Beautiful bubby

Darwin (take two)

September 16 to 27, 2015

Our main reason for returning to Darwin was to see my newest great niece, Emily Violet, daughter of nephew Jono and his fiance Kate. Kate and Emily - now almost four months - were doing a tour of NSW when we lobbed into town earlier in the month so it was imperative we return. It may be another year before I see her again....and she'll be all "growed" up by then! What a little treasure - full of smiles and gurgles - and what fab doting parents. It was very special to be able to share some family time with them.

Emily turns on the charm before her bath.

Double dipping
 Then we got to see them again at the Darwin Botanic Gardens on Saturday.
Emily is such a little honey.

Happy family: Gorgeous Mum, Delightful Dad and a little cutie in between.

Special pic of Dad and daughter.

The other highlight was a sleep over in the city away from Myrtle. It was my birthday and Garry organised a night at the Vibe Hotel on the Waterfront. We love our little van but it was heaven having a king bed, our own bathroom and some private space for a few hours. Oh, and the Moet was pretty nice too. Thanks Gorgeous Garry.

We also played the part of tourists. Darwin is obsessed with the day war came to Australia - February 19, 1942 - when two waves of Japanese planes flattened the city, killing 243 and injuring 400. The military museum is interesting but the ineptitude and complacency of the government

and military in the lead up to the attack is astounding. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but surely Australia should have been better prepared. After all the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbour two months previously and they had been detected attempting to lay mines at the entrance to Darwin Harbour three weeks earlier. The powers that be were still arguing over whether to install 6 or 9 inch guns at East Point. After the attack, they began building the defences, finally completing them in 1944 when the Japs were well and truly on the run. War - what a shocking waste. Here endth Jennifer's indignant epistle.

One of the two concrete turrets and 9 inch guns finally completed in 1944. The weapons were never fired in anger and were finally sold to the Japanese as scrap metal! This is a replacement gun. 

The Darwin Film Festival was in full swing so a visit to the Deckchair Cinema on the waterfront was essential. Two rather ordinary film but a fabulous venue.

And a visit to the Northern Territory Parliament House. Beautiful structure built to withstand any cyclone that might come its way and lots of fascinating stories about the vagaries of Territory politics. 

One man protest. Not sure what he's protesting about but Garry insisted on sitting in the middle of the main foyer.

Discovering the Hidden Valley Motorsports Complex

Garry couldn't leave Darwin without inspecting the speedway. A great money spinner for the Top End, especially when the V8 Super Cars come to town.

Now it's time for us to skedaddle. We leave Darwin today (September 27), turn right at Katherine and start the trek to Western Australia. Excited.