Farewell Darwin Well my time as an honary Territorian has come to an end as I depart the warmth of Darwin for cold of Adelaide. The beautiful blue skies, perfect sunsets, and the Territorry shuffle (it is too hot for people to pick up their feet I think) will be replaced with the wineries and Great Ocean Road. To live up here you have to have a special mentality you swap normal seasons for Wet and Dry. In the Dry the days are perfect and the nights balmy. In the Wet 1000's of lightening strikes and tropical storms. You rarely experience temperatures below 30 and humidity rises to a level that would stifle most people. You are closer to Papua New Guinea than Canberra. The main city is small, even on the main drag on a Friday night it feels no bigger than Fleet hight street. If you live outside of Darwin, you pretty much have to make up your own entertainment, the dust roads spread for miles and you could be hundreds of km's from your neighbour. If you live in the many "Dry" aboriginal areas, you can't drink or smoke. The petrol is Opal, designed not to give a high from sniffing it. The Wetlands are beautiful, full of birds and the fish are plentiful. But and there is always a but in Australia,There are snakes, crocs, spiders, plants, cyclones and scrub thypus. All could kill you ! But Territorians would not live anywhere else..... They still feel that they have a pioneer spirit. They are not a recognised state in Australia, they remain a territory. You feel there are still lands to explore, creatures to discover and tales to tell over a Stubby at the local bar. I would recommend the Top End to anyone. You leave the smart city bars, and sophisticated coffee shops behind. You can still get a latte or a Mai Tai but it comes with an edge. You believe that maybe just maybe, you'll be sat in a bar and Crocodile Dundee will walk through the door and he may just be dragging a croc behind him. I am pleased to move on and sad to leave. Next time, and there will be a next time. It will be me, a swag and a 4WD ready to tackle the outback - hardcore... Anyone care to join me But for now it is time to put the pack on my back and walk to the transit centre for the shuttle to the airport..... Love to you all Lynne xxxxxxx