The journey from Kununurra wasn't as bad as some of the other ones I have done. I was surprised though when I passed through quarantine from WA into NT that no one stopped me or asked me anything I just drove straight through. I had nothing on me anyway but I at least thought someone might ask? Anyway I got to see my first bush fire on the Victoria highway, not a massive one but then I guess all fires start out small in the beginning. It didn't faze me too much as it was quite far away till I got about another 50km and there was another one...this time stretched right across the road. Nearly out so we made it through, it just looked bad with all the smoke.

I passed through Katherine relatively quickly as apart from the National Park there isn't really much to see there. Moving on I made it to Adelaide River where you can see an old example of a train which used to run on the Ghan. It was getting late, I hadn't realised that as soon as you enter NT it adds an extra hour and a half onto your clock, that was a 'surprise' when I checked to see how long I had been driving I can assure you lol. The clouds started to descend and I felt like a storm chaser again trying to get into Darwin before it came over the town and thunder stormed.

I checked into the hostel and got chatting to a really nice girl called Jenny who is from the UK and is a PE teacher. The room is nice, air con, ensuite bathroom and our own fridge not bad.

My first day in Darwin I had a good sleep and then went to the tourist office to get some ideas on what to do in the area, I walked down the Esplanade and then pretty much did nothing all day.

Today I made it out of bed earlier and was relieved that even though it was still hot outside it was a little clouded over which would make walking a bit better. I decided to walk to the Botanical Gardens. I got there and almost laughed silly as I had to do a double take. I seriously for a few seconds thought it said Gordon Brown instead of George Brown Botanical Gardens lol. The gardens are nice though, there's a pathway which leads you round the site. Through the children's garden to the waterfall and rainforest area. Wear bug spray! I completely forgot and got munched 3 times in the space of about 2 minutes. On the map they looked bigger though but it as still a nice way to spend a couple hours, walking round, rocking out to Tenacious D whist looking at the wildlife lol.

I then decided to carry on walking and made it to Mindil beach. Nice little beach, probably busy when it'd not stinger season and right next door is a massive casino called Sky city! Hmmm might check that one out in a few days...

My plans keep changing but I am going to be in Darwin till the end of next week and then not sure where after that. But I will see Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks before I leave, oh and of course do the 'cage of death' once Claudia gets here *smile*.

It's kind of amazing how many random people you meet in a hostel, just by talking to someone looking at a map this afternoon I ended up spending the night in a dodgy sports bar watching the 6 nations rugby with 2 Aussies and a Kiwi (who happened to be rooting for Wales in a pub full of Paddies lol). I did find it amusing though some of the reactions from friends and family when they discovered I was wearing an Ireland jersey!

The picture is in the rainforest part of the Botanical gardens.