The Top of the Top End

Darwin: don't know what I expected to find here, but it wasn't high rises and a tourist buzz. I guess, if I've ever thought of Darwin up till this point it appeared in my mind like a cross between a shanty town made of corrugated iron shacks, such as the photos from the aftermath of Cyclone Tracy revealed, and Baz Luhrmann's vision, in "Australia", of a dusty port where cattle are loaded.

On the Esplanade, where my hotel is, and in the main drag, Mitchell Street which runs parallel to it, I guess Darwin resembles the Gold Coast more than anything else. But further out, it's flat, flat, flat and spread out. Walking anywhere is a long, hot slog, and not something to be undertaken lightly. You have to plan and carry water, lots of water, and everyone does.

Last night went to the night markets at Mindil Beach. Sat on the brown powder sand and waited for the sunset while I ate my gado gado and sate. Lots of people, families, locals, travellers and tourists. Sun slipped through the clouds into the Timor Sea leaving some rosy swatches across the sky. Everyone madly snapping. Then back to the markets behind the sand. A young man eating fire and mainly (Asian) food stalls; also (Asian) clothes, jewellery, hippy light fittings, massage & acupuncture and what have you. Lots of fun, people, lights, music. And then a long, cool (not to me, but to my local companions) gust of wind. Stalls flapping, paintings, cards, jewelry blown off stalls; a Marquise turned over with the electric light still glowing inside. "Unplug the light!" (Frantically)"Unplug the light!" Ant-like busyness. You can see they've done this before. Stallholders packing goods back into boxes and crates, dismantling counters, folding tents. The buyers rushing through the dismantling tent town, dodging the raindrops and exiting cars, to get to their own vehicles before the heavens open.

And they do open, fully, generously, loudly and with lightning just after we get inside Tony's car.

Tony is a Flickr friend and I met him and his wife, Carole, yesterday, when they picked me up from the museum and Art gallery. Tomorrow Tony and I are going shooting (photos) in a couple of places, if I can drag myself up at a respectable time. 4 a.m. now. Better leave off and try to get a little sleep before it gets light.