After we "dumped" the van on Monday, we walked into Darwin to look at the shops and walk (yes, WALK!) out to The Wharf Precinct where, just over 10 years ago, we'd had the most amazing seafood meal during a bus conference which Richard had to attend and Jill "endured"! Well, the restaurant on the end of the harbour is now called "Crustaceans" but their popularity remains and they could NOT give us a table! The whole way round NZ and Oz and this is the FIRST place we could not get in! So, in high dudgeon, we took a taxi back to our hotel (Holiday Inn on The Esplanade), had a shower (it is VERY hot and sticky if you walk around too much!) and ate a pizza in our rooms - uploading all the latest news to our website while relaxing with the air-con full on! We really are Pommie Whimps! Too hot, too cold - never just right. Brendan (Richard's dentist), if you're reading this, you may just have a good point! Tuesday morning and we want to beat the sun out into the Darwin day! We first went fish-feeding at Doctor's Gully; it happens every day 90 minutes either side of high tide. Fish come into the shallows of the shoreline entirely of their own freewill and those who wish may enter the water with them to touch or feed them. It's quite unusual and fun to watch even if you don't want to take part. After that we took a taxi to Casuarina shopping mall, one of the largest in Australia, to get Richard a new pair of sandals, his old ones having taken quite a battering on the trip so far. Then back to the hotel for a beer and out to the Museum to get a bit more knowledge of this vast country and to learn all about the night "Tracy" struck. Most will know that this was early on Christmas Day 1974 when Cyclone Tracy ripped Darwin to pieces. In fact the hotel we're staying was a Travelodge in those days and was one of the few buildings to withstand the tempest. There are pictures in the lobby (taken on Christmas Day '74) showing cars upside down in the swimming pool and smashed into the front of the building. In the evening we went to Pee Wee's on the Point, a restaurant recommended by friends Merv and Jennifer Reeves back in Auckland. Thanks, M&J, it was brilliant. In fact it now shares top equal billing with The Gondola in Christchurch...just take a look at the photos of the food!! And so to Brisbane. Val and Al don't have any way to hook up to the internet, nor does Margaret who we're staying with in Melbourne; so please be warned now that the next update may not occur until AFTER 8th July....from Bali! Until then, a big hug and watch out - we're getting closer to most of you once more and to those we leave behind, Thank you SO much for making us so welcome in your homes and in your countries. We have had a lifetime of fun and memories to last us for ever. Lots of love to you all from Richard & Jill xx