My Adventures – More Top End and The Alice.

Saturday saw me leave Kununurra, bound for the NT, Katherine specifically. Just a quick stop off so the drive to Darwin wasn’t too long. After adding one and a half hours (time difference), I arrived in Katherine at about 4 o’clock. Checked into the lovely Pine Tree Motel, just in time to see the mighty Cats flog GWS. Felt good being back in the NT. Having lived there for 29 years it felt like coming home! Plus the speed limited is f**king awesome!

Sunday saw a super quick sprint to Darwin. This was after a massive full English breakfast at the motel – included in room rate. Yummo!

Had a look around the CBD of Darwin – fairly dead. Lots of empty shops. Checked into the Alatai Holiday Apartments, really nice. Clean, secure, your own washing machine and dryer and a fantastic pool. Went for a swim, 35 degrees – perfect swimming weather! Then went for a stroll through the Darwin Botanic Gardens (officially The George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens – named after the former Lord Mayor of Darwin and Campion of the development of the gardens). The gardens cover 42 hectares and boast an amazing collection of Northern Australian plants. Under the shade of the many mature trees the temperature drops dramatically and is a lovely place to spend a couple of hours. Got to see (and smell) lots of my favourite topical plant – The Frangipani!

Spent lo g enough at the gardens for the Mindil Beach Markets to open. The markets are a craft and food extravaganza and occur each Sunday and Thursday during the dry season at Mindil Beach. Apart from the food and crafts a highlight I watching the amazing sunset. If you ever get to Darwin, in the dry season – this is a must!!

Cruised around Darwin a bit on Monday. Visited East Point Reserve. Set in 200 hectares of “green” space this is a popular destination for Darwinites. Boasting lovely beaches, Lake Alexander, manicured grassy barbecue and parkland areas as well as a very interesting military history. had a look around the Darwin Military Museum (well worth a visit).

Caught up with the people I was staying with for a few days (thanks Megs and Ryan). Ventured out for tea at Fannie Bay Super Pizza Italian Restaurant. OMG – amazing food, great service, very reasonable pricing!

Tuesday saw BDOB have his weekly barber visit. Casuarina Square – Dapper and Boss. Awesome job!

Then went Museum Hopping. First up – Darwin Aviation Museum – located in Winnelie, this is an interesting place with a retired B-52 bomber as it’s centre piece (plus other cool planes and helicopters). Some interesting videos and excellent information and memorabilia displays made for a solid hours visit. Next was the Museum and Art Gallery of the NT. This was being Tenno after so only half the museum was open to the public. Interesting mix of history, flora and fauna and art/craft. The Cyclone Tracey exhibit was particularly interesting as my wife’s family were in Darwin and their house totally destroyed (apart from the downstairs toilet that they were sheltering in) during the cyclone. Finally, a prelude to lunch, The RFDS museum at Stokes Hill Wharf. This museum showcases the history and work of the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Wednesday saw me head out and about again. Nice long swim in the morning. Went for a massage – ok, actually needed someone to walk all over my back, that service not offered. headed out to meet some old Uni buddies – had the best “coffee” catch up (even though none of us actually drink coffee). Haven’t seen each other for a long time, but sat and chatted as if it was a regular thing we do, catching up for “non-coffee”. Awkward movement when my sister in law stopped by, I did not recognise her and she had to “introduce” herself to me (“are you no lot gonna say hi to your fucking sister In law”). Wtf, must be getting old!

Then headed to the Darwin Gold Club for a delicious feed and the chance to smack some golf balls around under the flood lights! Next morning my body reminded me of the muscles is used, that I might not have used for quite some time. A little stiff to say the least. Especially when I had to roll out of bed at 4:30 to get into the Ranger for the long haul to Alice Springs. Longest haul of the trip so far – left Darwin 4:45am – got into Alice at 5:15pm (for those not mathematically inclined that twelve and a half hours). checked into the Alice Springs Tourist Park – formally known as Stuart Caravan Park (fantastic park – 5 star in all regards), where my family and I lived in for about 7 months in 1978. Talk about full circles. Slept really well – hard sleep! Good to be “home” though, back in my country! 29 years in a place leaves a strong connection.

So Friday, I decided I’d do the West MacDonnell Ranges. The MacDonnell Ranges, or Tjoritja in Arrernte, is a mountain range that has an area of 3,929,444 hectares. The range is a 644 km long series of mountains consisting of parallel ridges running to the east and west of Alice Springs. The ranges were named after Sir Richard MacDonnell the Governor of South Australia at the time) by John McDouall Stuart, whose 1860 expedition reached them in April of that year. Words could never do justice – enjoy the photos! An amazing day!!

Went out for dinner with a friend from Uni and her husband (thanks Marissa and Rich). Went to The Juicy Rump at Lasseter’s Casino. Good food, service and a nice range of beer on tap. Great night.

Next day – the Eastern Macs. My preferred of the two parts of the mountain range to be honest. But by far and away the least visited.

Went for a bit of a cruise to visit Arltunga. Arltunga was the site of hope, struggle and mateship for many fortune hunters who came here on foot to find gold. Born out of a goldrush in 1887, Arltunga was officially Central Australia’s first town and once supported up to 300 people.

Finished the day odd back at The Juicy Rump with a dear friend from Bacchus Marsh (hey Nicki!!). Food and beverages were just as nice, company was awesome too!

Sunday was a social day. Had brunch at The Locals in Todd St with an old school friend (and Godmother to my daughter!). Nice food, good service – sat and chatted for ages (need to have more catch ups Carrie!!) Following this I had lunch with two of my favourite people ever – get to the fly wire of the house and was greeted by “how the f**k are ya”. Sat, laughed, reconnected after over 15 years, best aftern (love ya Sally and Jules). Sunday night had dinner with my mentor and friend. Had the good fortune to be Assistant Principal at two schools with this amazing lady. Learnt my trade as a teacher and as an educational leader from her (thanks Mary and Dennis).

Off to Mt Isa next!

Music this week …..

Elbow’s latest album “Flying Dream 1”. these guys would easily be my second favourite band , behind Marillion (who have a new album out – “An Hour Before it’s Dark”). This album is one of their most beautiful. It’s as if the criteria for a song to get on this album – their ninth – was to be pretty. And what a collection. I love, love, love this album. Guy Garvey’s voice is as pure as ever, to match his peerless lyrics. The band perfectly compliment his words with some of their most beautiful music – sophisticated and mesmerising. Favourites – that’s hard, if I had to pick some they would be Is it a Bird?, The Seldom Seen Kid (my favourite) and Six Words. Five out of five stunningly bright and shiny stars.

Damon Albarn’s “The Nearer the Fountain, the More Pure the Stream Flows” got a fair hammering this week. Released in 2021, it’s his third solo album, his first solo release for seven years. This is an amazing album. It was originally going to be a purely instrumental album, based on the landscapes of Iceland. Thankfully Albarn transformed the original concept into a full album – the dark music making for an absolutely beautiful cut! Favourites are hard to nail down – will go with The Cormorant, Polaris (simply stunning) and Esja!

The last album for the week is my ex-navigators favourite. Roger Water’s 2017 masterpiece “Is This The Life We Really Want?”, his first solo work since 1992. I reckon this is his best work since his days with Pink Floyd – lyrically and musically perfect. I promise I sang those two lines loud, Dad, plus every other lyric. It’s genius. Not gonna rate it because perfect is perfect! Favourite songs – The Last Refugee, The Most Beautiful Girl in the World (no eye roll please!) and Wait for Her.

Enjoy these beautiful songs – you’re welcome!

Til next time ………