Humidity at the Darwin Esplanade
We drove into Darwin and right away felt the tropical atmosphere of this most northern larger city in Australia. Since it was the Ghan's 80th birthday, we were offered one night at the Central Hotel.
The following day we checked into Darwin YHA. Even though the air conditionning didn't work (and believe me, that's not a luxury in Darwin, but an essential must), it was a good-enough place to stay. Having said that, one morning our food had been eaten by ants and they had formed a big procession on the wall...:)
We went to have a look at the Air Museum where we could see the only B-52 bomber in the Southern Hemisphere. It was loaned to the museum and Australia by the US Air Force. A pretty impressive piece of machinery...we also learned about the Japanese air raid on Darwin in February 1942. The city was bombed by planes from the same fleet that had attacked Pearl Harbour 2 months earlier.
Darwin was again completely destroyed in 1974 when Cyclone Tracy hit the city on Christmas Eve and about 80% of the buildings were wrecked.
We visited the WWII Oil Tunnels that were supposed to protect Darwin's oil supplies in the event of another air raid. By the time the tunnels were finished, the war had finished too. So they were never actually used.
In order to cool down, we went to an artificial beach with waves etc etc. Why not the sea? It's the beginning of the wet season and our friends the salt water crocodiles are migrating to their nesting places. Darwin Harbour would be full of them. So we decided not to risk that :) At the Museum in Darwin a 5.5m crocodile called sweetheart is on display...really really impressive. They can close their jaw with a pressure of 2 tons per square cm. CRUNCH... :)
The final thing we did in Darwin was exchange Cicco for Nero...Nero has a bigger engine and a bigger tank...very useful for driving the long distances we would be doing on our way to Perth.
Ciao Cicco...
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