Sunset over the Arafura

Perhaps Darwin's biggest tourist attraction is the sunset over the Arafura Sea. Now is not the best time to see the event which lasts half an hour either side of sunset. May to October is advertised as the best season, partly because the sunsets are muddied at this time of year (March) by the decaying wet season.



Anyway, we stood on the cliff-top less than 100m from our apartment last night to witness the event, along with lots of locals and visitors. Many had tables and chairs and picnic hampers, but we didn't go to those lengths!



The attached photos show you part of the evolving scene, which was a bit restrained compared with the dry-season display. Sunset occurred at 19.00 local time because daylight saving is still in force here. Note the stillness of the water. These tropical seas do not have the huge swells and crashing surf affecting southern Australia.

AS

Crocodile Paradise

Unsurprisingly Darwin has a large tourist attraction dedicated to the crocodile and we had great fun viewing large numbers of the beasts ranging from babies to 80 year old monsters. We could see them close up and from above, underneath, or side on. There were also biological exhibits explaining the species' evolution and the various kinds around the world (including Alligators and Caimans).

I wasn't aware that the salt-water crocodiles floating in Darwin harbour (you wouldn't want to fall in!) are at least 100 million years old (as a species) and the largest remaining anywhere. The 'salties', as they're called, also exist as far west as India's east coast and throughout Indonesia and Malaysia. Individuals may live as long as humans, but the statistic that most floored me was the strength of their jaws. The make the famous Tyrannosaurus Rex look like a wimp, with a crushing power about double the boss of the dinosaur world. So now I know why I should give them a wide berth and shout at Max when he cavorts on the shore-line!

AS

Tunnels under Darwin

During the second world war, Darwin was the only Australian city bombed by the Japanese, and, after that shock, the authorities went about creating underground fuel storage tunnels to prevent further losses of the vital commodity. The network of tunnels is open to the public and we visited the steel-lined caverns. Max thought it great fun and came up looking a huge mess as he rubbed himself along the tunnel sides and jumped in the inevitable puddles.



AS

Daily Routine

Perhaps because of the heat and humidity, we've settled into a languid sort of routine here in the top end. The best times to be really active are from 7am to about 11am, and from 5 pm to about 8pm, with a kind of siesta in between. So we've taken to our bikes just after 7, with one or more of Dot and myself accompanying Max. At first he was reluctant to ride a pretty pink bike with trainer wheels, but he soon got over that.

His road sense is minimal right now, so it's just as well we have extensive bike tracks nearby. Even so, he can't keep in lane and it's a struggle to get him to recognise the rights of other cyclists, walkers and joggers. He frequently dashes off furiously from us before screeching to a halt when he observes some interesting items. These could be fallen coconuts (we have a collection); a rock pool (the apartment now has several minute crabs and shellfish); or palm fronds.

Late in the afternoon, we have made a habit of going to the local swimming pool with a noodle kindly supplied by our apartment's owners (they also supplied the bike, videos, games and toys for Max). He's almost swimming unaided, and likes diving (with me as security back-up). He can also move under water for sort distances.

Apart from this, we try to take in one excursion to a place of interest during the day - see following entries.

AS

Top End

Dot and I arrived in Darwin yesterday afternoon for a few days R & R and a bit of conferencing on my part. Rebecca and Max arrive in about an hour to join us, with Max staying with us in our beach-side apartment and Beck heading off for a young planners' meeting before the main PIA event.

It's warm (about 34 C maximum) and very humid. The climate here is not too different to Jakarta or Singapore! We were out for a walk yesterday evening to see the sun set over the Arafura Sea (between Australia and Indonesia's islands of Bali and Lombok among others). However, we never did get to see the sunset because of what loomed over (pictured). The sky darkened, the wind got up, and this terrible looking storm appeared. Shortly after we reached the apartment it started to rain lightly and the sky was lit up by fierce lightning and crashes of thunder.

The beach across the road looks lovely: gently shelving sand between rocky outcrops and calm waters. Signs everywhere say: Don't Use between October and May. The sad thing is that these waters are home to the salt-water crocodile (a species that has already eaten two Australia children this summer) and the box jellyfish, whose sting is often fatal. Fortunately, there is also a swimming pool on the cliff-top opposite, and that is entirely safe. We also have nearby a park with kids' play equipment, a tennis court, and a rock ledge with pools for Max to explore and perform his biological experiments. Crocs would have a job reaching him there, however delightful the prospects of a tasty meal.

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More Punishment?

After the whirlwind trip to Warren, I had little time to recover before sitting round card tables for another 16 hours over the weekend! It was the Armidale Bridge Club's main annual congress, which drew 21 tables (84 players). I and my partner, Barbara Gates, played well enough on Saturday to participate in the 5-table (10 pair) championship final. We eventually came 5th after being as high as 3rd two rounds before the end.

AS

Whistle-Stop Tours

Am I mad? I hope not, but I seem to rush from one event to another with little room for rest, personal reflection, or appreciation of surroundings. Another week, another place. This time I was on the road to the small dusty town of Warren about 550 km south-west of here (Armidale). Fortunately, I was chauffeur-driven and could at least take in the varied scenery along with my colleague, Bernice.

The aim was to conduct some interviews with local leaders as part of our Cotton CRC project, and I must admit we met some friendly and informative people. Warren
is on the Oxley Highway (named after an early explorer who went that way) just before it joins the Barrier Highway stretching another 500 km or so to Broken Hill. The surrounding countryside is as flat as a tack around the Macquarie River. This is one of the major watercourses of the Murray-Darling system and flows into the Macquarie Marshes (a major wetland full of wildlife) near Warren. It also helps irrigate some of Australia's cotton crops.

How long did this excursion take? Exactly 36 hours for 1100 km on the road, the interviews and a night in a motel.

AS

Turning of the Season

In Australia, Autumn officially begins on 1 March, unlike the northern hemisphere where - if I'm correct - Spring begins on 21 March. Even in Iran, the 'new year' (No Ruz) begins on that date.

Anyway, Autumn suddenly arrived on 5 March this year. Yesterday, Wednesday, the weather was a hot 29 degrees C (about 85F) and very humid. About 18.00 a massive thunderstorm broke and it poured with rain for more than an hour. When I listened to the weather forecast this morning, I discovered that we had had the coldest night for months (only 7C), the humidity had gone completely, there was a strong SW gale blowing, and today's temperature would be 9C cooler. Not only that, I nearly froze riding my bike to work this morning! Quite a contrast indeed.

AS