Darwin

Photos

Will live in our memories as more trouble than it is worth. It turns out in the end that the Port of Darwin schedule was closer to accurate than Oceania's. We arrived alongside the Bulk Liquid Cargo Port about 9:30am. Immigration clearance started about 9:45am, not 8 or 8:15am. We were in the 3rd group called and had to fight our way through about 100 people who were trying to get into Sirena Lounge without being called. I assume this was all the people who had made too tight private arrangements without taking into account the far out of town pier. Clay claimed he had actually read in some piece of literature than O has put out over the past 3 days that no one could go ashore from the Darwin Bulk Liquid Cargo Port without a tour ticket of some kind. I believe he has it confused with Komodo where they did say that. Also, as our A group of Darwin on Your Own bus pulled out at 9:55am, we saw independents being picked up or walking to the closest gate or drivers waiting with signs.

Rain was predicted today but without a cloud in the sky, we left with sunscreen, sunhats, water and carried umbrellas. Our 1st A group departure had to be back at the TI at 2:15pm with our tickets for our return to the ship. The 1st bus returning did not arrive until about 2:45pm. There were a lot more than A group people clustered there. The Destinations woman was calling for 4 buses to come at 2:15pm, but as I said the 1st one didn't arrive until a half hour later. The heat and humidity were I think just too much for the crowd. It was supposedly 90F or so and about 95% humidity so it felt about 101F. As I type this at 4:30pm, there are low black clouds rolling over Darwin in the distance and the bay is covered with white caps. It has probably cooled  off but it looks like we might be in for some rough sailing this evening.

We picked up a bunch of maps and brochures from the TI so we'll be ready when we come back. I think we have probably ruled out the HOHO bus since it only has 1 stop of interest to us and costs $40pp. For $3pp we can ride a Darwin City bus one way, so $6 pp return. Today we did most of the Darwin Heritage Walk, a self-guided walk with 2 different maps we picked up at the TI. Sorry I can't find a copy online! We saw the tree of life, the Beagle Bells, Christ Church Cathedral, Browns Mart Theatre, the Old Town Hall, the Old Courthouse and Police Station, NT Parliament, Victoria Hotel, Smiith Street Mall and lastly we visited inside the WWII Oil Storage Tunnels. It was $7pp for adults. This would have been super easy without the Heritage Walk. Just leave the TI on Bennett St. and turn left to Smith Street (the TI is at the corner of these 2 streets and the Mall is to your left across Bennett). Turn right on Smith Street and walk under the covering awnings along part of the historic markers to the end of the road at The Esplanade. Cross the road to the skybridge and elevators. There is one short bridge and elevator and one long bridge and elevator. They will bring you out to Kitchener Drive about a half block away to your left as you face Kitchener Drive out of the elevator and across the street is a banner marking the entrance to the tunnels. They were interesting from an historical and engineering perspective but would mostly get you out of the sun or the rain. Of tourist interest on the Darwin Waterfront Precinct at the bottom of the elevator were a swimming lagoon surrounded by a nice grassy tree-shaded park and off to the side, a man-made Wave Pool. That would have been a cool way to spend the mid-day. It was very crowded so it was popular. We were looking for 2 side by side restaurants overlooking the swimming lagoon. The Oyster Bar and the Crepe Escape. We found them. Clay really enjoyed some very affordable oysters on the half shell and the crepe place was closed down at Friday noon. We checked out some other restaurants. An Irish pub was very popular this St. Patrick's Day, but just had gelato instead. My choice. Trampoline Gelato has their own dairy and makes their own gelato. I had Pokey Pokey, a honeycomb candy Australian version of NZ's Hokey Pokey. Yummy. The ice cream and sorbet on O are disappointing to say the least.

When we return, I want to go to the Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. We should be able to use public buses from our Doubletree by Hilton hotel for that.

Tonight I don't like the GDR menu so I'll hope for calm seas and a nice sailaway from up top at Terrace. In other news, we have to move the clocks back 1 and 1/2 hours tonight. As Clay pointed out, this will really be a problem when we start sailing back east across the bottom of Australia! I'll post this now and expect nothing else newsworthy.

Photos