We left Katherine a little disappointed as we got to do little of what we wanted due to 'the wet' as everyone affectionately called it. Making it all worth it was a sentiment graffitied on the bridge as we were leaving for Darwin..."Jesus Loves..." and in different writing "...Nachos" don't get me wrong I don't condone graffiti but this was a stroke of genius that promptly made me piss myself and required 5 bridge crossings just to get the photo. Must be the humidity.

We stopped on the Adelaide river to see the infamous salt water crocs in action from the relative safety of a boat. We got to the location and it was everything you expect from a tropical cafe/ bar/shop - lazy ceiling fan's wicker furniture, giant killer lizards! I had a good feeling about Darwin and surrounding areas.

Boarding the boat our guide for the day (who for the record was a female version of Crocodile Dundee only a little bit tougher) advised us to sit towards the front as bus loads of the 'gray haired brigade' had turned up and I think she took a shine to us (or maybe we looked like the tastiest for her precious crocs I was unsure), it turned out to be good advice. So we made our way upstream on a rather swollen Adelaide River in search of these most ancient of predators. The crocs, used to the free food, recognize the sound of the boats engine and if they are a little hungry as the boat chugs past they'll leisurely swim out to meet the boat. As we furthered up the river they began to swim out, one at a time as they are ferociously territorial, and as they did so Crocodile Dundehlia would splash the sawn pigs head portion in the water. As quick as a flash the croc would leap up for the food as it was elevated and get about half of its body out of the water(roughly up to its back legs). It dawned on me what awesome predators they were, evolutionally unchanged for tens of thousands of years. If its not broke don't fix it I suppose. I wondered what chance I'd have if it was me making the splashing, very little I imagine.

Still exhilarated we continued our journey to Darwin. We found a nice little campsite about 6km form the town centre and settled in for the night ready for a few busy days.

Morning came and the humidity was present from sunrise. We sorted ourselves out and drove into town. First stop was the WWII oil storage tunnels. Darwin, and Australia for that matter, took a bit of a hammering from the Japs during the war and due to the Australians non-existent ability to make decent movies (don't try to tell me Mad Max was a good movie or I'll be forced to punch you in the nose) it is relatively unheard of. Anyway the tunnels were built to store the oil for the Allied ship fighting in the Pacific campaign. But in true Aussie style the tunnels were finished around the same time as the Japanese surrender, therefore never getting used.

That afternoon we got to the war museum and had a look around the battlements etc. It was all in very good condition, maybe the fields around Katherine were more of a strategic target than the gun emplacements. Although Australia was never invaded it is a little known fact that Darwin had pretty much been write off from the start. A line of battlements was in place protecting just the south east corner, they could have the rest of it if an invasion ever occurred. This area is stooped in WWII history far too much for this blog site.

We had a look around the city and I must say I was rather taken with the place. Palm trees provide shade over most streets and harbor views are available at most city locations. There was something very tropical about the location (maybe due to the fact it's in the tropics) I loved it but the humidity is enough to turn insane the relatively normal or the insufficiently drunk.

That evening we went in search of the local delicacy of barramundi and chips. We found a restaurant with a very bizarre life size dinosaur model collection in the garden. Despite the exterior decor it sold the famed barra and chips. I wasn't impressed and thought it tasted a bit like the muddy rivers from whence it came.

The previous afternoon we'd been talked into an extra day as we had apparently missed some of the top attractions. So after a relaxed morning we made for the town again. This time our destination the Parap markets and then the Art and History museum.

The markets were a hive of activity, a mixture of food and craft markets. The food looked amazing a sign of the multiculturalism that is Darwin, but quite how people were eating red hot curries at ten in the morning is beyond me. The highlight for me was an aboriginal man playing the guitar, his rass pitch echoed through the markets, a melancholy tone in his voice which was quite enchanting. I could have sat there listening to him all day but after my skewered curry prawns and satay chicken (if you can't beat them, join them) we were off to the museum.

The museum was essentially a collection of things that can kill you in the 'top end' from tiny fish to cyclones a hundred miles across. There are three that I'd like to dwell on for a moment. Firstly the Box Jellyfish capable of killing a human in 2-3 mins with its venom and were in the picturesque waters of most northern Australia. Think about it ...2-3 mins, not even enough time to get off the beach never mind to a hospital. Scary. Secondly was Sweetheart the crocodile, somewhat a local celebrity who got a little too territorial. So here you are pottering along in your little tinny and all of a sudden your boat is chewing gum for a ¾ tonne 5m giant croc (thats not even the biggest, one they get a lot bigger). Thirdly is the cyclones that frequent the area so often, most notorious is Cyclone Tracy that hit in 1974. So you can get a feel for what it must have been like a priest had the foresight to record the sound of that fateful night and you can now listen to it in a darkened room on full volume. It is a spine chilling experience, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, Tracy was one pissed off lady! Thanks for your time.

After the museum we again drove around town and I must highlight again it's beauty. With harbor views palm laden streets and a laid back atmosphere it was refreshing. That afternoon and evening we just ambled around and took in the ambiance of the place, much impressed.

Gem's note: I have a new found respect for Darwinians this place is hot, like painfully, like sticking your head in an oven on Christams day after 6 hours of turkey cooking hot. Rich loved the place but as I don't feel like quietly roasting for the rest of my life I think this is a winter holiday destination only.