After the layover for the Katherine Gorge tour it was four hours to Darwin. We arrived as the sun set. Our hotel was on the esplande with a good view of their beautiful bay. However, we now wanted sustenance and a night cap. We walked to the restaurant strip one block off.
Day view from Double Tree Hilton - Museum in Distance
After the peace of our train ride we were assulted by hordes of intoxicated young travelers in flip flops, sleevelesss shirts, and body art milling about the throbbing restaurants and bars. The majority of Darwin's population are transient travelers and workers, few staying more than a couple years before moving on. Its a city in periodic state of rebuilding.
Darwin has been completely destroyed twice so there is little unified urban character beyond the restaurant scene. An important WWII event, untold for those not down under, is that only a couple months after Pearl Harbor, more bombs were dropped by the Japanese on Darwin than in the attack that began US involvement. The extent of damage and casualties remained classified for years to conceal the government's incompetent preparation to the obvious Japanese threat. After the destruction of the US fleet in Pearl, and the bases in the Philippines, it should have been self evident that Darwin would be next. The city was the closest port for the Allies to stop the advance of Japan.
In 1974 the city was again leveled, this time not by man, but nature. Typhoon Tracey came ashore and severely damaged the city. But as people emerged into the sunshine and surveyed the wreckage they thought "it could have been worse"; then it was. The brief sunshine was only the eye of the storm. The back side winds topped 200 mph and all the debris from the first assult became battering rams and missles in the second. The city was totally destroyed - again.
Remains of Historic Building destroyed by Typhoon Tracey
Reconstruction of similar historic building
The past ten years have seen phenomenal development due to tourism and resource extraction, Australia's primary economy. Old timers of twenty years say the city is not recognizable. However, it has an excellent museum of all the Australian flora and fauna that can kill you and a new waterfront development that includes a conference center, residential, restaurants, cruise terminal, and man-made sandy beach protected from crocodiles. Their beautiful natural beaches are not swimmable, or you risk being euphemistically "taken". Darwin hasn't seemed to find it's soul yet - but it's trying after two knock down punches.
Darwin's residences and crocodile protected man-made beach
The morning after we arrived we stored our bags at the hotel and met our guide for a three day camping tour of the Top End. Entering the 15 person, 4-wheel-drive van I saw our companions would be young travelers. But there was one grizzled beard that thrust out from under a weathered straw hat. "At least we'll have someone our age to related too", I thought. As his head tilted back and smiled at me my mind scurried to connect the disconnected - the beaming face looks like our good friend Aaron, but we aren't scheduled to meet for another 5 days, and 1500 miles from here. Kate and Aaron (K&A), our reason for coming to Australia, had our full itinerary for several months. They surprised us by joining our guided trip without letting us know. After hugs around and several gaffaws, I settled into my seat.
At the next pick-up stop I gazed out the window and saw another familiar face about to board - Helene. I hadn't seen her in years. K&A said they were staying with her in Port Douglas so I assumed she had moved there with her partner Terry. Again, my mind tried to make sense of things out of context. As part of their subtrifuge and surprise during our trip planning K&A didn't correct my assumption about Helene moving. Unknownest to us, Helene and Terry traveled with K&A prior to all of us meeting in Darwin. Now six of us will travel the Top End of Australia together.
Next Post: The Top End Part 1 - Adventure Tours
What a wonderful surprise. The minute I saw the photo, I thought -- Hey! That looks like Aaron. What's he doing there? -- before I read about their clever trickery. So within the short span of 32 years (not long -- like from here to 1982) sucked to be Darwinians! Typical government ploy -- make your incompetence top secret! Looks lovely now. Good overview.
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