sunday we went up for a swim to find that we had forgotten about the Jazz afternoon. Next to the pool is a moderate sized grassed area surrounded by lush gardens. They have a wedding a week in here, but today, the rostrum is taken up by a jazz trio. The tables and chairs from yesterday are still out and there are a number of oversize beanbags for use by anyone. People are starting to gather, or should I say 'flop', so we grabbed a couple of bags and flopped ourselves, settling in for the afternoon.

The band, called something odd like 'Couch menu' started out, a bit rough at first but worked into a sweet rhythm of classic jazz and highlights 'Summertime', 'Moondance' and the 'A Train'. By six o'clock, we were peckish, so a bottle of wine and a cheese platter seemed the order of the day.

They finished at 7pm with Norah Jones' 'Turn Me On'. What a day, good one Andrew and the team from Free Spirit