Darwin

DARWIN

We pulled into Darwin late afternoon and checked into the Freespirit Caravan Park.  Our site was right next to a few nomads who were all sitting together having happy hour drinks, they watched Brad pull into the spot and gave him a clap after he reversed the van on to our site with ease.

Brad was like a new toy, all the old guys came out to ask him about the van, his car, fuel consumption and over the next few days gave him tips on different things to do in Darwin. 

Our first morning we set out to go to the Military Museum at East Point.  This was something Brad was very interested in, he particularly wanted to find out more about the Japanese air raids on Darwin in WWII.  There were actually over 107 separate air raids by the Japanese across northern Australia from Cape York to Broome.  There was a little doco on the first raid on 19 February 1942 which was surreal and gave you goosebumps.  

After the museum, we explored the town and headed to the pier and to have lunch.  Abi and Paige begged for Oysters Kilpatrick (our girls have expensive tastes).

When we got back to Freespirit, Brad worked on the caravan.  It was getting hot so the only thing to do next is go to a waterpark.   We went to Leanyer Waterpark.  The waterparks are set up by the YMCA and free to attend.  The park had 3 waterslides that the girls were continuously going up and down, burning off some energy.

On the way back to the caravan park in peak hour traffic, there was a chemical spill on the highway so the 10 minute drive took us an hour.  We were going so slow I was able to hope out of the car, buy some barramundi from the roadside van and hope back in the car.  That night we checked out the bistro by the pool at the caravan park and as families were eating dinner by the pool, kids were still swimming away in the water.

Next morning was shopping morning.  We had a trip to Bunnings , the beautician and Woolworths to stock up on food for the next few days.  Then there was another trip to a waterpark.  This time at Palmerston.  The waterpark had racing slides.  I ate some concrete and made the trek up the stairs to have a got.  As expected, I hated it!  The girls went up and down the slide a hundred times. 

That night we went to the Mindil Night Market.  The market was packed.  There were so many different foods to select from.  Between us all we had curry, Mexican, spring rolls, satay sticks, mussel salad and of course, oysters Kilpatrick.  The girls all got a rainbow slurpee and everytime we had a slurp we got a brain freeze but the girls never did.

The market was right in front of the beach and just before sunset we went to sit on the beach with the other 5 thousand people.  Then headed back into the market for more food!  Highly recommend a night at the market for the food.  Girls got a little souvenir necklace.