If you really have to come to Darwin, make sure it is on a Thursday or Sunday… The city itself doesn't have too much to offer, apart from very expensive motels for backpackers (we paid 120€ for a very basic room just above a disco!), noisy pubs… and fortunately tropical weather with a windy sea breeze to compensate! On Thursday or Sunday however, there is the Mindil Beach Market which made our stop in Darwin still worth it… This market opens just before the sunset and has a great atmosphere, with live bands playing strange instruments like the didgeridoo, street artists juggling with fire, tons of tasty food stalls from all over the world, and families with kids more or less mingling with the rest of the neo-hippy crowd. We enjoyed delicious Thai food sitting on the beach enjoying an incredible sunset!
The next day, we were leaving for another 2-day "adventure tour" at the Kakadu national park, famous for its birds… and its crocodiles! Travelling and accommodation conditions were even more extreme than at the Red Center: roads were even more bumpy and we had to cross small rivers with our truck on multiple occasions, the camp ground was a lot less luxurious (e.g. sleeping bags instead of linen in the tents) and we had to cook our own food (spaghetti al Ragù). On top of it, Alessia got a bit car-sick and wasn't feeling well for the whole first day. Although it will definitely not stay as one of the highlights of this honeymoon, the trip was still worth it… we got to meet some aboriginals and learn a little more about their culture (incl. rock paintings), go for some Crocodile Dundy action on a boat trip, do some bird watching (we thought a lot about Jean-Baptiste, François' brother in law) walk around beautiful nature looking for breathtaking waterfalls (Twin Falls and Jimmy Falls, the later one being a bit dried-up), and going swimming in natural pools. We also met two new Italian friends during this trip: Daniele and Marcella!
Darwin was not really a necessary stop, but as the gateway to Asia, it only got us more excited for our upcoming three weeks in Indonesia!
Et vivent les cerises! Et la gourmandise d'horizons lointains!
ReplyDelete"Les auteurs de recueils de citations sont comme ces gens qui mangent des cerises, qui commencent par les meilleures et qui finissent par les manger toutes."
Sébastien Roch, dit Nicolas de Chamfort.
bises rondes et rouges!
Mom & Dad